(Born: Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A., 17 December 1818; Died: Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A., 12 October 1883) American geologist, mineralogist & chemist.

Through marriage, Smith became independently wealthy and was therefore free to persue whatever scientific research he choose.

Biographical references: ABA: I 1494, 50-74; II 572, 57-61. • American Chemists & Chemical Engineers: 1, 447-8 [by W.D. Miles]. • Biographical Memoirs of the National Academy of Science: 2 (1886), 219-48, biblio. • Cleevely, World Palæontological Collections, 1983: 268. • DAB: 17, 304-5 [by T.C. Johnson, Jr]. • Elliott, Biographical Index, 1990: 215. • Elliott, Biographical Dictionary, 1979: 238-9. • Ireland, Index to Scientists, 1962. • Meisel, American Natural History, 1924-9: 1, 231 [other refs.]. • National Cyclopedia of American Biography: 6, ??. • Sampey, J.R., "J. Lawrence Smith", Journal of Chemical Education, 5, (1928), 123-8. • Sarjeant, Geologists, 1980: 3, ???. • WBI.

1. English, 1873 [First edition].
Mineralogy And Chemistry: | Original Researches | By Prof. J. Lawrence Smith. | Of Louisville. | Louisville, Ky.: | Printed By John P. Morton And Company. | 1873.

8°: π² 2-25⁸ 26⁷; 201l.; [1]-401, [1] p., illus. Page size: 220 x 140 mm.

Contents: [1-2], Title page, verso blank.; [3]-4, "Contents."; 5-401, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.

Very scarce. This volume reprints 46 of Smith's mineralogical and chemical papers published between 1841 and 1872.

Bibliographical references: BMC: 4, 1949.

Original Researches, 1884

2. English, 1884 [Posthumous edition].
Original Researches | In | Mineralogy And Chemistry | By | J. Lawrence Smith, | Membre Correspondand de l'Institut de France (Academie des Sciences), etc. | Printed For Presentation Only. | Edited By J.B. Marvin, B.S., M.D. | [short rule] | Louisville, Ky. | Printed By John P. Morton And Company. | 1884.

8°: π¹⁵ c⁴ D² 1-39* 40³; 336l.; [i]-xl, [2], [1]-630 p., frontispiece (portrait of Smith), one folding map (p. 584), illus. Page size: 224 x 146 mm.

Contents: [i-ii], Half title page, "Original Researches | In | Mineralogy and Cyrstallography. | J. Lawrence Smith," verso blank.; [Frontispiece].; [iii-iv], Title page, verso blank.; [v]-vii, "Contents."; [viii], Blank.; [ix]-xiii, "A Biographical Sketch Of Professor | J. Lawrence Smith," by J.B. Marvin, M.D.; [xiv]-xxi, "In Memory Of J. Lawrence Smith, M.D.," by Middleton Michel, M.D.; [xxii]-xl, "Sketch Of The Life And Scientific Work | Of Dr. J. Lawrence Smith," by B. Silliman.; [1 pg], `Original Researches."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-611, Text.; [612]-621, "List Of Papers."; [622]-630, "Index."

Very scarce. Edited by J.B. Marvin. This is a privately printed posthumous collection of the Smith's papers in mineralogy and chemistry. It includes a biography and bibliography of Smith, as well as a fine frontispiece portrait.

Bibliographical references: BMC: 4, 1949. • USGS Library Catalog.

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