The English noble who built an American legacy

If you visit Washington, D.C. today, it is impossible to miss the sprawling complex of museums and research centers that make up the Smithsonian Institution. Yet, the man who funded this American cultural cornerstone never once set foot in the United States. His story is one of scientific ambition, incredible wealth, and a complicated relationship with the English nobility.

The sting of illegitimacy

A young James Louis Macie,
dressed in Oxford regalia,
by James Roberts, c. 1786

James Smithson was born in secret in Paris around 1765. His father was Hugh Percy, the 1st Duke of Northumberland, and his mother was Elizabeth Hungerford Keate Macie, a wealthy widow (1). Because his parents were not married, Smithson was considered illegitimate and for years used the surname Macie.

This status carried heavy consequences in 18th-century Britain. Despite having the blood of royalty and high nobility in his veins, the strict laws of the English aristocracy barred him from ever inheriting his father's titles or taking a seat in the House of Lords. He grew up wealthy but was forever marked as an outsider looking in on the British establishment.

Making a name in science

Rather than letting his exclusion from the nobility defeat him, Smithson turned his brilliant mind toward the sciences. He became a highly respected chemist and mineralogist, dedicating his life to discovering the natural world. He firmly believed that scientific achievement was far more valuable than inherited titles.

He famously declared that his own name would live on in the memory of man long after the titles of the Northumberlands and the Percys were completely forgotten. History would prove him right.

A surprising gift to America

When Smithson drafted his will, he left his vast fortune to his nephew. However, he included a highly unusual backup plan. If his nephew were to die without heirs, the entirety of his estate was to be given to the United States of America—a young nation across the Atlantic that he had never visited.

His specific instruction was to found an establishment in Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, dedicated to "the increase and diffusion of knowledge."

The birth of the Smithsonian

Smithson passed away on 27 June 1829. Just as his will outlined, his nephew eventually died without heirs in 1835. After years of legal discussions and the physical transport of 104,960 gold sovereigns across the ocean, the United States Congress formally accepted the gift.

On 10 August 1846, the Smithsonian Institution was officially established (2). The illegitimate son who was denied a place in the English nobility ultimately bought himself an immortal legacy, funding a gift to humanity that continues to educate and inspire millions today.

References:

(1) Smithsonian Institution Archives: James Smithson Biographical Information

You can find the official biographical information from the Smithsonian Institution Archives at:

https://siarchives.si.edu/history/james-smithson

(2) US Congress historical records regarding the Smithson bequest

The historical congressional records regarding the debates and the act establishing the institution are preserved by the Library of Congress and the National Archives:

• Library of Congress (Today in History: June 27): Details the history of the bequest, the gold sovereigns, and the passing of the Smithsonian Institution Act.

  https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/june-27/

• National Archives (Guide to House Records): Contains the actual minute books and reports from the House Select Committee on the bequest of James Smithson.

  https://www.archives.gov/legislative/guide/house/chapter-22.html