By: Matthew D. Dyer

Rev. William Smith (1727–1803) was an Anglican priest and the first provost (like a president) of the College of Philadelphia, which later became the University of Pennsylvania. He was also the founder of Washington College in Chestertown Maryland, and founder of St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. In 1775 he preached a sermon where he referred to the British & American people as “British Israel” indicating that he believed the British & Anglo-Saxon and kindred people were related to the Israel people.