James Smithson was born in 1764.

James Smithson was an Englishman who researched geology, chemistry, and mineralogy. He is most known as the founding donor of the Smithsonian Institute.

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James Smithson started with all of the money then in his will gave it to his nephew (Henry James Hungerford) and said that if Henry did not have any heirs to give his money to, then Henry's money would go to the United States government for some sort of increasing of knowledge of people. However, James Smithson never set foot in the United States! The sum of money that was given to the governent was $500,000 but today would be worth $10,100,977!