This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/VJIBAEB/28496 Message Board Post: Rev. J. C. Smith J. C. Smith, of York, is now the oldest itinerant minister in the Pennsylvania Conference of the church of the United Brethren in Christ. He was born in Franklin County, Penn., January 22, 1819. His grandparents came from Switzerland in 1750, and settled near Chambersburg. Mr. Smith is next to the youngest of eight children. He attended the schools of his native section first, and afterward entered an academy at Uniontown, Md., then engaged in teaching, and was licensed to preach February 28, 1843, and ordained February 26, 1846. His first circuit in Franklin County had twenty-six appointments, each of which he visited every four weeks, by traveling 150 miles. The first year of Mr. Smith’s labors brought 100 members into the church, among them John Dickson, now bishop of the Pennsylvania Conference. He next went to the Harrisburg circuit, then to Littlestown circuit, during which time through his preaching Revs. J. S. Wentz, L. W. Craum! er and W. B. Raber became members of the church and afterward successful ministers of the Gospel. His next appointment was at York, where he severed several different times. He is now a highly respected and honored citizen of the town. Few itinerant ministers of the Gospel have had so varied an experience as Rev. Mr. Smith. He has been an earnest, faithful and devoted worker in the cause of the church, and has served many other appointments, the work of which our limited space here cannot describe. He has been presiding elder of York for several years, was a member of the board of education in York, and filled many other positions of trust. His reminiscences, published in the church journals, are read with great interest. He was unceasing in his interests to furnish facts and statistics of church history for this work. Taken from the book, “History of York County, Illustrated 1886” by John Gibson, Historical Editor