BIO:  Joseph D. Smith, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.
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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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Part II, Biographical Sketches, Peach Bottom Township, Pg 168

REV. JOSEPH D. SMITH was born May 30, 1828, in Londonderry, Ireland, and accompanied his 
parents to America in 1847, landing at Philadelphia, where the family resided until 1860, when 
the father died at the age of sixty-five.  In 1872 the mother came to reside with the subject 
of this sketch until the time of her death in June, 1882.  Her age was ninety years.  Joseph 
was the eldest of the family, which consisted of three sons and one daughter.  William resides 
at Philadelphia; David at Edgewater Park, N. J., and the sister resides with our subject at 
Slate Ridge.  Joseph was partly educated in Ireland, and after coming to America attended the 
preparatory department of the freshman class in Danville, Ky.  In 1853 he entered Jefferson 
College, at Cannonsburg, Penn., and after graduating there passed a theological course in 
Princeton, N. J.  He was licensed to preach in 1859 by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, and a 
few months later came to York County, and assumed the pastorate of Slate Ridge Presbyterian 
Church.  As a minister Mr. Smith has endeared himself to his people by he eloquence and 
earnestness in the pulpit, and his zealous advocacy of everything tending to the benefit of the 
community and the elevation or morality.  During the past ten year he has prepared several 
young men for college, in addition to his ministerial duties.  He has also purchased about 
thirty acres of land, which he cultivates principally with his own hands.  Mr. Smith is 
unmarried.