William Smiley

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Husband William Smiley ^{1 2}

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           Born: Abt 1731
     Christened: 
           Died: 21 Nov 1813 3
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 

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• Additional Information.
To read a wonderful story about this man, click here.

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Wife

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Children

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1 M William Smiley ¹

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         Spouse: Nancy Caldwell (      -      ) 1

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General Notes: Husband - William Smiley

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He was a Scotchman, who first settled in York County, Pennsylvania. Very soon after, however, he emigrated to Washington County, and the year 1779 found him a resident of Hopewell township. In 1780 he had made a comfortable dwelling for his family, and brought them there. The land upon which he located in 1779 was warranted to him Feb. 21, 1785, and surveyed September 11th of the same year. The tract contained three hundred and eighty-seven acres, was situated on the waters of Buffalo Creek, and was called "Moab." William Smiley was an elder in the Buffalo and Cross Creek Presbyterian congregations, and always efficient and enthusiastic in the work of the church. He held the office of justice of the peace in Hopewell township for some years. [HWC 1882, 811]

He was of Scotch ancestry, and came to America at a very early day. He was one of the first elders of Upper Buffalo Presbyterian Church, Washington County, Pennsylvania, and with Robert Caldwell, in 1779 selected the site for the church. Prior to coming to Washington County, he had lived in York County, Pennsylvania. The personal appearance of Mr. William Smiley is thus described in "Old Redstone:" "He was a Scotchman of strong mind, very shrewd, and extremely pious. His manners were somewhat blunt, and he had an integrity and honesty about him which would not allow him to connive at anything he thought to be wrong. He disliked everything which in any way set aside the claims of religion, and did not give it its proper place in the business of life or the enjoyment of the social circle." It is related of Mr. Smiley that where at one time the church of Upper Buffalo had been unable for some years to pay the salary of Rev. James Smith, he volunteered to make the trip to New Orleans with a boat-load of flour. Although sixty-four years of age, he made the trip successfully, and from the proceeds of the sale of the flour paid the church debt.

He was killed at the raising of a barn on the Dr. Anderson farm, later owned by Alexander Hamilton.

1 Boyd Crumrine, History of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: L. H. Everts & Co., 1882), Pg 811.

2 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 859.

3 Editor, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 860.