Biography.guide
Home › People › Theologian › William Pitt Smith
Portrait of William Pitt Smith

William Pitt Smith

1760 – 1796

American theologian

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About William Pitt Smith

Lived 1760 – 1796 (aged 35–36). William Pitt Smith was an American theologian.

William Pitt Smith (1760 – 1796) was a U.S. physician, educator and theological writer.

Smith began his career serving in the General Hospital Department of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He became Professor of Materia Medica at Columbia College in 1792.

Smith authored two books that espoused the tenets of Universalism: The Universalist; in Seven Letters to Amyntor (1787) and Observations on Conventions (1793). In his books, Smith argued that the notion of infinite and universal sin contradicted God's basic nature. Smith's writing also spoke positively of deism, noting its practitioners were "of amiable characters, or sense, learning and morality", and he argued that Universalism could serve as a bridge to connect the theological separation between deists and Christians.

Smith was elected as a member of the New York State legislature in January 1796, where he argued for the abolition of slavery. However, his political term was brief, as he died in February 1796 following complications from pneumonia.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
1760
Birth century
Died
1796
Occupation
Nationality
Employers
Columbia University

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William Pitt Smith's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William Pitt Smith?

American theologian

When was William Pitt Smith born?

William Pitt Smith was born in 1760.

When did William Pitt Smith die?

William Pitt Smith died in 1796.

What was William Pitt Smith's occupation?

William Pitt Smith was a theologian.

What nationality was William Pitt Smith?

William Pitt Smith was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William Pitt Smith

· Wikidata: Q8016945

· DBpedia: William Pitt Smith

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Pitt Smith. https://biography.guide/william-pitt-smith/

MLA: "William Pitt Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-pitt-smith/.

Chicago: "William Pitt Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-pitt-smith/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:18 UTC