William Smith (patriot)

William Smith (December 1, 1746 – September 3, 1787) was a captain of the minutemen of Lincoln, Province of Massachusetts Bay, during the battles of Lexington and Concord, which began the American Revolutionary War.

It was there, in the early hours of April 19, 1775, that he was alerted to the impending passage of British troops en route to nearby Concord.

Paul Revere and William Dawes were detained by a British Army patrol nearby during the "Midnight Ride" to Concord.

– National Park ServiceIn 1771, Smith married Catharine Louisa Salmon,[7] daughter of William and Elizabeth Dodge.

William and Catharine lived there with their three children: Elizabeth, Louisa Catharine and William Jr. Their African slave, Cato, is not believed to have fought in the battles of Lexington and Concord, but on April 24, 1775, he enlisted as a soldier in Smith's newly formed company in the 6th Massachusetts Regiment commanded by Colonel John Nixon.