Reverend David Smith

  • Nomination: Reverend David Smith
  • Category: Person
  • Nominated By: Reverend Don MacQueen
  • Year Commemorated: 2015

Rev. David Smith was born in the parish of Leuchars, County Fife, near St. Andrews, Scotland on July 8, 1732, the ninth of ten children. In the late 1730s, not yet a teenager, David began his studies. In 1749 David Smith was accepted at the University of St. Andrews and undertook his final training for the Burgher ministry under James Fisher, one of the original four, for a periods of four or five years (1752-1756).

David Smith was ordained October 19, 1763 by the Presbyterian Associated Synod, (of which he was elected Moderator in 1768), and became the minister of Hope Park church, St Andrews, Scotland.

In August 1769 the call was issued to Rev. David Smith from the congregation at Londonderry, Nova Scotia, making him the first Presbyterian minister to settle in Canada. He preached his last sermon to the congregation of Hope Park on the 29th of May, 1770. Later he was instrumental in forming the first Presbytery in Canada, Truro Presbytery, and became its first clerk or secretary, having had experience at this work in Scotland.