Smitty’s Swamp – Part 3

As I start venturing deeper in swamp, I look back to the left bank.

There are some faint signs that suggest Isaiah’s Smith Sr’s father is Richard Smith^{8,9,10,11}.

8. Isaiah Smith Sr (born about 1785) and was an adjoining land owner to Needham Smith Sr in Houston County, Georgia. They both owned 202 1/2 acres of land in District 13 of Houston County, which is south of Perry, GA and south of Elko, GA.  Needham Smith Sr lived for many years in Wilkes, Warren, & Washington County, Georgia. Isaiah’s relation to this Smith clan is by approximation.

Having researched the migration of this Smith clan from North Carolina to Georgia, I’ve reasoned that a Richard and Hardy Smith were likely the elder Smith’s, of this line, living in the area of Warren  & Washington County during the first 10 to 15 years of the 19th century.

Following the scant signs (family given names & land deeds) Needham Smith Sr first appears in records for Wilkes and Warren County, Georgia and then can be followed migrating with the Smith clan from Warren County to Washington County.

There is one main published source that identifies a William Smith as Needham Smith Sr’s father and where may family genealogist today claim this lineage. I have researched this claim and find no merit to its legitimacy. I plan to write more detail about this claim in a future post.

For the sake of ambiguity that source is the, “Roster of Revolutionary Soldiers in Georgia”, compiled by Mrs. Howard H McCall.

It states, “William Smith, b. 1746 in Va. (son of John Smith and Martha Alexander; grand-son of Augustine Smith and Elizabeth Marshall). He mar. in Va., 1774, Mary Richards, b. 1756; d. 1820, in Ga. He d. in Ga., 1834. He was a Rev. Soldier of Va., served in the 9th Va. Reg., commanded by Col. George Matthews. About 1785, he came with his family to Ga., with the Colony headed by Col. Matthews. He received a bounty grant of land in Washington Co., Ga. for his services. One son (known); 1. Needham Smith (1775-1845); mar., 1795, Tabitha Tillman (1780-1857).”

According to these published sources, this William also had a daughter named Martha Smith who married Ransome Davis Avant.

9. DNA Match (fawn 5) with username TerranceBaxterIV {9cm/1seg}. This users traced lineage via documented sources: Terrance Morgan Baxter III > Terrance Morgan Baxter II/Jr > Genie Avant > James Hunter Avant > David Freeman Avant > Ransome Thomas Avant > Martha Smith > William Smith (Richard Smith).

10. DNA Match (fawn 6) Emory matches with username carlj3068 {17cm/1seg}. This users traced lineage via documented sources: Kit Carson Kyle > Sophronia Miller > Patience E Smith > English Smith > Needham Smith Sr > William Smith (Richard Smith). This DNA match is important because it shows that Emory and I still are showing a common DNA match past the Smith separation with John W Smith and Nancy A Smith.

11. DNA Match (fawn 7) with username prhodes7 {14.1cm/1seg}. This users traced lineage via document sources: Patricia Rhodes > Minnie Claire Cox > Charlie Needham Cox > Needham Cox > Elizabeth Ann Smith > Needham Smith > William Smith (Richard Smith).