Smitty’s Swamp – Part 2

Stepping into the ankle deep waters of the swamp, there is barely a scant of tracks to follow. 

Nancy A Smith’s (doe) father is likely Hardy Smith Sr.^{4,5,6,7}

4. Many genealogist warn against giving to much credit to naming patterns but I do find that it has provided much evidence for navigating my research. Normally, the surname is what is concentrated on the most. However, given names can be more important because they represent a voluntary choice by the parents when giving a name to their child providing clues to lineage. Knowing that my ethnicity lends the common British / Irish naming conventions, it can be used to assist with my research.

John W Smith and Nancy A Smith’s first child was Richard Calhoun Smith and their second was Hardy Smith born in 1839. Hardy later died in 1863 during the American Civil War due to dysentery.

English naming tradition suggest that the second son is typically named after the mother’s father. In researching Smiths of the early 19th century in Georgia, we’ll later learn, that they migrated to Houston/Dooly County, Georgia by way of Washington County, Georgia. Using the naming convention this points to a Hardy Smith found in Washington County in the 1820 U.S. Census.

This if further supported by DNA Match (fawn 3) with username rolywhit {27.4cm/1seg}. This users traced lineage via documented sources: Iris Inez Wells > Rosalind Calloway Smith > Hardy Smith IV > Hardy Smith III > Hardy Smith Jr > Hardy Smith Sr. (See The Hardy Smith Timeline)

5. DNA Match (fawn 4) with username Robin Slusher {24.8cm/1seg}. This users traced lineage via documented sources: Roselyn Earl Camp > Augusta Lester Smith > Hardy Smith III > Hardy Smith Jr > Hardy Smith Sr

6. DNA Match with two other users (LARRYGOLDEN96 & BethHobby1965) through Hardy Smith Sr’s son Stephen Smith. This information is included and relevant because Stephen and Hardy Jr had different mothers.

7. The 1840 U.S. Census shows 2 young girls living with Hardy Smith Sr.  One of these girls is implied to be Nancy. Also on 9 February 1816, Hardy deeded a gift to his children Thompson, Hardy, Alla (girl/daughter) and C. Loftin. This contradicts Hardy’s Revolutionary War pension documents that alluded he only had surviving sons.

This evidence compiled implies Nancy A Smith’s father is Hardy Smith Sr. This gets us a quarter around the right side of the swamp.