Z. F. (Zachariah Frederick) Smith

Born in Henry County, Kentucky, on January 7, 1827, he was remembered as a historian and educator with strong ties to the state he wrote about. Library of Congress authority data identifies him as Zachariah Frederick Smith, while another reference notes that he was educated at Bacon College, later farmed, and served as president of Henry College in New Castle, Indiana, until 1866.

Smith is chiefly associated with ambitious works on Kentucky history. Surviving bibliographic records list major titles including The History of Kentucky, School History of Kentucky, and Youth's History of Kentucky, showing how he wrote both for general readers and for students. He also published The Battle of New Orleans and The Clay Family, reflecting a broader interest in American history and prominent Kentucky figures.

Archival records for his papers describe him not only as an educator and historian of Kentucky but also as an elder in the Church of Christ. He died in 1911, leaving behind a body of work that still appears in major library and digital collections today.