Individual Details

Church Smith, which means "Christ Bearer", came from Ireland. The earliest record we have on Church is in Ireland in 1782. His is listed in attendance at his sons baptism in Clonca Parish, Dongeal County, Ireland. His son is William Smith and his wife is listed as Mary McCandless. It is unknown when and where Mary died. It could have been in Ireland, on the ship to America, or perhaps in America. Also, we do not know for sure when Church arrived in America but we know he was here by 1795 if not sooner. Church is listed in the first census of Armstrong County in 1800. Armstrong officially became a county in 1800. In the "History of Armstrong County" written by Robert Walker Smith in 1883, is a list of owners and settlers of originally surveyed land with Plum Creek Township. It shows that a tract of 406.8 acres as being owned by William Sausom and seated by Church Smith. Seated means that he lived on it. Church Smith had a whiskey still or distillery on his farm. This was legal at that time. Whiskey was used as a medium of trade. Church must have had one of the largest stills in the county based upon tax records which show him paying more than the other still owners at the time. Church Smith was of Scottish - Irish descent. He was a protestant. Many similar families moved from Scotland to Ireland at the request of Queen Elizabeth of England to convert the Irish Catholics to Protestants. It does not appear that this plan was too successful. It has long been speculated that Church was part of the Whiskey Rebellion which occurred in the early years of the country. However, since we do not know exactly when he arrived in the country, this is difficult to verify. As far as we can determine, the land on which Church Smith settled was located northeast of Elderton, PA. We think it was near the present village of Atwood. Some of the land may now be under Keystone Lake. The lake is the reservoir of the Keystone Dam northeast of Elderton between Gastown and Sagamore. A cemetary in this area had to be moved to make way for the rising water from the dam. Some distant relatives in Elderton said the graves were moved to Atwood. The cemetary has not yet been found. Whether Church Smith and some of his family were buried in the cemetary, is not known. It seems likely however that they would be. Some of the grave stones were broken up or lost during the move. It's questionable whether the best care was taken in moving and identifying the graves and markers.
Church Smith, which means "Christ Bearer", came from Ireland. The earliest record we have on Church is in Ireland in 1782. His is listed in attendance at his sons baptism in Clonca Parish, Dongeal County, Ireland. His son is William Smith and his wife is listed as Mary McCandless. It is unknown when and where Mary died. It could have been in Ireland, on the ship to America, or perhaps in America. Also, we do not know for sure when Church arrived in America but we know he was here by 1795 if not sooner. Church is listed in the first census of Armstrong County in 1800. Armstrong officially became a county in 1800.

In the "History of Armstrong County" written by Robert Walker Smith in 1883, is a list of owners and settlers of originally surveyed land with Plum Creek Township. It shows that a tract of 406.8 acres as being owned by William Sausom and seated by Church Smith. Seated means that he lived on it. Church Smith had a whiskey still or distillery on his farm. This was legal at that time. Whiskey was used as a medium of trade. Church must have had one of the largest stills in the county based upon tax records which show him paying more than the other still owners at the time.

Church Smith was of Scottish - Irish descent. He was a protestant. Many similar families moved from Scotland to Ireland at the request of Queen Elizabeth of England to convert the Irish Catholics to Protestants. It does not appear that this plan was too successful.

It has long been speculated that Church was part of the Whiskey Rebellion which occurred in the early years of the country. However, since we do not know exactly when he arrived in the country, this is difficult to verify.

As far as we can determine, the land on which Church Smith settled was located northeast of Elderton, PA. We think it was near the present village of Atwood. Some of the land may now be under Keystone Lake. The lake is the reservoir of the Keystone Dam northeast of Elderton between Gastown and Sagamore. A cemetary in this area had to be moved to make way for the rising water from the dam. Some distant relatives in Elderton said the graves were moved to Atwood. The cemetary has not yet been found. Whether Church Smith and some of his family were buried in the cemetary, is not known. It seems likely however that they would be. Some of the grave stones were broken up or lost during the move. It's questionable whether the best care was taken in moving and identifying the graves and markers.

Birth	1763	Drumley, Dongeal County, Ireland
Residence	1798	Allegheny, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence	1800	Buffalo, Armstrong, Pennsylvania
Residence	1810	Kittanning, Armstrong, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence	1820	Plumcreek, Armstrong, Pennsylvania, United States
Burial	Bet 1830 and 1840	Austinburg, Ashtabula County, Ohio, USA
Residence	1830	Plumcreek, Armstrong, Pennsylvania, USA
Death	October 28, 1838	Plum Creek Township, Armstrong County, PA
Marriage	, 1795	Pennsylvania - Sarah Bell

Spouse	Sarah Bell (1773 - 1850)
Child	George Smith (1804 - )
Child	James Smith (1805 - )
Child	Robert Smith (1808 - 1882)
Child	Elizabeth Smith (1814 - 1899)

Child

William Smith (1782 - )

Spouse	Mary McCandless ( - )
Child	William Smith (1782 - )

Father

George Smith (1740 - )