Owen L. W. Smith

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Owen L. W. Smith
United States Minister to Liberia
In office
1898–1902
Preceded byWilliam H. Heard
Succeeded byJohn R. A. Crossland
Personal details
Born
Owen Lun West Smith

(1851-05-18)May 18, 1851
Giddensville,
African American
Alma materLivingstone College
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceUnion Army
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Owen Lun West Smith (May 18, 1851 – January 5, 1926) was an

African American minister and diplomat of the United States
.

Biography

Smith was born into

Confederate army while serving as a personal servant. Later on, however, he would enlist in the Union Army and go on to fight in the Battle of Bentonville.[2][3]

After becoming a freedman, Smith worked as a teacher before getting a scholarship to attend the University of South Carolina from 1874 to 1876.[2][3]

In 1880 Smith would convert to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, while attending a camp in Whiteville, North Carolina; later on, by 1881, he would attain a preacher's license and was ordained as a local deacon.[4][5] Following his conversion, he would go on to receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Livingstone College in 1883.[2][3]

After having been appointed on February 11, 1898, Smith would go on to serve as the

Minister Resident of the United States to Liberia between May 11, 1898, and May 13, 1902.[6][7]

Smith died on January 5, 1926, in Wilson, North Carolina, where he was later buried.[2][6][8][9]

References

  1. ^ Johnston, Hugh Buckner; Eagles, Brenda Marks (January 1, 1994). "Smith, Owen Lun West". www.ncpedia.org. University of North Carolina Press. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Valentine, Patrick M. (2002). The Rise of a Southern Town: Wilson, North Carolina, 1849-1920. Gateway Press.
  3. ^ a b c "Marker: F-64: OWEN L. W. SMITH". www.ncmarkers.com. 2000. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  4. ^ "Reverend Dr. Owen Lun West Smith - North Carolina". www.aahpfdn.org. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  5. ISBN 978-0-8139-2978-1
    .
  6. ^ a b "Owen Lun West Smith - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  7. ISBN 978-1-4617-1902-1
    .
  8. ISBN 978-0-87338-375-2
    .
  9. ^ "Rev Owen Lun West Smith (1851-1926) - Find A Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved August 15, 2021.


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