Bedford was then the county-seat and a place of no small importance; in fact, the principal village of the county. Mr. Smith at an early age entered the High School and academy at Bedford, which was an institution of note, second to none in the State, and included among its pupils Hon. William H. Robertson, Hon. James W. Husted and many others of distinction. A short time after graduating he studied law, and was admitted to the bar January 7, 1851.

He married Hannah, daughter of John P. Horton, of New Castle, Westchester County, whose wife was Elizabeth Fowler, both descended from old Westchester County families.

Elizabeth was a first cousin of Isaac Van Wart, who was one of the captors of Major Andre. Mr. Smith moved to White Plains and was appointed deputy

THE BENCH AND BAR.

county clerk in 1847, and appointed county clerk the same year, to fill a vacancy.

In January, 1847 or 1848, he was appointed agent of Sing Sing State Prison, and after leaving Sing Sing practiced law in White Plains for several years.

He removed to Morrisania shortly after the settlement of the new village, about tliirty years ago, and opened a law-ofticc where he continued successfully the practice of his profession up to the winter of 1877, when he was compelled to give up business on account of a paralytic stroke. He was an old-school type of a Christian gentleman, highly resi)ected in all the walks of life, and active in the true interests of the society and community in which he lived. He was intimately acquainted with, and highly respected by. the men who were first connected with the growth and prosperity of Morrisania, such as Nicholas McGraw, Jordan L. Mott) Gouverneur, Henry and William H. Morris, Robert H. Elton, Hon.