J. R. B. Smith commenced his schooling in his native city, and was a pupil of Professor Wilson who taught what was known as the "Willoughby Street School." At the death of his father he removed to Buffalo, where he attended the Vine Street School. Among his teachers were Professor Pierce and Theodore Hawley, the latter now Bishop of Hayti. He afterward removed to Toronto, and while there studied at the Model Grammar School and the Upper Canada College. At the age of 13 he became noted as a writer on The Toronto Globe, then edited by the Hon. George Brown. Later on he became a contributor to The Anglo-African, a paper devoted to the interests of the negro race. While in Canada he was actively indentified with all matters pertaining to the amelioration of the condition of fugitives who sought refuge under the British flag.
Though young, he took part in the meetings of, and met with John Brown, the hero of Harper's Ferry.
At the age of 16 he returned to the United States, and settled at Rochester, N. Y. In the same year he entered the army and served for three months in the 54th Massachusetts regiment. Being discharged therefrom in consequence of his being under age, he afterward enlisted in the 27th regiment of the United States colored troops, which was organized at Delaware, Ohio. He became a non-commissioned officer of the same, and was wounded in an engagement in front of Petersburg on July 30, 1864; he was also engaged in the battles of Chain's Farm, Strawberry Plains, and Cold Harbor, and took part in the battle of Fort Fisher, and in the capture of Wilmington. He was then, with others, detailed by General Terry to organize the first Sunday School among the freedmen of that city.
At the conclusion of the war he was identified for a time with the freedmen's work, and in 1866 resumed his studies
