William Smith (1697–1769) was a judge of the Province of New York and the father of William Smith, Joshua Hett Smith, and Doctor Thomas Smith. In 1760, Smith was offered the position of chief justice of the province. Against the advice of friends and family, he turned down the offer. Smith's son, the younger William Smith, was then offered the position, which he accepted. The elder Smith's actions in this instance would prove popular with the Patriots in the American Revolution.