Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890
Person
Major General Francis Henney Smith (b. 1812 d. 1890) was appointed VMI's first Superintendent in 1839. An 1833 graduate of West Point, he had previously served briefly in the U. S. Army and was a Professor of Mathematics at Hampden-Sydney College (VA) when he accepted the position as head of the newly established Virginia Military Institute. He served for fifty years, from the Institute's infancy, through the Civil War, and through the difficult post-war period. He is known as the "builder and rebuilder of VMI." Smith retired on January 1, 1890 and died only a few months later, on March 21, 1890.
Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:
Miscellaneous correspondence files, Superintendent's office
Series
Identifier: RG-02-Correspondence-Misc
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, 1840-1918, originating in the Superintendent's office, unrelated to any other records series. Primarily about purchases and business transactions, and miscellaneous file.
Office of the Superintendent. Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1840 - 1915
Sub-Series
Scope and Contents
This box contains incoming and outgoing letters that do not fit in the larger correspondence series for the period, including:
--unnumbered incoming letters, 1840-1870
--misc. numbered letters that do not fit in the known sequence, including a few examples from the 1870's for which there are no other extant incoming letters.
--Misc. original outgoing letters (copies in letter books)
--Misc. copies of outgoing letters, (perhaps a second copy in addition to...
Office of the Superintendent, administrative subject files
Series
Identifier: RG-02-Subject Files-Administrative
Scope and Contents
Historically significant subject files spanning the administrations of multiple Superintendents. These topical files cover various historical eras; topics include areas such as planning, programs, and events.
