[3] Charitie Lees Smith was born on 21 June 1841, at Bloomfield, Merrion, County Dublin,[2] the fourth child of Rev.
In 1867, Smith's father took the family to Tattyreagh, Omagh, County Tyrone, when he became the rector of St Columba's Church.
She wrote considerably for several serial publications and contributed hymns to J. C. Ryle's Spiritual Songs, Times of Refreshing, and the Lyra Britannica (1866) of Charles Rogers.
[3] Her hymn, "Christ Mighty to Save," was included in the latter publication,[4] while "Heavenly Anticipations" was a favorite in Sunday schools.
[6] "Mighty to Save" first appeared in 1867 in the Lyra Britannica, its form being seven stanzas of eight lines each, but it was considerably abbreviated to fit it for common use, including a Cento beginning with the third verse.