One of the troubles that genealogy researchers face is trying to track people moving into or living in Georgia from about 1784 to 1820. This is primarily due to the lost U.S. Census records for Georgia for the years 1790 through 1820.
My research is able to follow the Smith Clan from Cumberland County, North Carolina to Wilkes (becomes Warren) and Richmond (becomes Columbia) Counties in Georgia. Following clues left behind in land transaction deeds from Cumberland County and then cross referencing to records in the Georgia Headright and Bounty Land Records 1783-1909 and then to the land transactions of those Georgia counties allowed me to tract the clan until about the mid 1790s when they started to migrate to Washington County, Georgia.
An additional obstacle is now encountered, for on 24 March 1855 the town and courthouse at Sandersville (Washington County) burned, creating a total loss of County courthouse records. Therefore preventing use of the land transaction records, or any other records, of Washington County to research or track the Smith Clan while they lived in Washington County.
The elder members of this Smith Clan is Richard Smith Sr, Francis Scott Smith, Hardy Smith Sr, and Job Smith Sr. The junior members are Needham Smith Sr, William Smith, Benjamin Smith, Richard Smith Jun, Alexander Smith and Samuel R Smith.
In 1803 ‘The Lottery Act’ was passed on 11 May which established the processes for Georgia’s first land lottery in 1805. One of the rules of the act was that desired participants were required to submit a registration to their county’s Inferior Court between 11 May 1803 and 1 March 1804. The courts then compiled a list of all the participants and sent them to the lottery commission. The list of all of the participants from all the counties in Georgia were then consolidated into one list spanning four books, known as the List of Persons Entitled to Draws.
This consolidated list includes each participant’s name, residence, identifying remarks, number and the number of draws for which the participant was eligible. Of note, the participant’s residence is recorded where they were living at the time of registration between May 1803 and 1804, and not when the lottery was conducted in August of 1805.
Utilizing the ‘1805 Georgia Land Lottery Persons Entitled to Draws’ from Paul K Graham, allows me to conduct research on some of the Smith Clan members and see where they may have lived between 1803 and 1804.
Richard Smith Sr – by March 1792 he has relocated from Warren County to Washington County per a deed from him to Needham Smith (Warren DB A-242). In December 1796 another deed refers to Richard as Richard Smith Sen (Warren DB C-58).
Richard’s 1805 registration entry shows as: 1967 | Smith, Richard, Senr. | Washington | B P | (Prize Wi D3 L20). 1967 represents the order in which his name was recorded within the S letter group. It has no significant genealogy value. The next bracket matches his name as Richard Smith Sen, as the research has come to know. Washington represents where he was living between May 1803 and May 1804 when he paid 12.5¢ to register for the lottery. Richard was granted two draws during the lottery and he won a prize with one of the draws. The prize was Lot 20 in the 3rd District of Wilkinson County.
Francis Scott Smith – by December 1794 Francis Scott Smith starts selling his land in Warren & Columbia County, Georgia (Warren DB D-59).
Francis’ 1805 registration entry shows as: 1869 | Smith, Francis Scott | Washington | B B. The name matches his name drawn from deeds in Cumberland County, North Carolina and in Columbia County, Georgia. Washington represents where he was living between May 1803 and May 1804. Francis was granted two draws during the lottery and drew ‘Blank’ both times.
Hardy Smith Sr – by ca 1795 Hardy Smith Sr moved to Washington County, Georgia for on 16 November 1796 he married Rebecca Thompson in Washington County, Georgia.
Hardy’s 1805 registration entry shows as: 1986 | Smith, Hardy | Washington | B B. The name does not include the Sr suffix. Hardy Smith Jr was born in 1801 so Hardy Smith Sr didn’t start using the suffix until later to differentiate between he and his son. Washington represents where he was living between May 1803 and May 1804. Hardy was granted two draws during the lottery and drew ‘Blank’ both times.
Needham Smith Sr – by ca 1797 Needham Smith Sr has relocated from Warren County to Washington County per a deed from him to John Guthrie (Warren DB C-52).
Needham’s 1805 registration entry shows as: 1959 | Smith, Needom [sic] | Washington | B B. The name appears to correlate to the known Needham Smith living in Washington County as recorded in the 1820 U.S. Census and the 1825 Washington County Tax List. Washington represents where he was living between May 1803 and May 1804. Needham was granted two draws during the lottery and drew ‘Blank’ both times.
Jobe Smith – Job didn’t migrate to Georgia until ca 1818. Therefore he is not listed in the 1805 Land Lottery.
William Smith – by ca 1792 William Smith has relocated from Warren County to Washington County per a deed from him to Daniel Atkins (Warren DB A-296).
There are too many William Smith registration entries for the 1805 land lottery to determine if he remained in Washington County from 1892 to 1804.
Benjamin Smith Sr – by 1799 Benjamin Smith Sr sold his 200A in Warren County. There is an 1805 registration for a Benjamin Smith of Wilkes County and one for Hancock County. However current research is unable to make a connection to either one of those entries to the Benjamin Smith Sr who appears to have left Warren County in 1799 and appears to have migrated to Pulaski County in 1808 from Laurens County.
Richard Smith Jun – there is no data supporting when or if Richard Smith Jr left Warren County. There is the following 1805 registration entry: 1922 | Smith, Richard | Washington | B B. However, there is no connection that can be made on current research data to say this is Richard Smith Jr son of Richard Smith Sr.
Alexander Smith – it appears that Alexander Smith was still in Warren County as of 1799. However, there is 2 1805 registrations for an Alexander Smith in Washington County. However, there is no connection that can be made based on current research data to say this is the same Alexander Smith.
Richard R Smith – Richard didn’t migrate to Georgia until ca 1818. Therefore he is not listed in the 1805 Land Lottery.
John Smith Jr – John was still living in Warren County as of 1805. There are two entries for a John Smith of Warren County. Both men were granted two draws each during the lottery and they both drew ‘Blank’ both times.
A list of Smith’s in Washington County, Georgia were registered for the 1805 Georgia Land Lottery.
1933 Smith, Alexander BB
1952 Smith, Alexander, Capt Blackshear’d Dist PB Wa D1 L320
1949 Smith, Britton B
1998 Smith, Caleb BB
1944 Smith, Charles, Ohoopee BB
1876 Smith, Dempsey B
1869 Smith, Francis Scott BB
1909 Smith, Harbert BP Wa D2 L120
1986 Smith, Hardy BB
1942 Smith, Henry BB
1924 Smith, Isaac PB Ba D4 L189
1841 Smith, James Linton BB
1954 Smith, Jeremiah BB
2002 Smith, Jesse, Orphans of B
1910 Smith, John Capt Jordan’s Dist BB
1930 Smith, John Capt Blackshear’s Dist P Wi D5 L12
1896 Smith, John Capt Patten’s Dist BB
1932 Smith, John black strop BP Wi D1 L19
1887 Smith, John Pero BB
1970 Smith, John suckey B
1960 Smith, John Junr B
1977 Smith, John Junr, Draggoon’s son BB
1971 Smith, Jordan BB
1926 Smith, Joshua B
1979 Smith, Lewis B
1918 Smith, Lydia BB
1935 Smith, Mary bb
1938 Smith, Mary Capt Blackshear’s Dist BB
1997 Smith, Miles B
1901 Smith, Milly BP Ba D2 L224
1959 Smith, Needom BB
1957 Smith, Philip B
1927 Smith, Powel B
2001 Smith, Rebecca PB Ba D1 L311
1981 Smith, Reddick B
1922 Smith, Richard BB
1967 Smith, Richard Senr BP WI D3 L20
1948 Smith, Samuel B
1917 Smith, Sarah BB
1844 Smith, Thomas Senr BB
1984 Smith, William Capt Pattin’s Dist
1985 Smith, William Capt Jones Kendricks Dist PB Ba D2 L441
1947 Smith, William Capt Dickson Dist B
1915 Smith, William Capt Daniel’s Dist BP Ba D1 L269
1939 Smith, William Shoemaker BP Ba D4 L57
1982 Smith, William dragoon BB
1955 Smith, William Esqre BB
1943 Smith, William Junr B
Some other names of interest.
1761 Smith, John Warren BB
1811 Smith, John Warren BB
1643 Cutts, Joseph Washington BB
1585 Cutts, Major Warren BB
2051 Hart, Henry Washington B
1995 Hart, Reubin Washington BB
2049 Hart, Samuel Washington BP Wi D4 L195
1991 Hart, Samuel Senr Washington BB
656 Avent, Ransom Washington BB
No Raines listed
digging our roots 
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