SMITH, Benjamin Bosworth, P. E. bishop, born in Bristol, Rhode Island, 13 June, 1794; died in New York city, 31 May, 1884. He entered Brown university, Providence, Rhode Island, and was graduated in 1816. Although of Congregational parentage, he studied for the ministry in the Episcopal church, was ordained deacon in St. Michael's church, Bristol, 23 April, 1817, by Bishop Griswold, and priest in St. Michael's church, Marblehead, Massachusetts, 24 June, 1818, by the same bishop. His earliest work in the ministry was in Marblehead for two years, after which he became rector of St. George's church, Accomack county, Virginia, and two years later rector of Zion church, Charlestown, with charge of the church in Shepherdstown. In 1828 he removed to Vermont and became rector of St. Stephen's church, Middlebury, in 1828 he assumed charge of Grace church mission, Philadelphia, and in 1830 he accepted the rectorship of Christ church, Lexington, Kentucky This last post he held until 1837. While in Vermont he was editor of "The Episcopal Register," and subsequently in Philadelphia he conducted "The Episcopal Recorder. "He received the degree of S. T. D. from Geneva (now Hobart) college in 1832, and that of LL.D. from Griswold college, Iowa, in 1870, and from Brown university in 1872 He was elected first bishop of Kentucky, and was consecrated in St. Paul's chapel, New York city, 31 October, 1832 On the death of Bishop Hopkins in 1868 he became the presiding bishop. From 1872 onward, owing to advanced age and accompanying infirmities, he was allowed to reside out of the limits of his diocese, and he was furnished with an assistant in January, 1875. In addition to his contributions as editor to church journalism, Bishop Smith published "Five Charges to the Clergy" of his diocese; "Saturday Evening, or Thoughts on the Progress of the Plan of Salvation" (New York, 1876); and "Apostolic Succession, Facts which prove that a Ministry appointed by Christ Himself involves this Position" (1877).