SMITH, Meriwether, statesman, born at the family seat, Bathurst, Essex County, Virginia, in 1730; died 25 January, 1790. He was a signer of the articles of the Westmoreland (county) association in opposition to the stamp-act, 27 February, 1776, and also of the resolutions of the Williamsburg association, a member of the house of burgesses from Essex county in 1770, and of the Virginia conventions of 1775 and 1776, in which he was active. He was a member of the Continental congress in 1778-'82, and of the Virginia convention of 1788, which ratified the constitution of the United States. The belief is held by his descendants that he was the author of the Virginia bill of rights. He was a member of the select committee to which the draft of George Mason was submitted, and appears to have submitted a draft for the state constitution. He was twice married ; first, about 1760, to Alice, daughter of Philip Lee, and secondly, 29 September, 1769, to Elizabeth, daughter of Colonel William Daingerfield. Of his issue by the first marriage was GEORGE WILLIAM, lawyer and governor of Virginia, who perished, with fifty-nine others, in the burning of the Richmond theatre, 26 December, 1811.