Eldridge J. Smith (c.1825-1904) was a Washington, D.C.-based patent lawyer and businessman. He was a Civil War veteran, serving in Company K of the Minnesota 1st Regiment. He became interested in Christian Science in 1876 after reading Science and Health. He was a student of Mary Baker Eddy's and most likely studied with Eddy in the spring of 1882. He briefly served as Mary Baker Eddy's publisher from April until June 1885, receiving income from the sales of The Christian Science Journal and Eddy's writings. However, due to financial mismanagement [see L07864] of The Christian Science Journal, he was removed from his position as publisher, suspended from the Christian Scientist Association, and ultimately expelled on December 16, 1885. He spent the rest of his life in Washington, D.C., managing various business interests and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He was married to Melinda H. Smith.

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