His ' brother, William Smith, and his nephew, William 1 Smith, Jr., were leaders among the Sons of Liberty in New York City, and organizers of the "Whig Club," from which came the first utterances in favor of liberty, i Previous to his coming to Rye, Mr. Smith had married a daughter of ^Ir. James Hooker, a grandson of the famous Thomas Hooker, the founder of

» Dr. Bair.rs "Rye," 32-2. 2 Bollon's " ChurcIi|History," 246.

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

the colony of Connecticut. After a few years' residence in Rye, Mr. Smith removed to White Plains. The house in which he lived and died is still standing.

Owing to the feeble health and declining strength of Mr. Smith, the Presbytery, on the 11th of October, 1769, ordained Mr. Ichabod Lewis, also a graduate of Yale, as pastor. It is supposed that Mr. Smith continued to preach until a short time before his death, which took place on the 26th of February, 1771. His j remains lie under the pulpit of the present church.

Soon after the battle of White Plains, and on the night of the 5th of November, 1776, the church was bui-ned, and the congregation, owing to the troubles of the times, was scattered ; many of them, being stanch Whigs, removed from this disi)Uted territory, in order to escape the depredations of Tories and the British troops. The Rev. Mr. Lewis removed to Bedford.

In 1784 an act of the Legislature enabled religious societies or congregations to become corporate bodies, in pursuance of which this church, on the 12th of December, 1787, became incorporated under the name of " The Trustees of the Presbyterian Church in the White Plains in Westchester County ;" from 1784 to 1821 the congregation enjoyed only irregular preaching, the services being held in the court-house, which stood in front of the present residence of Jlr.