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DR. JESSE HENDERSON SMITH was born in Warren county, Kentucky, August 19, 1825. His parents were David and Jane Smith. The subject of this sketch was brought up under Presbyterian influence and united with that church when fourteen years old and continued with them until 1852, when he voluntarily withdrew from that church and was immersed by Elder John N. Mulkey and took membership in the Mount Zion Congregation of Disciples, four miles from his birthplace. He preached while a Presbyterian about seven years. On uniting with the Church of Christ, he continued to sound out the word of life, and has continued in the work ever since. During his first years of labor in the Church of Christ, he assisted Elder T. G. Marshall of Kentucky, in the baptism of his aged father, then seventy-four years of age. His mother made a profession of faith in Christ about the same time, but died of paralysis a few months afterward. His preaching was chiefly done in Kentucky, Warren and adjoining counties, till the year 1865, when he removed to Carlinville, Illinois, and the next year to Girard in the same county, remaining three and a half years, preaching to that church and practicing medicine. He then removed to Chatham, Illinois, his present home, and has practiced his profession there ever since.

While residing in Kentucky he had two oral discussions with Timothy C. Frogge, a presiding elder of the Methodist Church, embracing together, ten days, and covering the ground of difference between the two churches.

His education is fair, consisting of a good English education and a few years study of the Greek and Latin languages. He began his study of medicine in 1846, and attended lectures in the E.M. Institute, at Cincinnati, Ohio, in the winter of 1847-8, and has practiced medicine in connection with preaching ever since, except four years that he served the Kentucky Christian Missionary Society as an Evangelist.

He was married to Miss Eliza J. Norman, of Cromwell, Kentucky, November 7, 1854, and eight children were the fruit of this marriage, four sons and four daughters. During the spring of 1873, he suffered a sore affliction in the loss of his wife and two daughters, within a few days, three of his children having been called away previously, while three yet remain on earth with him - one daughter and two sons. Heart and home were greatly desolated by this sad bereavement, but the hope of a better life beyond the cold river, sustained him.