Smith, Will
Variant namesBiographical notes:
William Smith was a Philadelphia general merchant.
From the description of Letterbook, 1771-1775. (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). WorldCat record id: 122584914
Moses Greenleaf, Jr., was a surveyor, cartographer, writer, and pioneer Maine settler. William Smith was an agent for Eastern Lands.
From the description of Autograph letter, signed, to Moses Greenleaf, 1815 Feb. 15. (Maine Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 732317151
The Branch Davidians were the offspring of a reform movement that originated within the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Widespread controversy arose in the early 1930s when a Bulgarian immigrant named Victor Houteff claimed to have had personal revelations from God. Houteff published his views in his book entitled The Shepherd's Rod (1932). The new Branch Davidian movement emphasized the need for the gift of prophecy among its leaders and believed that King David's earthly kingdom would be re-established on earth prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Upon his official excommunication from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Houteff settled in Waco, Texas, and continued to teach his followers until his death in 1955.
The 1980s brought about division within the Branch Davidian sect. A newcomer named Vernon Howell joined the Branch in 1981. Three years later, a schism occurred within the Church, with Howell leading his own group of followers to a new site in Palestine, Texas. Through a series of confrontations between Howell and George Roden, control of the Branch Davidians' headquarters in Waco passed to Howell who legally changed his name to David Koresh in 1990. Rumors concerning polygamy, abuse, and arms dealing within the Branch Davidian group aroused the suspicions of the federal government. Thus, federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives began to monitor the group.
In response to a stockpiling of illegal weapons, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives secured a search warrant for the investigation of the Branch Davidians' compound near Waco, Texas. From February 28th until April 19th, 1993, Branch Davidians under the leadership of David Koresh resisted federal agents' attempts to storm Mount Carmel Center. The fifty-day siege ended when the compound erupted in flames, killing David Koresh and most of his followers.
William Smith was a local businessman who collected the documents in this collection concerning the Branch Davidian sect. He worked at Four Star Manufacturing Company in Waco, Texas. He was in constant correspondence with Pam Hawkins, founder of the Mount Carmel Independent Investigation Advocates and fellow sympathizer with the Branch Davidians. Following the Waco Siege of 1993, William Smith devoted his efforts to challenging the conscience of the general public. He was particularly critical of the law enforcement agencies that had resorted to violence against U.S. citizens, likening them to Nazi enforcers under the leadership of Adolf Hitler. Smith's concerns manifested themselves in political activism. His correspondence with federal legislators can be found in the first series of his collection. He donated much of his personal time and money to raising awareness about the Branch Davidians' plight. He even served as the Organizing Chairman of the Mount Carmel Independent Investigative Committee which sought to hold the federal agencies accountable for their alleged crimes against American citizens. William Smith's passion for the Branch Davidian controversy has led to the creation of substantial research collections which have been made available to the public thanks to Smith's generous donations to The Texas Collection.
From the description of (Waco) Branch Davidians : William Smith collection, 1984-1998 1993-1995. (Baylor University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 742616154
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Subjects:
- Claims against decedents' estates
- Convicts
- Dye industry
- Food prices
- Furniture
- Indians of North America
- Industry
- Invoices
- Jewelry trade
- Landowners
- Liquor
- Pardon
- Real property
- Ranches
- Reels (Textile machinery)
- Seventh-day Adventists
- Sheriffs
- Society emblems
- Soldiers
- Spinning machinery
- Textile chemicals
- Textile industry
- Textile machinery industry
- Trials (Conspiracy)
- Waco Branch Davidian Disaster, Tex., 1993
- World War, 1914-1918
- World War, 1914-1918
- Yarn
Occupations:
- Cartographers
- Merchants
- Pioneers
- Surveyors
Places:
- Maine (as recorded)
- Penobscot River Valley (Me.) (as recorded)
- Maine--Penobscot River (as recorded)
- Great Britain (as recorded)
- Australia (as recorded)
- France (as recorded)
- Tennessee (as recorded)
- United States (as recorded)
- Pennsylvania--Lancaster (as recorded)
- California, Northern (as recorded)
- Missouri (as recorded)
- Lincoln County (Tenn.) (as recorded)
- California (as recorded)
- Texas (as recorded)
- Essex (England) (as recorded)
- Australia--Tasmania (as recorded)
- Pennsylvania--Philadelphia (as recorded)
- New Jersey--Hightstown (as recorded)
- Hightstown (N.J.) (as recorded)
- Western Australia (as recorded)
