FRANCIS SMITH [#360], d. 1679, m(1) AGNES ____, d. Taunton, MA 1 Jan 1665, m(2) Sarah ____.
Francis Smith was most probably born in England and was living in Hingham, Massachusetts by September 18, 1635 when he was granted land there. Of this grant five acres were in the west part of town, and three acres were on the south side of Weary-all Hill. He was made a freeman in 1637 and later removed to Taunton, MA.[2] The town of Taunton was founded in 1639 by 35 men. Francis was not one of these men, nor was he among the 46 subsequent purchasers who joined the town. It is thus likely that he did not move to Taunton soon after its formation but rather later in the 1640's or even the 1650's. He may have been related to Ralph, Henry, and John Smith, all early residents of Hingham, MA.[2] The name of Francis Smith is also found in the early Roxbury church records.[6] There was a Francis Smith who came to America with his wife in the Winthrop fleet in 1630.[4/82] Banks thinks that he might have come from Dunmow in Essex and that he went to Roxbury. From Francis' age at death, he would have been too young to be a church member in 1630 and too young to be granted land in 1635. If his age was correct, then there were definitely two Francis Smith's. It is possible that his father's name was Francis, and the father is the man referred to in the early records. If this is the case, the father must have died around 1640 plus or minus and with no record of his death, researchers have confused the two men as one.
He was certainly in Taunton in 1655 when he and George Macye were appointed supervisors of highways.[5/3:79] The following year Francis Smith was made the constable of Taunton[5/3:100] and thus it's likely he had been in town for some time in order to be elected to this office of trust. He was also made the constable in 1664.[5/4:61] In 1653 and 1654 the Taunton Iron Works Company was formed. Francis was not named among the original proprietors but soon bought a half share which was passed down to his great grand children and helps verify the line.[1][3] Francis was on the "Grand Enquest" of the Plymouth Colony court in 1661.[5/3:215] On June 10, 1662 the Plymouth Colony Court listed "The names of those that are appointed by the Court in the severall Townes of this Goument to take the Invoice of what Liquors, Powder, Shott, and Led is brought into the Goument ... These are to give a trew account of all liquors, wine, powder, shott, and ledd that comes into the collonie, and comes to thire knowlige". Francis Smith and George Macye were appointed from Taunton.[5/4:23] In 1664 Francis Smith and James Walker of Taunton were similarly "nominated to take vp the Excise ... are likewise to take notice of what Liquors, &c, are brought into the Goument".[5/4:67] He was also on a list of freemen of Taunton May 29, 1670.[5/5:276]
Francis was granted 61 acres of land in Taunton in 1659, and there were six people in his family at the time. On November 26, 1672 Francis Smith, his son Samuel, and most other residents of Taunton bought a four square mile tract of land lying below the Three Mile River from King Phillip, the local Indian chief.[3/120] Less than three years later Phillip was on the war path attempting to drive the colonists away. For more on this war refer to the forward on King Phillip's War. In 1675 Francis and Samuel Smith were both listed as heads of households. On May 14, 1678 all land holders in Taunton were confirmed as title holders of their properties in order to prevent court actions from the fact that many earlier residents had abandoned their properties. Francis had the land that was originally Oliver Purchase's. His son Samuel was the next listed land holder.[3/134]
In July of 1645 at "a meetinge extraordinary of the Comissioners for the United Colonies" to discuss the "french businesse" and the recent outbreak of war between the Narragansetts and Mohegans, an attempt was made to mediate the war and return the tribes to a state of peace. Sergeant John Davies, Benedict Arnold, and Francis Smith were sent by the commissioners for the united colonies of New England to "Pissecus Canonnacus and other Sachems of the Narrohiggansetts and Neantick Indians And to uncus Sagamore of the Mohegans" to invite them to Boston to determine what caused the outbreak of war and to "restore and confirme peace betwixt them for their mutuall safety and advantage".[5/9:312] Whether this Francis is our ancestor is not clear. He may have been or may have been a representative of one of the other colonies.
Francis' will was dated Feb. 22, 1679 and he described himself as about 60 years of age. He mentioned his wife Sarah, his eldest son Samuel, and his youngest son John. Also mentioned were Samuel's children Hannah, Samuel, and Susanna.[1] The fact that Francis mentioned his grand children in his will is very important as the name of Smith was numerous even in those days, and in addition, the record keeping in Taunton left something to be desired. Thus we are provided with a valuable connection through three generations in this line. The estate of "Samuel" Smith of Taunton came to 233 pounds in 1680 and indicates five children.[5/6:32] This must be a mistake, actually meaning Francis rather than Samuel.
REF: [1] Plymouth Colony Transcripts (Document Set 494)
[2] The History of Hingham, Mass. - Town of Hingham, 1893
[3] The History of Taunton, Mass., Samuel Emery, 1893
[4] Planters of the Commonwealth - Charles Banks, 1930
[5] Records of Plymouth Colony, 1855
[6] The New England Historic Genealogical Register, 1881 (pg.22)
Children:
1. Samuel, bap. Hingham, MA Oct 1639, d. 5 Mar 1688, m. Boston, MA 13 Dec 1659 Susanna Read, b. Eng. abt. 1633 2. John 3. probably others
SAMUEL SMITH [#180], bap. Hingham, MA Oct 1639, d. 5 Mar 1688, m. Boston, MA 13 Dec 1659 SUSANNA READ (dau. of William Read and Susanna Hayme), b Eng. abt. 1633. She may have m(2) Taunton 14 Nov 1689 Thomas Lincoln.
Samuel Smith was born in Hingham but moved with his family to Taunton at an early age. His wife's name was Susanna. A number of reputable sources believe him to be the Samuel Smith who married Susanna Read in Boston on Dec. 13, 1659. The record quoted is "Samuel Smith & Susanna Read dau. of William Read of Boston were married 13th Dec. by John Endecott Gov." 1659.[3] There is apparently no proof matching this Samuel with Samuel of Taunton. However, there is a fair amount of circumstantial evidence. While Boston and Taunton were somewhat remote from one another, there was still a good deal of travel between the two. Also the Smith and Read families both came from the Hingham/Weymouth area, and Samuel and Susanna could have met as children or while both were visiting family or friends in their former towns. The date of the marriage also fits very well with the birth of the Taunton couple's children. Finally there are no other known Samuel Smith's of the time with a wife Susanna. With all this evidence, it is a strong likelihood that the wife of Samuel Smith of Taunton was indeed Susanna Read.
Samuel was one of 53 Taunton residents who bought for 100 pounds the Taunton North Purchase from Captain Thomas Willett, who had bought it from the Indians for the Plymouth Colony.[5/20] In 1668 Samuel Smith was the constable of Taunton.[2/563] He was a Selectman from 1676 to 1679,[2/573] and he and James Walker represented Taunton in the Plymouth General Court in 1678 and 1679.[2/573] Samuel was among those purchasing a four square mile tract of land from King Phillip in 1672,[2/120] was a head of a household in 1675,[2/93] and in 1678 was confirmed as the title holder of his property. That property had originally belonged to Jacob Wilson.[2/134] He took the oath of fidelity on March 5, 1667-8.[4/4:177] Samuel was also the constable of Taunton in 1683.[4/6:107]
REF: [1] Taunton Vital Records
[2] The History of Taunton, Mass. - Samuel Emery, 1893
[3] Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages, and Deaths, 1630-1699
- William S. Appleton, 1978 (pg.72)
[4] Plymouth Colony Records, 1855
[5] The History of Easton - William L. Chaffin, 1886
Children:
1. Hannah, b. Taunton, MA 17 Sep 1662, m. 24 Feb 1679-80 John White 2. Sarah, b. Taunton 25 Jan 1664-5, d. 18 Jul 1665 3. Samuel, b. Taunton, MA 15 Oct 1666, d. 1718, m(1) 20 Feb 1690-1 Rebecca Hoar, d. Taunton 30 Apr 1694, m(2) Esther Caswell, b. Taunton 1 Jun 1669 4. Shubael, b. Taunton 15 Oct 1666, prob. d. young 5. Susanna, b. Taunton 20 or 30 Jul 1669, m? 14 Nov 1689 Thomas Lincoln 6. Esther, b. Taunton 6 Jan 1671-2 7. Nathaniel, b. Taunton 26 Jul 1675, m. 29 Sep 1699 Sarah Haskins
SAMUEL SMITH [#90], b. Taunton, MA 15 Oct 1666, d. probably Taunton 1718, m(1) Taunton 20 Feb 1690-1 Rebecca Hoar, d. Taunton 20 Apr 1694, m(2) ESTHER CASWELL (dau. of Thomas Caswell and Mary), b. Taunton 1 Jun 1669. She m(2) ____ Fisher.
| 45. Damaris Smith
|
90. Samuel Smith |
180. Samuel Smith |
360. Francis Smith ?-1679 | 361. Agnes ____ ?-1665 |
| 181. Susanna Read |
362. William Read c.1607-c.1679 | 363. Susanna Hayme c.1606-1653 |
|
|
91. Esther Caswell |
182. Thomas Caswell |
| |
| 183. Mary ____ |
| |
Samuel Smith was mentioned in the will of his grandfather, Francis Smith, in 1679.[1/4:47] He also administered upon the estate of his father Samuel. In 1698 he filed an addendum to the inventory of his father's estate. The addition was a one "half share of the old Iron works in" Taunton.[2/1:224] This half share was divided among his own children twenty years later, after his death, which provides a firm link among three generations.[2/3:475,603] Samuel's grand father had bought this half share in the iron works in the 1650's.
Several of Samuel's children sold their shares in their father's estate in 1726 to Samuel Pitts.[3/19:11,12,14] Their mother was mentioned as Esther Fisher, thus she had remarried in the eight years since her husband's death. No marriage record for Samuel and Esther exists, but she is found as Esther Smith, widow of Samuel Smith, selling her rights in her father's, Thomas Caswell's, estate in 1722.[3/14:316]
Samuel belonged to the First Foot Company of Taunton and was impressed into expeditions against Canada at least twice during the French and Indian Wars. The first time was on April 7, 1693.[5/398] The second time was on June 26, 1711 for an ill-fated expedition. The fleet set sail on July 30, but one night eight transports were wrecked and one thousand soldiers were lost. The remainder of the expedition returned at that time without undertaking their mission.[5/414] Samuel appears on a list of the Military Training Company of Taunton on May 30, 1700 under Capt. Thomas Leonard.[5/354] He was also on the list of First Foot Military Company of Taunton in 1710 under the now Major Leonard.[5/398]
REF: [1] Plymouth County Probate
[2] Bristol County Probate
[3] Bristol County Deeds
[4] Taunton Vital Records
[5] The History of Taunton, Mass. - Samuel Emery, 1893
[6] The History of Easton - William L. Chaffin, 1886
Children (by Rebecca):
1. Samuel, b. Taunton, MA 8 Feb 1691-2, m. Mary ____ 2. Sarah, b. Taunton 2 Dec 1693, d. 9 Feb 1773, m. ____ Tiffany
Children (by Esther):
3. Marcy 4. Keziah 5. Jasiel, m? Hannah Gushee 6. Damaris, d. 13 Mar 1795, m. abt. 1724 Samuel Phillips, b. Taunton, MA 17 May 1702, d. between 1781 and 1784 7. Benajah 8. Esther
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