This is just a trivia tidbit but thought that it might mean something to those of us who are descended from both Moses and Hannah Smith, and from William and Mourning Van Pelt Lewis. Rev. Moses Smith has been discussed here numerous times at length, along with the fact that he was ordained as a Minister of the Methodist Church by Bishop Francis Asbury. In researching the Van Pelt family I came across another connection to the early days of the Methodist Church in the United States. Mourning Van Pelt was from North Carolina, but her ancestors were among the first settlers of Staten Island, then called New Utrecht in New York State. They came to New Utrecht from an area in Europe between Belgium and Holland. At any rate, when Bishop Asbury came to the United States in the 1700's the first sermon he preached in this country was at the house of Peter Van Pelt, grandson of Tunis Van Pelt and cousin to Mourning Van Pelt. (Tunis was the first ancestor of Mourning Van Pelt to arrive in the New World.) At any rate, thought I'd contribute this trivia item... Is anyone else here researching Mourning Van Pelt? The Van Pelt's were a fascinating family. I'll be happy to share the info I've collected, and that my grandmother put together if anyone is interested.... --Lisa