Smith, Chester A. (Chester Allen), 1884-1972

Chester A. Smith (1884-1972) was a resident of Peekskill in Westchester County, New York. He was a politician, writer, court stenographer, the author of several books, and a delegate to the 1933 New York convention for ratification of the 21st Amendment (repeal of Prohibition). He was also an active lay member of the Methodist Church and attended at least twelve General Conferences, including the 1960 Conference in Denver which took up the question of whether or not to continue segregation within its administrative structure, in the form of the separate "Central Jurisdiction." Smith spoke up strongly against the policy.

For more information, see "Chester A. Smith and the Fight to Make Peekskill a City," available online at http://notorc.blogspot.com/2010/04/chester-smith-and-fight-to-make.html .

From the guide to the Chester A. Smith Collection, 1792-1970, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)