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Smith, William (Naval officer was born Jan)

naval officer, was born Jan. 9, 1803, in Washington, Ky.

He entered the United States navy as a midshipman in 1823; served in Commodore David Porter's squadron against the West Indian pirates; and became lieutenant in 1831. During the civil war he was in the frigate Congress when she was sunk by the Merrimac; became commodore in 1862; and was subsequently in command of the Pensacola naval station till 1865, when he was retired. He died May 1, 1873, in St. Louis, Mo.