John Smith (priest, born 1659)

John Smith (1659–1715) was an English cleric, known for his edition of the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum of Bede.

Son of William Smith, who married in 1657 Elizabeth, daughter of Giles Wetherall of Stockton, he was born at Lowther, Westmorland on 10 November 1659, one of 11 brothers, who included Joseph Smith and others well known in their time. He was educated by his father at Bradford, Yorkshire, under Christopher Ness, and then at Appleby grammar school.

Smith was admitted to St John's College, Cambridge on 12 June 1674 as a sizar, graduating B.A. 1677, and M.A. 1681. On leaving he was ordained deacon and priest by Archbishop Richard Sterne; in July 1682 he was admitted a minor canon of Durham Cathedral, was shortly afterwards collated to the curacy of Croxdale, and on 1 July 1684 to that of Witton Gilbert. From 1686 to 1689 he acted as chaplain to Lord Lansdown, the English ambassador at Madrid. In 1694 he was appointed domestic chaplain to Nathaniel Crew, who in the following year collated him to the rectory and hospital of Gateshead, and on 25 September 1695 to the seventh prebendal stall in Durham Cathedral.

In 1696 Smith was created D.D. at Cambridge, and three years later was made treasurer of Durham, to which the bishop added in July 1704 the rectory of Bishop-Wearmouth. Here he rebuilt the rectory and restored the chancel of the church, but In 1713 his health began to fail, and he died at Cambridge on 30 July 1715. He was buried in the chapel of St John's College, where a monument was erected, with an inscription by his friend Thomas Baker.

...
Wikipedia