John Smith was the ancestor of the earliest family of Smiths, locating in Pike township. He was the son of William Smith, who emigrated to New Jersey, from Germany.

John Smith was born in new Jersey 1789. He was married to Nancy Jordan and came to Clearfield county in 1818. They first located on Anderson Creek near Roaring Run. Soon after, Mr. Smith bought the land where D. W. Hile now [1897] owns. Here, he stayed many years. After leaving this place, he lived on the Irwin farm for a time. He then bought a tract of land, and cleared out a
farm where his son J. B. Smith now lives. Here, he died in the month of September.

A remarkable fact concerning this family is that they had a family of fifteen children, all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood and married.