Matthew J. Smith | |
|---|---|
| Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives | |
| In office 1980–1988 | |
| Preceded by | Edward P. Manning |
| Succeeded by | Joseph DeAngelis |
| Member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives | |
| In office 1973–1988 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Matthew John Smith July 17,1941 Providence,Rhode Island,U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Claire Crepeau |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Providence College |
Matthew John Smith (born July 17,1941) is an American politician and lawyer in the state of Rhode Island.
Smith was born in Providence in 1941,the son of Irish immigrants. [1] He earned a bachelor's (1962) and master's (1966) degrees at Providence College. [2] He worked as a professor and archivist at Providence College,and also co-authored a book on the history of Catholicism in Rhode Island. [2]
A Democrat,Smith was first elected to the Rhode Island House of Representatives in a special election held in June 1973. [2] He served as Speaker of the House from 1980 to 1988,resigning his seat in 1988 upon being appointed as Clerk of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and Rhode Island court administrator. [2] In addition,Smith was a member of the boards of the St. Joseph Hospital Corporation and Blue Shield of Rhode Island. [2] He is married to Claire Crepeau and has four children. [1]
Stephen Hopkins was a Founding Father of the United States,a governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,a chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court,and a signer of the Continental Association and Declaration of Independence. He was from a prominent Rhode Island family,the grandson of William Hopkins who was a prominent colonial politician. His great-grandfather Thomas Hopkins was an original settler of Providence Plantations,sailing from England in 1635 with his cousin Benedict Arnold who became the first governor of the Rhode Island colony under the Royal Charter of 1663.

Classical High School,founded in 1843,is a public magnet school in the Providence School District,in Providence,Rhode Island. It was originally an all-male school but has since become co-ed. Classical's motto is Certare,Petere,Reperire,Neque Cedere,a Latin translation of the famous phrase taken from Tennyson's poem "Ulysses","To Strive,to Seek,to Find,and Not to Yield". It has been rated "High Performing and Sustaining" by its performance in 2005 on the New Standards Reference Exam,placing third in the state. The school also made Newsweek's America's Best High Schools of 2012 with a 99% graduation rate,95% college bound,an average SAT score of 1578,and an average AP score of 2.8. Classical High School stands roughly at the intersection of the Federal Hill,West End,and Upper South Providence neighborhoods.

Gordon Dennis Fox is an American attorney and politician from Providence,Rhode Island. He served formerly as the Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives,before resigning in disgrace. A member of the Democratic Party,he was first elected to the legislature in 1992. On June 11,2015 Fox was sentenced to three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to charges including bribery,fraud,and filing a false tax return.

La Salle Academy is a private Roman Catholic college preparatory school run by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools in Providence,Rhode Island. It was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1871. the Academy currently enrolls 1,478 students in the sixth through twelfth grades,with the majority of students coming from the Providence metropolitan area.
Frank R. Licht was an American politician and the 67th Governor of Rhode Island from 1969 to 1973,serving as the first Jewish governor in Rhode Island state history. He was also an associate justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court from 1956 to 1968 and a member of the Rhode Island Senate from 1949 to 1956.
Isaac Wilbour was an American politician from Rhode Island holding several offices,including the sixth Governor of the state.
James Brown Mason was an American physician and legislator who served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1804 to 1814,where he was speaker from 1812 to 1814. Elected to Congress in November 1814,he represented one of Rhode Island's two at-large congressional districts from 1815 until 1819.
Ernest C. Torres is a former United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
Joshua Babcock (1707–1783) was a physician,American Revolution general,Rhode Island Supreme Court justice,and postmaster from Westerly,Rhode Island.
William Greene Jr. was the second governor of the state of Rhode Island,serving in this capacity for eight years,five of which were during the American Revolutionary War. From a prominent Rhode Island family,his father,William Greene Sr.,had served 11 terms as a colonial governor of Rhode Island. His great-grandfather,John Greene Jr. served for ten years as deputy governor of the colony,and his great-great-grandfather,John Greene Sr. was a founding settler of both Providence and Warwick.
Khalil Joseph Shekarchi is an American politician currently serving as the Speaker of the Rhode Island House of Representatives. A Democrat,he has represented District 23 in Warwick since January 1,2013. He was chairman of the House Labor Committee until his Democratic colleagues elected him as the House majority leader in November 2016. After four years as majority leader,his colleagues elected him speaker in November 2020 following the defeat of longtime speaker Nicholas Mattiello. Shekarchi considers himself a moderate Democrat.
Brian Patrick Kennedy is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives representing District 38 since January 2003. Kennedy served consecutively from January 1989 until January 2003 in the District 16 seat. He is also the Speaker Pro Tempore in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
Joseph Anthony Bevilacqua Sr. was chief justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court from 1976 through 1986. His career was tarnished due to his association with organized crime.

Horatio Rogers Jr. was an American lawyer,judge,and Union Army officer in the American Civil War. He was the Attorney General of Rhode Island from 1864 to 1867 and again from 1888 to 1889. From 1891 to 1903,he served as an Associate Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme Court.
Martha Lucy Rawlings Tootell was an American schoolteacher and politician who served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. She represented District 52 from 1973 until 1977.
Thomas J. Rossi is an American politician who served as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives representing North Providence in the 6th House of Representatives district between 1985 and 1993.
Albert Joseph Lepore Sr. was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1969 to 1981,representing North Providence in the 6th district.
John Smith was a founding settler of Providence in what would become the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Smith joined Roger Williams at the Seekonk River in 1636 after both were expelled from Massachusetts Bay Colony. In the spring they crossed the river to found Providence where Smith later built and operated the town's gristmill.
Joseph DeAngelis is an American politician and lawyer in the state of Rhode Island.