William Smith (1727–1803)
William Smith was born on 7 September 1727 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He graduated from the University of Aberdeen and worked in London for several religious charities before immigrating to New York in 1751 to work as a tutor. His published pamphlet proposing a new college for the colony caught the eye of Benjamin Franklin, who invited Smith to visit the Academy of Philadelphia. Following a brief return to England for ordination in the Anglican Church, he taught and served as provost at that institution (which became the College of Philadelphia during his tenure) for twenty-five years.
William Smith Papers, University Archives & Records Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
"From Benjamin Franklin to William Smith, 19 April 1753," Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-04-02-0169. [Original source: The Papers of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 4, July 1, 1750, through June 30, 1753, ed. Leonard W. Labaree. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1961, pp. 467–470.]
"To George Washington from William Smith, 21 September 1789," Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-04-02-0042. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, vol. 4, 8 September 1789 – 15 January 1790, ed. Dorothy Twohig. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1993, pp. 63–64.]
Rev William Smith at Find a Grave.
Reverend William Smith D.D. at FamilySearch.