WILLIAM SMITH. About the year 1785 Robert Smith came from east of the mountains and located in Bethel township, near Bethel church, in Allegheny county, Penn., and followed agricultural pursuits, and the original farm is now owned by his grandson, John Smith. In 1790 he married Jean, daughter of Daniel Moore, and of this union the following children were born: Daniel (who died in Nebraska); Jennie(deceased wife of Robert Cooly, of Beaver county, Penn.): Mary Ann (deceased wife of Henry Keifer, of Beaver county, Penn.); Elizabeth (wife of Robert Bryarly, of Beaver county, Penn);Agnes (deceased wife of Jacob Keifer, of Beaver county, Penn.); Robert (deceased in Iowa); Polly (wife of John Lesnette, living near Bridgeville, Allegheny Co., Penn.); Margaret (deceased wife of James Orr, of Holmes county, Ohio); William(subject of this sketch), and John (who died in Allegheny county, Penn.). The father of this family died in 18--, aged eighty-three years, the mother in 1863, aged ninety-one, and they are buried in Bethel cemetery. William Smith was born August 12, 1812, in Bethel township, Allegheny Co., Penn., and received his education in the common schools, the principal books in use at the time being the United States Speller and Western Calculator. On April 16, 1840, he was married to Sarah H., daughter of George and Jean Cunningham, who came from Scotland in 1802. To Mr. And Mrs. Smith eleven children were born, seven of whom were deceased in youth; those yet living are George C. (of Castle Shannon, Penn.); Adaline J. (wife of Alexander Bailey, of Xenia, Ohio); Daniel W. (of Bulger, Penn.) and Anna B. (wife of S.D. Jones, of Mount Pleasant township). Mr. Smith resided in Bethel township until 1846, when he moved to Baldwin township, same county, and there resided until 1872, when he moved to Bulger, Washington county, and retired from active business. When Mr. And Mrs. Smith went into housekeeping he had but $2.50 to provide for himself and wife. He was a regular attendant at the Pittsburgh markets, and one article in demand at that time was cut straw, which he carried to market on horseback (tied on with ropes), and sold at 12 1/2 cents a sack; he has sold butter at 6 cents per pound; has packed oats to Pittsburgh on horseback, and sold them at 12 ½ cents per bushel. With these prices ordained, he bought and paid for land On April 16, 1890, Mr. And Mrs. Smith celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage. Of the Smith and Cunningham families represented in the union of this couple, there were twenty-two children, all of whom were married and raised families, seven of whom celebrated golden weddings. Of the ten children of Robert Smith they lived to an average of seventy-five years. Daniel W. Smith, son of William Smith, was born September 5, 1852, in Baldwin township, Allegheny Co., Penn., passing his boyhood days on the farm, and receiving a common-school education. In 1872 he came with his parents to Washington county, and on August 26, 1880, was united in marriage with Alice J. Russell, who was born December 8, 1855, daughter of J. S. Russell, of Smith township, this county. The following children were born to them: Mary V., Clara B., Sarah C., Agnes J., William and John R. Daniel W. And Alice J. Smith first located on a part of his father's farm in Smith township, and upon the death of the latter took charge of the home place, where he is now living. In connection with farming he raises stock and manages a dairy. In politics he is a Republican, and in religion he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church at Candor.

Text taken from page 674 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed February 1998 by Al Roberts of Grass Valley, CA as part of the Beers Project. Published February 1998 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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