Descriptive Summary: Creator: Title

[Waco] Branch Davidians: William Smith Collection # 3194

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Descriptive Summary:

Creator: William Smith

Title: [Waco] Branch Davidians: William Smith Collection

Inclusive Dates: 1984-1998

Bulk Dates: 1993-1995

Abstract: The [Waco] Branch Davidians: William Smith Collection consists

of materials collected by William Smith concerning the Branch

Davidians. This collection includes personal correspondence,

photographs, negatives, pamphlets, books, legal documents, video

tapes, audio recordings, and periodicals having to do with the sect.

Smith devoted most of his attention to the nationally-publicized

siege in 1993 as well as the public‟s reaction to both the violence

and the subsequent court hearings in 1994-1995.

Accession #: 3194

Extent: 7.87 linear feet (16 boxes)

Language: Collection materials are in English.

Repository: The Texas Collection, Baylor University, Waco, Texas.

Biographical Note: The Branch Davidians were the offspring of a reform movement that originated

within the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Widespread controversy arose in the early

1930s when a Bulgarian immigrant named Victor Houteff claimed to have had personal

revelations from God. Houteff published his views in his book entitled The Shepherd‟s

Rod (1932). The new Branch Davidian movement emphasized the need for the gift of

prophecy among its leaders and believed that King David‟s earthly kingdom would be re-

established on earth prior to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Upon his official

excommunication from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Houteff settled in Waco,

Texas, and continued to teach his followers until his death in 1955.

The 1980s brought about division within the Branch Davidian sect. A newcomer

named Vernon Howell joined the Branch in 1981. Three years later, a schism occurred

within the Church, with Howell leading his own group of followers to a new site in

Palestine, Texas. Through a series of confrontations between Howell and George Roden,

control of the Branch Davidians‟ headquarters in Waco passed to Howell who legally

changed his name to David Koresh in 1990. Rumors concerning polygamy, abuse, and

arms dealing within the Branch Davidian group aroused the suspicions of the federal

government. Thus, federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives began to monitor the group.

In response to a stockpiling of illegal weapons, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,

Firearms, and Explosives secured a search warrant for the investigation of the Branch

Davidians‟ compound near Waco, Texas. From February 28th

until April 19th

, 1993,

Branch Davidians under the leadership of David Koresh resisted federal agents‟ attempts

to storm Mount Carmel Center. The fifty-day siege ended when the compound erupted in

flames, killing David Koresh and most of his followers.

William Smith was a local businessman who collected the documents in theis

collection concerning the Branch Davidian sect. He worked at Four Star Manufacturing

Company in Waco, Texas. He was in constant correspondence with Pam Hawkins,


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founder of the Mount Carmel Independent Investigation Advocates and fellow

sympathizer with the Branch Davidians. Following the Waco Siege of 1993, William

Smith devoted his efforts to challenging the conscience of the general public. He was

particularly critical of the law enforcement agencies that had resorted to violence against

U.S. citizens, likening them to Nazi enforcers under the leadership of Adolf Hitler.

Smith‟s concerns manifested themselves in political activism. His correspondence with

federal legislators can be found in the first series of his collection. He donated much of

his personal time and money to raising awareness about the Branch Davidians‟ plight.

He even served as the Organizing Chairman of the Mount Carmel Independent

Investigative Committee which sought to hold the federal agencies accountable for their

alleged crimes against American citizens. William Smith‟s passion for the Branch

Davidian controversy has led to the creation of substantial research collections which

have been made available to the public thanks to Smith‟s generous donations to The

Texas Collection.

Sources:

Kerstetter, Todd. “„That‟s Just the American Way‟: The Branch Davidian

Tragedy and Western Religious History.” Western Historical Quarterly vol. 35, no. 4

(Winter 2004): pp. 453-471.

Lawson, Ronald. “Seventh-Day Adventist Responses to Branch Davidian

Notoriety: Patterns of Diversity within a Sect Reducing Tension with Society.” Journal

for the Scientific Study of Religion vol. 34, no. 3 (September 1995): pp. 323-341.

Rosenfeld Jean E., Mary Z. Stange, and Ivan Strenski. “Understanding Waco.”

Journal of the American Academy of Religion vol. 62, no. 3 (Autumn 1994): pp. 919-946.

Wright, Stuart A. “A Decade after Waco: Reassessing Crisis Negotiations at

Mount Carmel in Light of New Government Disclosures.” Nova Religio vol. 7, no. 2

(November 2003): pp. 101-110.

Scope and Content:

The [Waco] Branch Davidians: William Smith Collection was acquired by gift in

three separate transactions from private donor William Smith in 1994-1995, 1996, and

January 1999. The chronology of the collection begins in 1984 with sermons written and

preached by Branch Davidian leader David Koresh. It concludes in 1998 with an article

located in Free American Newsmagazine. The following collection contains a wide

range of primary and secondary source material including cassette tapes, video tapes,

photographs, negatives, magazines, newspapers, books, personal correspondence,

petitions, fliers, and legal briefs. Transcriptions and cassette tapes of the 911 calls made

during the Siege of 1993 are present. The primary focus of the collection is on the

general public‟s reactions to the government‟s handling of the situation and the violence

that culminated in the deaths of nearly all the Branch Davidians who were living in the

compound. Significant attention is also paid to the trials that surfaced in 1994-1995.


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Organization and Arrangement: The [Waco] Branch Davidians: William Smith

Collection is arranged into 5 series: I. Correspondence, II. Legal Documents, III. Literary

Productions, IV. Photographic Materials, V. Audio Recordings.

Restrictions: The collection is open for research.

Literary Rights Statement:

Copyright is retained by the author (s) of this collection for materials they have

authored or otherwise produced. After the lifetime of the creator (s), copyright passes to

Baylor University. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown.

Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17,

U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright

owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without

permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the

user.

All requests for copying materials must be submitted to The Texas Collection in

writing. Please use the Request Form for Copying Materials sheet.

Index Terms:

Branch Davidians.

Davidianer.

Koresh, David, 1959-1993.

Mount Carmel Center, Waco, Tex.

Seventh--Day Adventists--History.

Trials (Conspiracy) --Tex.

United States. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

Waco Branch Davidian Disaster, Tex., 1993.

Waco Branch Davidian Disaster, Tex., 1993--investigation.

Related Materials:

[Waco] Branch Davidians, Robert F. “Bob” Darden Collection.

[Waco] Branch Davidians, Kirk D. Lyons Collection, #3671.

[Waco] Branch Davidians, Don Marion Collection, #3097.

[Waco] Branch Davidians, Kenneth G.C. Newport Collection, #3485.

[Waco] Branch Davidians, Joe Robert Collection, #3205

[Waco] Branch Davidians, Amo Paul Bishop Roden Collection, #3312.

[Waco] Branch Davidians, Mark Swett Collection.

Separated Materials:

As is the case with all three donations, certain copyrighted materials such as books, audio

cassettes, and video tapes were moved to the general library.

Custodial History:

Acquisition: This collection was acquired as three separate gifts in 1994-1995, 1996,

and 1999.


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Gift of William Smith, February 1994-September 1995.

Gift of William Smith, spring and summer 1996.

Gift of William Smith, January 1999.

Citation: [Waco] Branch Davidians: Joe Robert Collection, Accession #3194,

Box #, Folder #, The Texas Collection, Baylor University.

Processing Information: Finding aid completed by Thomas DeShong, June 2011.

Container List:

Series 1: Correspondence

BOX

NUMBER FOLDER NUMBER

FOLDER TITLE DATES

1 1 Correspondence: William Smith 1993

2 Correspondence: William Smith 1994-1996

3 Correspondence: William Smith undated

4 Correspondence: Pam Hawkins Jan-Feb

1994

5 Correspondence: Pam Hawkins July 1994-

1995

6 Correspondence: Larry Nichols and Don Tyson 1994

7 Correspondence: General 1993-1996,

undated

Series 2: Legal Documents

BOX


FOLDER TITLE DATES

1 8 Legal Documents: Petitions: Folder 1 of 2 1994,

undated

9 Legal Documents: Petitions: Folder 2 of 2 undated

10 Legal Documents: Search Warrant Feb 28,

1993

2 1 Legal Documents: Brief: Paul Hall and Louis

Beam, Jr. v US

Apr 1993

2 Legal Documents: Speech: Janet Reno Apr 28,

1993

3 Legal Documents: Deposition: Stephen Higgins Apr 28,

1993

4 Legal Documents: Brief: Gyarfas v US Sept 1993


5

BOX NUMBER

FOLDER NUMBER

FOLDER TITLE DATES

2 5 Legal Documents: Brief: US v Brad Branch May 1994

6 Legal Documents: Brief: US v Jaime Castillo May 1994

7 Legal Documents: Brief: Ferguson v Janet Reno Jan 1995

8 Legal Documents: Brief: Brown et al. v US Feb 1995

Series 3: Literary Productions

BOX


FOLDER TITLE DATES

3 1 Literary Productions: Book: Ron Cole: Sinister

Twilight

1993

2 Literary Productions: Book: Ron Cole: Sinister

Twilight

1994

3 Literary Productions: Book: Ron Cole:

Colorado First Light Infantry

1994

4 Literary Productions: Book: Scott Cost: BATF

Abuses in the U.S.

1994-1995

5 Literary Productions: Book: Ken Fawcett:

Blind Justice

1994

6 Literary Productions: Book: David Kopel and

Paul Blackman: The God Who Answers by Fire

1994

4 1 Literary Productions: Book: Scott Michaels:

Massacre at Mount Carmel

undated

2 Literary Productions: Book: Gordon Novel to

David Hall

1994

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Literary Productions: Book: Gordon Novel to

Cyril Wecht

1994

4 Literary Productions: Book: James Quintiere

and Frederick Mowrer: Fire Development

Analysis: Folder 1 of 2

1993

5 Literary Productions: Book: James Quintiere

and Frederick Mowrer: Fire Development

Analysis: Folder 2 of 2

1993

5 1 Literary Productions: Periodicals: American

Firearms Industry

1993-1994

2 Literary Productions: Periodicals: American

Rifleman

1993-1996

3 Literary Productions: Periodicals: EIR 1993-1994

4 Literary Productions: Periodicals: First Things May 1995

5 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Free

American Newsmagazine

Jan 1998


6

BOX NUMBER

FOLDER NUMBER

FOLDER TITLE DATES

5 6 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Gun News

Digest

1995

7 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Media

Bypass

1994

8 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Penthouse undated

9 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Soldier of

Fortune

June-July

1993

6 1 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Soldier of

Fortune

Aug-Oct 1993


Fortune

Nov 1993


Fortune

Feb-May

1994


Fortune

June-July

1994


Fortune

Mar-Apr 1995


Fortune

May-June

1995


Fortune

Jan-Mar 1996


Fortune

Apr 1996

7 1 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Texas

Monthly

Feb 1994

2 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Texas

Monthly

July 1995

3 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Texas

Republic

Mar-Apr 1994

4 Literary Productions: Periodicals: The

American Spectator

Aug 1995

5 Literary Productions: Periodicals: The Balance 1993



8 Literary Productions: Periodicals: The New

American

June-Nov

1993

8 1 Literary Productions: Periodicals: The New

American

Feb-Apr 1994


American

Sept 1994-

May 1995


American

Dec 1995

4 Literary Productions: Periodicals: Time 1995


7

BOX NUMBER

FOLDER NUMBER

FOLDER TITLE DATES

8 5 Literary Productions: Periodicals: General 1993-1996

6 Literary Productions: Essay: Paul Blackman 1993

7 Literary Productions: Essay: Alan Stone 1993

8 Literary Productions: Report: Oklahoma City

Bombing

1995-1996

9 Literary Productions: Newsletter: Cause

Foundation

1993-1996,

undated

9 1 Literary Productions: General: Pam Hawkins 1993-1995

2 Literary Productions: General: Pam Hawkins Undated

3 Literary Productions: Speeches: David Koresh 1993

4 Literary Productions: Clippings: Waco Tribune-

Herald

1993-1995

5 Literary Productions: Clippings: Waco Tribune-

Herald

Undated

6 Literary Productions: Clippings: Waco Citizen 1994-1996

7 Literary Productions: Clippings: General 1994-1995,

undated

8 Literary Productions: Research Notes July 8-21,

1994

9 Literary Productions: Research Notes July 21-Aug

23, 1994

10 Literary Productions: Transcriptions: 911 Tapes 1993

10 1 Literary Productions: Press Releases: Ron

Engleman

Sept-Nov

1993

2 Literary Productions: Press Releases: Ron

Engelman

Dec 1993-

1994

3 Literary Productions: Press Releases: Ken

Maynard

undated

4 Literary Productions: Programs: General 1994-1995

5 Literary Productions: Programs: General:

Folder 1 of 2

1996, undated

6 Literary Productions: Programs: General:

Folder 2 of 2

undated

7 Literary Productions: Articles: David Koresh 1993

8 Literary Productions: Articles: Linda

Thompson

1993

9 Literary Productions: Articles: Timeline of

Events

1987-1993

11 1 Literary Productions: Articles: 1994 Trial: Ken

Fawcett

Jan 1994

2 Literary Productions: Articles: 1994 Trial: Jack

DeVault

1994


8

BOX NUMBER

FOLDER NUMBER

FOLDER TITLE DATES

11 3 Literary Productions: Articles: 1994 Trial:

General

1994-1995

4 Literary Productions: Articles: 1994 Trial:

General

undated

5 Literary Productions: Brochures 1993, undated

6 Literary Productions: Reports: Faxes:

Sons/Daughters of Liberty

1993-1996

7 Literary Productions: Printed Materials:

General

1993-1995

Series 4: Photographic Materials

BOX


FOLDER TITLE DATES

11 8 Photographic Materials: Negatives undated

9 Photographic Materials: Printed Pictures undated

10 Photographic Materials: Photographs: Folder 1

of 3

undated


of 3

undated


of 3

undated

12 1 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: ATF

News Conferences: Item 1 of 2

1993

2 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: ATF

News Conferences: Item 2 of 2

1993

3 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes:

Demolition of Mt. Carmel Center

1993

4 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Mt.

Carmel Fire

1993

5 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: News 3

Recordings

undated

6 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Bill

Caruth: Why Mt. Carmel?

Nov 1993

12 7 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Waco-

The Big Lie

undated

8 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Mt.

Carmel

1993

9 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: “The

Waco Incident”

undated

10 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Day 51 undated


9

BOX NUMBER

FOLDER NUMBER

FOLDER TITLE DATES

12 11 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Ron

Engelman

undated

13 1 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Day of

Information: Item 1 of 3

Apr 1994

2 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Day of


Apr 1994

3 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Day of


Apr 1994

4 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Ken

Fawcett Theory

undated

5 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: News

Clips

undated

6 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Waco

Hearings Shorts

undated

7 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Answers

in the Ashes

undated

8 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: ABC

Newscasts

Jan 13, 1994

9 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: R. Spence

Interview

undated

10 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: The Jeff

Davis Show

undated

11 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Jerry

Springer Show

undated

14 1 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Catherine

Matteson

undated

2 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Expose of

Janet Reno

undated

3 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Assault

on Branch Davidians

undated

4 Photographic Materials: Video Tapes: Memorial

Service: Item 1 of 3

1995



1995



1995


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Series 5: Audio Recordings

BOX


FOLDER TITLE DATES

15 1 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: Pam

Hawkins: “I Want to Know Why”: Item 1 of 7

undated

2 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: Pam


undated



undated



undated



undated



undated



undated


Hawkins: Sacred Rendition

undated


Hawkins: Interview: Item 1 of 3

undated



undated



undated

12 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: Ron

Engelman

undated

13 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: Ron

Engelman

Apr 19,

1993

14 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: Ron Engelman

Apr 20, 1993

15 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: A Day of Information: Item 1 of 3

Apr 17, 1994


Apr 17, 1994


Apr 17, 1994

18 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: 911 Calls: Item 1 of 4

Feb 28, 1993


Feb 28, 1993


Feb 28, 1993


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BOX NUMBER

FOLDER NUMBER

FOLDER TITLE DATES

15 21 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: 911 Calls: Items 4 of 4

Feb 28, 1993


undated


undated

16 1 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: 911 Calls: Item 3 of 3

undated

2 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: 911 Tapes: 1-13

undated

3 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: 911 Tapes: 14-48

undated

4 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: Initial 911 Call: Item 1 of 4

undated


undated


undated


undated

8 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Sabbath: Item 1 of 2

Mar 15, 1986

9 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Sabbath: Item 2 of 2

Mar 15, 1986

10 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Ezekiel 21

Oct 19, 1984

11 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Assyrians

Jan 10, 1987

12 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Untitled

Mar 2, 1993

13 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Radio Broadcast

undated

14 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: What is Truth?: Item 1 of 2

1987

15 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: What is Truth?: Item 2 of 2

1987

16 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Seventh Angel

Jan 30, 1985

17 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Jonah

Apr 25, 1987

18 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: Voice of Fire

undated


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BOX NUMBER

FOLDER NUMBER

FOLDER TITLE DATES

16 19 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: California

1987

20 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: David Koresh: Letter to Steve Schneider and Wisconsin Brethren

undated

21 Audio Recordings: Audio Recording Tape: Carl Klang: “Seventeen Little Children”

undated

Notes:

Much of the general organization of the collection was maintained during the

processing stage. The personal correspondence of William Smith was already set apart in

its own folder. The rest of the series was gleaned out of other pre-existing folders. Many

of the topics by which the previous archivist classified documents were maintained,

especially the division of magazines and newspapers. Difficulty arose in dealing with the

first box of the collection. While most of the folders were relatively narrow in focus,

Smith created three general notebooks comprised of 120 random documents ranging from

newspaper articles to legal documents. Due to the absence of a clear classification

system, these notebooks were divided among pre-existing or newly created folders. The

order of the video tapes and audio recordings remains unchanged. Both have been

numbered sequentially across various boxes. The order of the boxes was maintained, but

the boxes were renumbered for this finding aid.

William Smith was quite interested in the publications of right-wing groups and

individuals who developed various conspiracy theories concerning the Waco Siege of

1993. He himself drew connections between the Branch Davidians and other tragic

events such as the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995. Articles making this connection are

included in this collection.

While William Smith‟s collection is quite informative about the years 1993-1995,

it does not include much material concerning the development of the Branch Davidian

sect near Waco, Texas. [Waco] Branch Davidians: Joe Robert Collection would be

advantageous for the researcher interested in learning more about the movement as a

whole and the individual leaders who vied for power from the 1930s to the 1990s.

It is important to note that the [Waco] Branch Davidians: William Smith

Collection has also been referred to as the William “Bill” Smith Collection. The first

designation has been used to promote uniformity.

Descriptive Summary: Creator: Title

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