Ethan Smith, an early minister of Hopkinton, was born in Belchertown, Mass., December 19, 1762. A soldier of the Revolution, he was at West Point when Arnold sold that fortress to the British. He graduated at Dartmouth college in 1790. The same year, he was settled as a Congregational minister in Haverhill, where he resided nine years. He was installed in Hopkinton, March 12, 1800, and dismissed December 16, 1817. He subsequently preached in Hebron, N. T., about four years; in Poultney, Vt., about five years; in Hanover, Mass., a number of years. He published many major and minor works, prominent among them being "A Dissertation on the Prophecies," "A View of the Trinity," "A View of the Hebrews," "Lectures on the Subjects and Mode of Baptism," "A Key to the Figurative Language of the Bible." Several of his works passed through a number of editions each. While a resident of Hopkinton, the Rev. Mr. Smith was secretary of the New Hampshire Missionary Society. His home in Hopkinton was the place nearly opposite the house of Joseph L. Hagar on the Concord road.

Rev. Ethan Smith was somewhat inclined to controversy. During his ministry in Hopkinton, the Episcopal church was established here. A sermon which he preached against Episcopalianism brought forth a lengthy reply from Nathaniel Adams, of Portsmouth, in June, 1817.

About 1791, Rev. Mr. Smith married Bathsheba Sanford, daughter of the Rev. David Sanford, of Medway, Mass.

There were children of this marriage,—Myron, born January 10, 1794; Stephen Sanford, born April 14, 1797; Carlos, born July 17, 1801; Gratia Fletcher, born May 28, 1808; Lyndon, born November 11, 1806.