collecting the seeds of a Smith tree
Benjamin Smith was likely born in Johnston County, North Carolina ca 1752. He is the son of John Smith Sr. John Smith Sr was living in an area of Johnston County near Swift Creek that became Wake County in 1771. On 7 July 1778 John Smith Sr made a claim on 300 acres of land... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
Elizabeth Smith was born in Georgia between June 1813 - May 1814. She is presumed to be the daughter of Isaiah Smith Sr of Houston County, Georgia (re 1827). Her birth is derived from the 1860 U.S. Census of Dooly County, Georgia where it shows her being 46 years of age. This also coincides with... Continue Reading →
The parents of Isaiah Smith Sr are to this day still undertermined. This brickwall has been a formidable advisary in my genealogy research. I have found sections of this brickwall that have broken and I have been able to peer through the cracks to see some images of Isaiah Smith Sr's ancestors by means of... Continue Reading →
This map is annotated with observations of Smith men that migrated to this area of the Florida Georgia Line in the mid to late 1800's. This mainly showcases Smith progenitors to this area of the country who are of different immediate family groups. Now, there are hundreds of Smith's that come and go within the... Continue Reading →
This post was originally published on 3 November 2018 and is being revised based on newly discovered information (20210828). John W Smith was born about 1813, presumed by inductive reasoning, in Washington County, Georgia. An alternate case can be made for Wilkinson County, Georgia. See article for Isaiah Smith Sr. John's grandparents and uncles started... Continue Reading →
It was previously learned that when Richard Smith in 1773 purchased 100A from John Smith Sr on Black Creek, it was annotated that Richard was of/from Cumberland County. Shifting map focus to the south southeast across the Johnston County line into Cumberland County, on 22 May 1772 Hardy Sanders received a grant for 500A on... Continue Reading →
On 1 June 1774 William Ward of Johnston County deeded 100A to John Adams (JoCo H1:95) for 20£ proc. On 12 May 1775 John Smith Sr of Bladen County deeded his 417A tract of land to his son John Smith Jr (JoCo H1:243) for 30£ proc. The deed was witnessed by Samuel Smith, Brittain Smith... Continue Reading →
On 2 July 1767 William Smith of Johnston County deeded 100A to Philip Jones (JoCo E1:244) for 12£ proc. The deed was witnessed by Robert and David Mims. The following year, in 1768, Philip Jones would become Johnston County Sheriff upon the death of Sheriff John McCullers. Fast forward 4 years later, Philip Jones is... Continue Reading →
On 17 January 1764 Jesse Page and his wife Anne deeded 100A of their 517A grant to William Smith Sr of the county & province afsd (this being Johnston County, NC) (JoCo D1:163) for 5£. The deed was witnessed by Lodwick Tanner and Francis Payne. Lodwick Tanner is known to be a nearby landowner. He... Continue Reading →
This map will focus on plotting properties where present day North Carolina counties of Johnston, Harnett, and Wake come together, about 2 miles northeast of Angiers, North Carolina. Starting off in the NE quadrant of the map, the first tract to review is one granted to William Eason in 1755. William Eason - 359A issued... Continue Reading →
Most family genealogist know that Needham Smith is said to have been born in Johnston County, North Carolina around 1775. That his father is perpetrated as William Smith from Albemarle County, Virginia (see Debunking William Smith). It appears this is much misaligned and based on the abductive reasoning of the available historical information available in... Continue Reading →
At this stage of my research, I have identified a common DNA link between Isaiah Smith Sr and Needham Smith Sr. For repetition, I have a DNA match to a user who's traced lineage via documented sources starts with Patricia Rhodes > Minnie Claire Cox > Charlie Needham Cox > Needham Cox > Elizabeth Ann... Continue Reading →
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... Continue Reading →
Isaiah Smith Sr was born about 1785-86, this is according to the information in the 1850 U.S. Census for Houston County, Georgia. He is shown as 64 years old and born in North Carolina. Isaiah's father is believed to be Needham Smith Sr (potential father) or Richard Smith Sr (potential grandfather). Richard, from 1784 to... Continue Reading →
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,... Continue Reading →
My endeavors as of this day, have not identified a clear pedigree of my Smith line by way of historical documents or proposed in published references. Genealogists prefer to validate against documents to substantiate their conclusions. Many would also go so far as to say a fact is not proved until it is documented. This... Continue Reading →
The next grant to plot is by Theophilus Hunter. This will help tie the start point for these plots together. The entry for this grant was made on 3 December 1778, which described the land as 320 acres lying on the branches of Buies Creek and on both sides of the Widow Cutts path that... Continue Reading →
On 25 August 1778, Richard Smith made a entry for 300 acres of land lying in Cumberland County on the Black River joining his own line. Four years later on 4 January 1782 a warrant was issued to conduct a survey for this entry. The survey was conducted on 30 April 1782. The chainers for... Continue Reading →
I've decided to jump over to Cumberland County, North Carolina to start plotting some land grants and deeds. I was interested in locating the land that Hardy Smith bought from Richard Smith in 1783. Hardy Sanders was issued a land grant on 22 May 1772 for 500 acres in Cumberland County, North Carolina on the... Continue Reading →
I alluded to in a previous post that maybe John Smith (Short) could be deceased as early as 1793. Scanning through the Record of Estates Johnston County, North Carolina Vol. I – V 1781 – 1807, the following is found "3. Acct. of part of est. of Joseph Sims, 29 Nov. 1791. Buyers - Drury Vinson,... Continue Reading →
Here is the next iteration of the Johnston County map showing patents of the subject individuals. This stretches west between Swift and Middle Creek. I'm going to work more west along Middle Creek towards an additional settlement of Samuel Smith Sr. The entire map, to date, can be viewed here. (32Mb)
While searching through newspaper's from Georgia, I stumbled upon some articles about Nehemiah that I thought I would post as a record for future research. The 1810 snippet is from the Georgia Argus dtd 13 February 1810 and the second snippet is from The Georgia Journal dtd 13 April 1814. What I didn't realize when... Continue Reading →
I know that the Smith's started migrating in a southerly direction from Johnston County into Cumberland County, NC along the Cape Fear River and Black River. Of focus is an area in Cumberland County known then as Averaboro, created in 1791 when William Avera donated 120 acres to establish the town. The first commissioners of... Continue Reading →
While working on some other patents/deeds, I came across a Smith that I wasn't familiar with, Nehemiah Smith. This person appears to fall into the same category as my Hardy Smith. A Smith descendant from either John or Samuel Smith or more likely one of their children. Of note Nehemiah had son's named William, Britain,... Continue Reading →
When I first plotted this 440A parcel for William Bryan I thought for sure that I had messed up the bearing on a few of the legs. Luckily, I found the survey below showing I had not made a mistake. The next patent was issued to John Smith Short. John's name has also been written... Continue Reading →
Alexander Avera patented 500A in 1778. (SLPB VOL:40/PG:114) When Alexander died, his lands were divided equally among his heirs as shown below.
The next set of patents to plot belong to William Bryan. William Bryant 500A 1755 (SLPB Vol:2/PG:145) William Bryan 140A 1764 (SLPB Vol:17/PG:47) William Bryan 300A 1765 (SLPB Vol:17/PG:173) William Bryan 303A 1766 (SLPB Vol:17/PG:324) The warrant for the 500A parcel is written for William Bryan on the south side of Neuse River joining Earl... Continue Reading →
In 1745 James Mackelwean was patented 200A on the Neuse River. It appears that James' plantation was on a 640A parcel on the north side of the Neuse River, at the border of Johnston and Craven County. In 1751 he would sell the lower 100A of the 200A parcel to John Brady. By 1777 James... Continue Reading →
In 1826, the courts ordered 316A of John McKinnie's land be layed off and allotted to Eliza Young wife of John Y Young. The legal proceedings required that a plat be made representing the tract of lands lying on the south side of Neuse River belonging to Larkin Smith & John McKinne Smith dec'd. A... Continue Reading →
So up to this point we see that Samuel Smith Jr willed his land on the south side of Neuse river to his sons John and Larkin to be equally divided in 1809. John made a verbal will in 1815 where he gave his brother Larkin Smith all his lands.
Samuel Smith Sr's Will shows the following dispersion of land ".... I also lend to my beloved wife the plantation where on I now live and all the lands adjoining there to on both sides Middle Creek, ...." I believe this to be the land on Middle Creek in the vicinity of Cow Branch which... Continue Reading →
".... beginning at a red oak on the River Bank a corner tree of his other survey .... to a hickory on the River Bank then up the meanders thereof to the first station on the north side of Neuse River ...." This plot may need to be adjusted once I can develop more plots... Continue Reading →
digging our roots 