▁born ▁William ▁Alexander ▁Smith ▁in ▁W inds or , ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁to ▁United ▁Empire ▁Lo yal ist ▁parents . ▁His ▁education ▁included ▁a ▁st int ▁at ▁King ' s ▁College ▁in ▁W inds or , ▁following ▁which , ▁around ▁ 1 8 4 0 , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁merc ant ile ▁cl erk ▁in ▁Hal if ax , ▁Nova ▁Scot ia . ▁There ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Dal h ous ie ▁University ▁deb ating ▁club , ▁and ▁came ▁under ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁the ▁Nova ▁Scot ia ▁politician ▁and ▁reform er , ▁Joseph ▁How e . ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 5 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 0 , ▁he ▁converted ▁to ▁M orm on ism ▁and ▁joined ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts . ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁he ▁left ▁for ▁New ▁York ▁on ▁a ▁steam ▁ship ▁stopping ▁first ▁in ▁Boston . ▁He ▁settled ▁in ▁Kan es ville , ▁known ▁as ▁Council ▁Bl uff s , ▁Iowa , ▁for ▁two ▁months ▁where ▁he ▁established ▁a ▁dag uer re ot ype ▁gallery . ▁But ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁the ▁l ure ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁Gold ▁R ush ▁be ck oned , ▁and ▁Smith ▁continued ▁west , ▁heading ▁over land ▁to ▁Pla cer ville , ▁California . ▁Here ▁he ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁new ▁studio ▁and ▁prosper ed ▁taking ▁pictures ▁of ▁the ▁min ers ▁and ▁their ▁operations . ▁Jo ined ▁by ▁his ▁brother , ▁the ▁pair ▁moved ▁north west ▁to ▁O ro ville , ▁California ,