From: "Wayne Webb" <SpiWebb@aol.com> Some years ago I was involved in a discussion regarding this early minister and elder who eventually was an elder at the Ladoga group of churches in Indiana. Many have stated that his middle name was "Rose" with no documentary evidence offered. ************* as usual - you don't seem to read information sent to you - yes, and you refused the publication of our paper on him - which included most of this information Janie Smith, a descendent of William Rose Smith, founding Elder of the Ladoga Church, Putnam Co IN presented considerable information about her ancestor - from this, she and I determined that this man was the William Smith of Franklin Co VA the associate - the "English Preacher" - with Elder Jacob Miller William Smith was ordained to the eldership by Elder Jacob Miller - in Franklin Co VA of William Rose Smith 1 - his children were born in Franklin Co VA - with dates appropriate most of them moved to Putnam Co IN - some directly from Franklin Co VA 2 - he first moved to then, Franklin Co IN (now Union Co IN) - possibly about 1812 - earlier or possibly later [we have identified no land purchases in Union Co to this William Smith - there was another William Smith here also] [Janie found 4 different William Smiths - in Franklin Co VA] [except for the 1823 sale of a property in Franklin Co Va - no one has been able to identify him there after 1815] 3 - his wife, Nancy Henderson, was the full sister of Sally Henderson, wife of Tobias Miller and half sister to Phoebe McClure, wife of Potter John Miller (both sons of Elder Jacob Miller) and to Isabella McClure, wife of William Crawford (best friend of Potter John Miller - living here) 4 - the move to Indiana could easily have been congruent to that of Tobias Miller (1809) (after Tobias cleared up the inheritance of Sally from her father - a number of slaves - freed) 5 - a William Smith is named as witness at the settlement of Elder Jacob Miller's estate (1815 - book by Patricia Johnson) [since most of Elder Jacob's children lived here on the Four Mile - William Smith probably went over to Dayton with them] 5 - the move to Putnam Co IN was a few years later, about 1825 probably connected to the migration there of a number of families from the Four Mile [the conflict with deacon, Jacob Ronk, came a year or two later - over disagreement of accepted Brethren Procedure -it called out Elders from Virginia, who removed William Smith from Eldership - and resulted in his death -corresponds to the 1811 Conference which attacked Elder Jacob Miller -on which you did some research] 6 - deeds at Vincennes IN, on the original purchase, and other local information include the name: Wm R Miller and states that he is from Union Co IN (his move is after the formation of Union Co - 1822) 7 - the information in Otho Winger's History of the Brethren in Indiana - on Ladoga names the founding Elder as William R Smith - but mistakenly says he is from Darke Co OH 8 - the submitter of the Ladoga information to Otho Winger - was Elder William Rose Harshbarger who was born soon after the death of William Rose Smith I am sure that there are many William Smiths - just don't confuse this one Merle C Rummel