The Smith Genealogy

The Smith Genealogy

By Jared L. Olar

January 2024

The occupational surname of "Smith," of course, is well known to be one of the most common English surnames. Like most English Smith families, these Smiths likely were descended from a family of blacksmiths in medieval England. Unfortunately we do not know where in England this family originated, but after leaving England they first appear on Long Island, New York. However, DNA testing has begun to reveal more about the distant ancestry and wider interconnections of these Smiths. Among the participants in the Official Smith DNA Project, there are five different men among the descendants of Abraham and Margery Smith of Long Island who have had their y-DNA tested. These tests show that this Smith family belongs to the E-M2 male haplogroup, more specifically E-M35 or E-V13. As it happens, this is the same haplogroup as John Howard Spencer (1904-1948), husband of Helen Elizabeth Smith (1908-2000), who are Generation No. 9 below. That means that in the male line, long before the adoption of surnames, these Smiths and the Four Spencers Brothers came from the exact same man (though this was probably very long ago indeed).

After the first appearance of these Smiths on Long Island in the early to mid-1600s, they moved to Cape May County in New Jersey, later migrating across Pennsylvania to the Redstone country in the western parts of that state, then to eastern Ohio, to west central Indiana, and finally to Nodaway County, Missouri, and Taylor County, Iowa. When this Smith family first came to New England, they were English Baptists, but they soon joined the Society of Friends (Quakers), later joining other Protestant denominations.

The following account of the Smith family covers nine generations in a time span from the years 1630 to 2000. Information on the first four or five generations is derived chiefly from James W. Hook's Smith, Grant, and Irons families of New Jersey's shore counties (1955) and the Smith Official DNA & One Name Study. There is some degree of uncertainty regarding the links connecting the first three generations shown below, but we reach solid ground with the third generation. I owe much of what I know of the last four or five generations to my father-in-law's first cousin Vickey Lynne (Sanders) Baumli (daughter of Dale B. and Iva Ruth (Smith) Sanders), who shared copies of her extensive research with me in the late 1990s, but I have also built a little on what Vickey had shared with me, adding additional information as I have been able to find it. Though Vickey's information on the Smiths reached back only as far as James B. Smith and his mother Ann Smith in the late 1700s, other researchers have identified James' father John Willets Smith, which enables us to trace James' lineage back to colonial New Jersey and Long Island, New York.

The ninth generation in the following account of the Smith family is Helen Elizabeth (Smith) Spencer (1908-2000), my wife's grandmother, whom I had the honor of meeting a few times during family visits to Bedford, Iowa, and I fondly recall us sitting with her in her home as she went through her collection of old family photos, telling stories about her life and the lives of her family members depicted in those scenes. I am very sorry that I did not get the chance to know her better, but my wife still regales me with her own stories of her beloved grandmother, aunts, uncles, and cousins in Taylor County, Iowa, and Nodaway County, Missouri.

Nine Generations of the Smith Family:

1. ABRAHAM SMITH, parentage and ancestry uncertain, born circa 1622 or 1630 in England, said to have died circa 1698 in Narragansett, Rhode Island, or in 1708 in Hempstead, Livingston County, New York. At some point before 1647 in Long Island, New Netherland (New York), Abraham married MARY PINES, with whom he had (reportedly) four sons and three daughters. Various online family trees purport to trace Abraham back to the Smiths of Humberstone in England. For example, the Smith Official DNA & One Name Study identifies Abraham's parents as William Smith of Humberstone and Ellen Hill, and provides this interesting note on Abraham's parentage:

"Father may be William Smith. William Smith (c.1600) from Humberstone, Lincolnshire, England, married 28 Jan 1620/1 in Gloucestershire, to Ellen Hill; arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1635. He moved to Hempstead, Long Island, New York, in 1639. He had four sons, John, Abraham, Uriah, and Morris. Tradition says he was a Baptist who landed in Boston in 1635 carrying a 1607 Geneva Bible that had a hand-drawn coat of arms on the flyleaf, issued in 1543 to the Smyths of Humberston, Lincolnshire."

In comparison, the old Grandon Family Webpage also says Abraham's father was named William, but rather than William Smith of Humberstone, this source says Abraham was the son of William Smith of Hooby, and says that Abraham was therefore born perhaps in Hooby, England. It seems very doubtful that Abraham's parentage and ancestry has yet been identified, so we should remain skeptical of these various genealogical hypotheses. The claim that William of Humberstone in Lincolnshire married in faraway Gloucestershire is particularly suspect -- no doubt a careless and unskilled genealogist has conflated two completely different English Smith families.

In any case, this is the Grandon Family Webpage's complete profile for Abraham Smith:

"Abram or Abraham Smith was born in 1622 in England. He died about 1698 in Narragansett, Rhode Island. He married Mary Pines before 1647 in Long Island, New Netherland, New York. SMITH, ABRAM: Resident of Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, in 1693 when his daughter, Esther/Hester, was married to John 'Mill John' Townsend. Son of William of Hooby; born perhaps in Hooby, England. Mary Pines was born about 1622 in England. She married Abram or Abraham Smith before 1647 in Long Island, New Netherland, New York. PINES, MARY - perhaps related to James PYNE (Pine) of Stamford, Connecticut, who 'are known to have come over to Long Island in 1644 with Rev. Richard Enton.' They helped settle Hempstead, Long Island, while it was under Dutch rule. (Notes from 'The Rock Smith Family' by Valentine W. Smith (1884) Jamaica, New York) May have been born in 1630 in England. May have died in Rhode Island. . . . They had the following children:
    "M   i  Abraham Smith
     F  ii  Esther Smith was born about 1672 in of Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York. Married John 'Mill John' Townsend according to Hinshaw's: Hester/Esther Smith of Oyster Bay (Long Island), dtr of 
            Abraham. Disowned by the Quaker Church 12 Month 22 Day 1694, for 'marrying out of unity'. John Townsend was not a Quaker.
     M iii  Isaac Smith was born in 1657 in Hempstead, Long Island, New York. He died in 1746. Isaac Smith of Herricks.
     M	iv  William Smith was born in 1659 in England. He died in 1719 in Middletown, New Jersey.
     F	 v  Elizabeth or Betsy Smith was born about 1661 in England.
     F	vi  Hannah Smith was born about 1663 in England.
     M vii  Bartholomew Smith was born about 1665 in England."

The stated places of birth of these children are incoherent, for the first three are said to have been born on Long Island, while the rest are said to have been born in England -- yet this Abraham Smith is not said to have gone back to England and then returned to America. If these children were all born to Abraham and Mary Pines, then they all must have been born in America, and probably on Long Island. Notably, the Smith Official DNA & One Name Study does not provide even speculative places of birth for the children of Abraham and Mary, and adds three more sons to the list of Abraham's children: David, John, and Morris.

Though the Grandon Family Webpage says Abraham died circa 1698 in Narrangansett, Rhode Island, the Smith Official DNA & One Name Study says he died 1708 in Hempstead, Livingston County, New York. Which of those sources is correct, if either one is, I cannot tell. I have not done any personal research on this generation of this Smith family, and cannot vouch for any of this information.

Abraham and Mary reportedly had these children:

     2. ABRAHAM SMITH, born circa 1647 in Long Island, New Netherland (New York)
     -- ESTHER SMITH, born circa 1672 in Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, married "Mill John" Townsend.
     -- ISAAC SMITH, born 1657 in Hempstead, Long Island, New York.
     -- WILLIAM SMITH, born 1659.
     -- DAVID SMITH, born circa 1660.
     -- ELIZABETH SMITH ("Betsy"), born circa 1661.
     -- HANNAH SMITH, born circa 1663.
     -- BARTHOLOMEW SMITH, born circa 1665.
     -- JOHN SMITH
     -- MORRIS SMITH

2. ABRAHAM SMITH, said to be son of Abraham and Mary (Pines) Smith, born circa 1647 in Long Island, New York, died before 1732 in Cape May, New Jersey. Around 1668, Abraham married MARGERY (NN), born perhaps circa 1650 in England, died after 1712 in Long Island, New York. Abraham and Margery had at least two sons and one daughter. The old Grandon Family Webpage provides the following brief profile of Abraham and Margery and their family:

"Abraham Smith was born in 1647 in Long Island, New York. He died in 1732 in Cape May, New Jersey. He married Margery about 1668 in USA. ('McGlumphy Family History' by Gail Poland Meeks) Fisherman; called the Mariner. Family was in Connecticut, then moved to Long island in late 1600's. Abram Smith was a Freeholder at Hempstead, Long Island, when it was controlled by the Dutch and known as New Netherlands in 1647. He also had residences at Jamaica in 1668 and Brookhaven, Long Island, in 1683. While at Brookhaven he signed a boat agreement with Isaac Dayton. He had moved with his family to Cape May, New Jersey by 1695. There he was a charter member of the Baptist Church. His wife's maiden name is unknown. Margery was born about 1650 in England. She died after 1712 in Long Island, New York. . . . ('McGlumphy Family History' by Gail Poland Meeks) Probably born in England; may have died in N.J. Maiden name unknown; place of birth and death have question marks."

Although the Grandon Family Webpage stated Abraham's year of death to have been 1732, it seems rather that 1732 is merely the terminus ad quem for his life. He last appears on record in 1716 and was certainly dead by 1732, the year of his son Thomas' death.

James W. Hook in his Smith, Grant, and Irons families of New Jersey's shore counties (1955), pages 13-21, goes into extensive detail about Abraham and Margery and their children, providing a thorough, reasonable, and judicious analysis of the available evidence:

"WILLIAM, ABRAM and THOMAS SMITH were the first of the Smith name at Cape May. The will of Thomas Smith dated at Cape May proves that William and Thomas were brothers. Abram (Abraham in later records), may have been the father of William and Thomas and either predeceased them or removed from the county when he sold his property to Nathaniel Jenkins in 1714 and 1716. As will be seen later in this chapter, he probably was the same Abram Smith of Long Island, probably of Brookhaven or Jamaica, who, on 24 May 1683, employed Isaac Dayton to operate his boat for him.
"William Smith appears in the records first at the very early date of 24 March 1692/93 when he was a witness in a court action against Henry Gray. About a year later, on 4 April 1694, he registered his earmark for cattle which he gave to his son William in 1722, registering another for himself on May 28 of the same year, the latter becoming his son Richard's mark, November 3, 1749. The mark he gave to his son William in 1722 was retained by the later until his death in 1777 and was transferred to his grandson Enoch Smith, son of Jacob, on 24 November 1783.
"William and Abram Smith were granted land by Jeremiah Bass, agent for the West New Jersey Society, William's grant for 130 acres being dated 1 April 1699 and Abraham's for 150 acres on 1 Sept. 1699. (Deed Book B, pp. 15 and 55, Cape May Court House, N. J.) These deeds are partially quoted in chapter one herein. On 16 Sept. 1714 and again on 17 July 1716 Abraham Smith sold what apparently was all the land he owned at Cape May to Nathaniel Jenkins. The first deed was witnessed by John Stillwell and Charles Robinson and the second by Chas. Robinson and Elizabeth Robinson. He signed his name Abraham Smith in both deeds. (Deed Book B, pp. 104, 105, Cape May Court House, N. J.) This was the last appearance of Abraham Smith in the Cape May Co. records so far as this writer could find. He may have died soon after the date of the second deed or removed from the county and state.
"It should be noted that Charles Robinson witnessed both and Elizabeth Robinson (his wife) one of the deeds of Abraham Smith to Nathaniel Jenkins. This writer believes that she was a daughter of Abraham Smith. After her husband's death she married, as her second husband and as his second wife, Yelverton Crowell, son of Judge Samuel. She survived her second husband and, according to the settlement papers of Thomas Smith's estate, took care of Thomas Smith's third wife, the widow Abagail, formerly wife of Samuel Johnson, deceased, until her death. She also was a witness to Thomas Smith's will written 28 Dec. 1731. It seems reasonably certain that she was a sister of Thomas and William and a daughter of Abraham although no recorded proof has been found.
"Adding weight to the belief that Abraham (Abram) was the father of William and Thomas Smith and Elizabeth, who married Charles Robinson first and Yelverton Crowell second, is the fact that on 24 June 1712, Abraham, William, Margery and Elothes Smith and Charles and Elizabeth Robinson were listed as founder members of the first Baptist Church of Cape May that was organized on that date by Reverend Nathaniel Jenkins who, as we have seen, bought Abraham Smith's property in 1714 and 1716. This writer believes that Margery Smith was the wife of Abraham and Elothes Smith the wife of William, a conclusion supported by the fact that Thomas Smith gave the name Margery to his first daughter born in 1702. Neither Thomas or William Smith or Charles Robinson, all of whom wrote wills, mentioned a child Abraham but it must be remembered that wills seldom mentioned deceased children and both William and Thomas could have had a child by that name who predeceased his father.
"If Abraham Smith was the father of William, Thomas and Elizabeth and died after all three were grown the possibility of any of his children being called the children of Abraham in later public records would be greatly lessened. This is particularly true in view of the fact that Abraham, apparently, liquidated all of his land holdings before his disappearance from the records and left no will.
"The first record of Thomas Smith was the registration of his earmark 1 Oct. 1704. (Book 1, Mortgages, Earmarks and Miscellaneous Records, Cape May Court House, N. J.) He was granted land by Lewis Morris, agent for the West New Jersey Society, 28 Dec. 1710. (Book L, p. 27, Deeds, Secy. of State's Office, Trenton, N. J.) His earmark became the property of his son Thomas, 22 May 1739 and of the latter's son Christopher on 24 March 1785. Christopher Smith outlived all of his sons so that the family earmark passed to his grandson, Christopher Smith, 31 July 1827.
"Where William, Abram (he wrote his name Abraham) and Thomas Smith came from was not discovered by this writer. The facts that they were Baptists and that William, at least, was one of the earliest settlers at Cape May, suggests that they may have come from the Roger Williams County from whence the Crowells, Eldridges, Whilldins and Swaines also came. To this writer, however, Long Island appears to be the more likely place from whence the Smiths of Cape May came. There were three and perhaps four families of the name in Brookhaven from very early times. One was Richard Smith patentee of Smithtown nearby. Another was Colonel William Smith, owner of St. George's Manor. Another and maybe more than one was that of Arthur, Benjamin, Robert and Thomas Smith the latter three of whom with Samuel Dayton and others drew lots in 1664 and 1668. Arthur Smith also drew a lot in the drawing of 1668. He may have been the Arthur Smith of Southold, L. I., a Quaker, who, in 1659, was sent to New Haven for trial. (Savage) A Daniel Smith of Brookhaven also appears in the records of 1664 in a suit brought against him by Richard Woodhull while Arthur Smith defended himself against a suit for trespass in 1666. A deed dated 23 April 1683 (Book B, Brookhaven Published Records, pp. 142-143) indicates that Arthur Smith had sons named Benjamin and Robert, and Thomas and John also may have been sons.
"Abram Smith (sic) appeared once in the records of Brookhaven in a way to indicate that he was a mariner with a boat of his own. The record reads,
"'Article of Agrement concluded 24 Maij 1683 between Abram Smith of the one partty and Iseck Daiton of Brookhaven the other partty as followeth, that is to say that the above saide Iseck daiton is to goe in the boete of the above said Abram Smiths and to doe his labor to the best he can doe for fraighting and the lieke and they or both of them to goe equall shares in what they shall gett by the boete onlly they ar to allow the boete a therd part of what thay both getteth and it is to be noeted that the saide Iseck daiton is to go in her as long as he pleaseth.' (Book B, Brookhaven Published Records, p. 156.)
"This record is significant. It indicates that Iseck Daiton (Isaac Dayton) of Brookhaven, who was a son of Samuel Dayton and brother of Jacob Dayton, the latter of whom settled at Cape May about the time William Smith did, was associated with Abram Smith, residence not clearly stated, in a shipping venture. One could think that Abram Smith, because of advancing age, was employing a younger man to operate his vessel for him. What supposition, therefore, is more reasonable than that Adam (sic – Abram) Smith's boete (boat) with Isaac Dayton as captain, plied the waters around lower Cape May and influenced the Smiths and Daytons to settle there, William Smith and Jacob Dayton going first, followed by William Smith's father, Abram Smith, and his younger son Thomas, the latter marrying about 1700 as his first wife, Jacob Dayton's dau. Althea, born about 1680?
"The writer has sought deligently (sic) in the Brookhaven records for more references to Abram or Abraham Smith but found none. He did find an Abraham Smith in the Jamaica, L. I. records who, on 4 Sept. 1668, was appointed executor of the intestate estate of Richard Everett. (N.Y. Abstract of Wills, Vol. 1, p. 9.) The N. Y. Gen. and Biographical Records, (Vol. 72, p. 8) gives a limited genealogy of a very early Smith family of Jamaica, L. I. by Rosalie Fellows Bailey which apparently was the one from which John Smith (1700-1760) of Great Egg Harbor, N. J. deceased. (sic – descended) (See page 7, Chapter I herein.) It may be briefly outlined as follows:
"John Smith was a freeman of Taunton in the Plymouth Colony in 1639. He removed to Mashpate (Mespath), L. I. and met his death at the hand of an Indian as proved by a deposition of his son Samuel, aged about 67 and his daughter Elizabeth, aged about 70 given before the court of common pleas in Jamaica, 24 May 1703. The deposition stated that Samuel and Elizabeth were of Jamaica and that Elizabeth, formerly the wife of William Ludlam of Southampton, deceased, was now the wife of Nehemiah Smith. Both Samuel and Elizabeth did depose and say that about 60 years ago their father left Taunton, Plymouth Colony for Mashpate Kills, Queens County, then under the Dutch and was there killed by the Indians; also that John Smith, eldest son of ye said John Smith their father and brother to these deponents, is now living in Hempstead, Queens County. (Liber A of Jamaica Records; also see the N. Y. Gen. and Biog. Rec., Vol. 65, p. 249, and Annals of Newtown, L. I. by James Riker, p. 20.)
"The above record proves that John Smith had three children, but in a footnote the author stated that there may have been other children and grandchildren than were stated by her. One of the 'other children' could have been the Abraham Smith, executor of the Richard Everett estate. Supra. This, however, is suspect because the way the deposition was written indicates that only the following three of his children were living in 1703 as follows, none of them named Abram or Abraham. . . .

Hook then presents the families of the three children of that John Smith, after which he concludes:

"The above genealogy does not mention an Abraham Smith, but the Abraham who was executor of the intestate of Richard Everett, 4 Sept. 1668, could have been a son of John Smith and brother of John, Elizabeth, b. 1633, and Samuel, b. 1636. Of course, that would not prove that he was the Abraham Smith of Cape May, but is a lead someone may wish to investigate.

As far as I know, Hook's suggestion that Abraham Smith was one of the children of John Smith of Mashpate, Long Island, has not been substantiated. Instead, Abraham Smith is thought to be a son of Abraham Smith and Mary Pines as shown above. But Hook continues his treatment of our Abraham Smith as follows:

"The records of Abram (Abraham) Smith in Cape May County are scant. He first appeared there on April 1695 when he was a witness to the marriage of William Shaw and Lydia Parsons and in 1699 when he was granted land by Jeremiah Bass, agent for the West Jersey Society. He next appeared, 29 Aug. 1702 as a debtor, with many others, to the estate of John Stubbs, mariner of Cape May. The will of John Stubbs gave part of his personal estate to Richard Downs who later married, as his second wife, Ruth Dayton, mother-in-law of Thomas Smith. (N. J. Abstract of Wills, Vol. 1) The next record was his appearance in the census of 1704 of Cape May Co. (Mag. of Hist. and Biog. N. J., Vol. II.) In 1712 he is recorded as a founder member of the First Baptist Church of Cape May. The last record of him was 1716 when he sold property to Nathaniel Jenkins. He may have been one of the numerous settlers who died in the epidemics of about that time.
"We may hope that these questions relating to the origin and forebears of the Smiths of Cape May County, New Jersey will sometimes be solved but for the present this writer must be content to start the family herein chronicled with
"(1) William Smith, b. say about 1667; d. July 1744, probably m. Elothes. (See Smith Family, Chapter III herein.)
"(2) Thomas Smith, b. say, about 1672; d. March 1732; m., 1st. Althea Dayton; m. 2nd., Mary; m., 3rd., Abagail, widow of Samuel Johnson. (See Smith Family, Chapter IV herein.)
"(3) Elizabeth Smith. This writer believes that the Elizabeth who married 1st. Charles Robinson and 2nd. Yelverton Crowell was a sister of William and Thomas Smith. She witnessed the will of Thomas Smith written 28 Dec. 1731 and, according to the settlement papers concerning his estate, was paid money for nursing his widow Abagail who died in the autumn of 1732. The settlement also showed that John Robinson was a tenant of the deceased's plantation and received a payment of 8 shillings from the deceased's estate. He may have been a son of Elizabeth and Charles Robinson. The will of Charles Robinson was written 16 April 1719. It mentioned his wife Elizabeth, who was designated executrix but no children. William Smith of Cape May and Charles Angelo of Salem, N. J. were her bondsmen. William Smith and Nathaniel Jenkins, on 21 May 1719, reported the inventory of his estate which amounted to 149 pounds, 3 shillings and 3 pence. On 26 July 1724 the account of the executrix 'now called Elizabeth Crowell' charged herself with payments to, among others, Thomas Smith, William Smith and Jonathan Crowell and to Richard Downes who was the second husband of Ruth Dayton, Thomas Smith's mother-in-law and to Thomas Hand who was his brother-in-law. Two payments were made to Thomas Smith one of which was the substantial sum of 25 pounds entrusted to him to pay Lewis Morris, agent for the West New Jersey Society, principal and interest due him from the deceased on bond. No one can deny that these numerous Smith Robinson connections indicate close relationship of one kind or another.
"The intestate estate of her second husband, Yelverton Crowell, of which she was also administratrix, with Nathaniel Jenkins as her fellow bondsman, showed that the inventory was taken 10 Jan. 1723/24 by Thomas Smith and Nathaniel Jenkins and settlement account of the administratrix dated 26 May 1726, showed payment made to Thomas and William Smith and William Smith Jr., to Barnabas Crowell and to Samuel Johnson whose widow, Abagail, later was the 3rd. wife of Thomas Smith. The settlement also showed the 'allowance of the sum of 8 pounds and 5 shillings which was paid to Yelverton Crowell by Nathaniel Jenkins and was so much lent to him out of the estate of Charles Robins on, deceased, former husband to this accomptant and for which the Estate of Yelverton Crowell is chargeable to this accomptant and administrator of the estate of said Charles Robinson.' Here again the Smith, Robinson and Crowell connections are unusually close and numerous. There were no children born to this second marriage of the widow Elizabeth Robinson to Yelverton Crowell."

The known or probable children of Abraham and Margery Smith are:

     -- WILLIAM SMITH, born perhaps circa 1667, married probably Elothes (NN).
     3. THOMAS SMITH SR., born perhaps circa 1672, married three times.
     -- ELIZABETH SMITH, married 1st Charles Robinson, married 2nd Yelverton Crowell.

3. THOMAS SMITH SR., very probably son of Abraham and Margery Smith, born perhaps 1672 in Cape May County, New Jersey, died in the early months of 1732 (prior to 13 May 1732) in Cape May County, New Jersey, buried perhaps in the old Smith family burial grounds near the estate of his son Thomas Jr. Thomas Smith Sr., yeoman, is known to have married three times, first circa 1700-01 to ALATHEA DAYTON, born circa 1680, died 19 Dec. 1714, daughter of Jacob and Ruth (Diament) Dayton, with whom Thomas is known to have had five daughters. Thomas marriedly second to MARY, probably Mary (Allen) Wells, widow of Daniel Wells and daughter of Jedidiah and Elizabeth (Howland) Allen of Shrewsbury, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Thomas and Mary had three sons, all of whom were still minors when he made his will in December of 1731. Thomas' third wife was ABIGAIL, probably the widow of Samuel Johnson and daughter of Richard Swain. No children were born of Thomas' third marriage.

A detailed and thoroughly documented account of Thomas Smith's life is found in James W. Hook's Smith, Grant, and Irons families of New Jersey's shore counties, including the related families of Willets and Birdsall (1955), pages 39-65. Following are extensive quotes from Hook's account:

"THOMAS SMITH was born, say, in 1672 and died in Cape May County, N. J. in 1732. He was married three times, first, about 1700/1701 to Alathare (Alathea) Dayton who was b., about 1680, and died 19 Dec. 1714; second to Mary whose surname is conjectural but probably born Mary Allen or Mary Hand, as later shown, and third to Abagail, widow of Samuel Johnson. According to his will five daughters were born to the first marriage and three sons to the second. There were no children born to the third marriage.
"Alathea (Alathare) Dayton, the first wife of Thomas Smith, was a dau. of Jacob Dayton and his wife Ruth Diament the latter a dau., probably, of Thomas Diament of East Hampton, Long Island. (Indentures, Liber B, pp. 182-183, dated 13 Dec. 1715 and 4 Jan. 1715/16 at Cape May Court House; also see Am. Genealogist, Vol. 22, pp. 129 and 141.) The children of Jacob and Ruth (Diament) Dayton were, (1) Lucy, who m. Joshua Carman; (2) Alathea (Alathare) b., ca. 1680, who m. Thomas Smith; (3) Ruth, who m., as his first wife, Yelverton Crowell; (4) Jerusha, who m. Thomas Hand; (5) Abagail, who m. George Crawford and (6) Anne, who m. John Buck. Jacob Dayton was born about 1657 at Southampton, Long Island and died at Cape May 1702/3, administration of his estate having been granted to Richard Downes, 15 Apr. 1703. His estate was inventoried 7 June 1705 (probably should read 1703) by John Taylor and Henry Leonard. The estate settlement, date not given, mentions his six daughters by the Dayton name but quite certainly some, if not all, were then married. Jacob Dayton was a son of Samuel Dayton, bap. at Ashford, Kent, England, 7 Feb. 1624, and his first wife Melden who removed from New Haven, Conn. to Brookhaven (Setauket), Long Island and died there 5 July 1690. Samuel Dayton was a son of Ralph Dayton who came to Boston with his wife Alice, probably from Ashford, Kent, England in 1638. He was in New Haven in 1639, and later, probably about 1648, removed to Long Island.
"Alathea (Althea) first wife of Thomas Smith died 19 Dec. 1714 as proved by a diary entry written by Thomas Leaming before his death on 31 Dec. 1723. (Vol. III, Hist. and Gen. Miscellany by John E. Stillwell, M. D.)
"Thomas Smith's second wife was named Mary. Her name was so stated by her son Anthony Smith, when he recorded the birth dates of himself, wife and eleven children in the Little Egg Harbor Meeting of Friends, saying that he was a son of Thomas and Mary Smith. She probably was the widow of Daniel Wells, and daughter of Jedidiah and Elizabeth (Howland) Allen of Shrewsbury, Monmouth Co., N. J. (The Genealogical Magazine of N. J., Vol. 16, p. 53.) She was born at Sandwich in the New Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts, 15 Nov. 1681 and married Daniel Wells of Cape May about 1706/7. Her parents were Quakers and, according to the Salem, N. J. Friends Meeting records, Daniel Wells, also, was a Quaker for on 28 June 1704 that meeting recorded having received him on certificate from Cape May. Later, on 25 June 1707, the same Friends Meeting reported that he had married contrary to discipline, the offense not being stated. It is probable that Mary Allen came to Alloways Creek, Salem Co., N. J. with her elder brother Ephriam Allen who first lived at Great Egg Harbor and removed to Alloways Creek in 1703. After her marriage to Daniel Wells the two settled in Cape May where, on March 15, 1708 they purchased 373 acres of land from Abraham and Benjamin Hand Jr. located on the 'sound side' in the Middle Precinct of Cape May Co., N. J. and near by the plantation which Thomas Smith acquired from the West Jersey Society in 1710.
"Daniel Wells died, according to the Thomas Leaming diary, on 31 January 1715 or a little more than a month after the death of Alathare, Thomas Smith's first wife. His will was dated 26 Jan. 1714/15 and witnessed by Abraham Hand and Mary Hand and proved 18 April 1715. It mentioned his wife Mary and children, all minors, but none named. It also mentioned his brother David. David Wells died in 1720 leaving a wife Elizabeth who married, as his second wife, Humphrey Hughes Jr. whose first wife was Mary, daughter of Timothy Brandriff. (See Hughes Fam. of Cape May by Raymond Finley Hughes 1950, also see David Wells Will probated 1720, Secy. of State's office, Trenton, N. J.)
"On 2 Dec. 1718, David Wells recorded a declaration that he owed Jeremiah Hand the sum of 100 pounds, the latter, quite certainly, being the son of Abraham Hand, deceased, and his wife Elizabeth, dau. of John Corson. One of the witnesses to this document was Mary Smith who, doubtless, was the second wife of Thomas Smith. Another witness was Cornelius Schillinx. (Book B, p. 180, Cape May Co. Deeds at Cape May Courthouse, N. J.) It is hard to see why Mary Smith, rather than some male person in the neighborhood would be asked to witness this transaction if she were not related, or in some way connected, with one of the principals. If so related she could have been either the sister-in-law of David Wells and widow of his deceased brother Daniel, or the aunt of Jeremiah Hand, and sister of his father Abraham Hand, deceased. This writer believes she was the widow of Daniel Wells but admits that a good case can be made for her being Mary Hand, born in Southampton, Long Island, 24 March 1680, daughter of Benjamin Hand and granddaughter of John Hand. (Howell's Hist. of Southampton, L. I., first edition.) Mary Hand and her brother Abraham Hand witnessed the will of Daniel Wells showing that she had witnessed documents before; moreover, she was the only Mary Hand in Cape May of marriageable age when Thomas Smith's first wife died. Despite this it appears logical that David Wells should ask the widow of his deceased brother Daniel to act as a witness and particularly so when she and her former husband, Daniel Wells, purchased their farm at Cape May from Abraham and Benjamin Hand Jr. On the other hand it would be equally logical for Jeremiah Hand, the other principal in the transaction to ask his aunt to be a witness.
"Jeremiah Hand was a son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Corson) Hand. She was a dau. of John Corson, and he a grandson of Benjamin Hand, and his first wife Elizabeth Hedges, widow, born Elizabeth Whittier, and great grandson of John Hand and his wife Alice who came to Southampton, Long Island from England early in the seventeenth century. (See Vol. 31 Am. Genealogist.) John Hand's sons, Shamgar, Benjamin, and Thomas, settled at Cape May about 1690.
"Jedidiah Allen, father of Mary, wife, first, of Daniel Wells and, second, probably, of Thomas Smith was born 3 Jan. 1646/7 at Sandwich, New Plymouth Colony, Mass., and died at Shrewsbury, N. J., 21 Jan. 1711/12. He removed to Shrewsbury after purchasing land there from Job Almy of Portsmouth, R. I., 8 Nov. 1683. His parents were Ralph Allen of Sandwich who came from England about 1628, and his wife Esther Swift, dau. of William and Joan (Jane) Swift of Sandwich. Jedidiah Allen married, ca. 1668/69, Elizabeth Howland, daughter of Henry and Mary (Newland) Howland. Henry Howland is said to have come to America in 1621 settling first at Duxbury, Mass. near Plymouth. He was not related, so far as is known to John Howland, the Mayflower Pilgrim. ('A Brief Gen. and Biog. Hist. of Arthur, Henry and John Howland' by Franklin Howland, 1885.)
"The numerous connections of the Crowell and Thomas Smith families, shown below, have led some to suggest that Thomas Smith's second wife was either a daughter of Judge Samuel Crowell of Cape May or the widow of Josiah Crowell whose maiden name was Mary Whillden. Being the mother of a child (named Anthony) born July 26, 1723, means that she probably was too young to have been Judge Samuel Crowell's daughter. As for being Josiah Crowell's widow the evidence is that Josiah Crowell was living as late as Sept. 19, 1721 when he, together with other members of the Presbyterian Church at Cold Spring of lower Cape May County, was a grantee in a deed from Rev. John Bradner, first pastor of that church. (Deed Book E, p. 249, Secy. of State's Office, Trenton, N. J.) This date was about three years after Thomas Smith Jr. son of Thomas Smith by his second wife, was born and, unless Thomas Smith was married a third time before marrying his last wife, in 1726/27, and unless Josiah Crowell died soon after the date of the Bradner deed, the suggestion falls flat. After the date of the Bradner deed, nothing is found about Josiah Crowell until 6 July 1724 when 'JoH Crowell' sic. is shown in the estate settlement of Charles Robinson to have received a payment of 9 shillings, the exact date of said payment not being stated. JoH may refer to Josiah and probably did because Joseph Crowell died in 1717. One later record shows that the earmark of Josiah Crowell recorded to him 1 May 1708 was reassigned to his son Samuel 6 Aug. 1734.
"The fact that Thomas Smith and Mary his second wife named one of their sons Christopher and another Anthony, naturally suggests forebears of the same name. The Leamings, Fosters and Chruches had their Christophers and the Ludlams and the Sharps had their Anthonys but apparently none of these families had a daughter Mary who could have been of proper age to bear children between 1716 and 1723. The Ludlam family of Cape May, founded by Joseph Ludlam, son of Anthony and grandson of William, settled in Cape May about 1695. Joseph was born about 1675 in Southampton, Long Island and died in Cape May, Feb. 1761, aged near 86. (Aaron Leaming Diary.) He had no daughter Mary but, according to the American Genealogist, Vol. 20, p. 18, he may have had some sisters whose names are not of record. One of these, of course, could have been named Mary who could have been the second wife of Thomas Smith. Anthony Ludlam, father of Joseph, died in Southampton, 17 March 1682 in his 31st. year, leaving known children, in addition to Joseph, named Anthony and Phebe. There is not a hint in the records that this writer could find that Joseph had a sister named Mary or that the Ludlams in that generation were connected in any way with Thomas Smith. In the next following generation, however, Joseph Ludlam Jr. married a daughter of Thomas Smith. It's a good guess that Christopher and Anthony Smith got their names from one or more of these families but probably not because they were blood related.
"Abagail, the third wife of Thomas Smith was the widow of Samuel Johnson and daughter, probably, of Richard Swain and b. 7 Feb. 1683. Samuel Johnson was b. 8 March 1670 (New Haven, Conn. Vital Rec.) and bap. in the Milford, Conn. Cong. Ch., 31 Jan. 1674/75. He died in Cape May Co., N. J. in 1726. He was a son of Jeremiah and Sarah (Hotchkiss) Johnson (Thomas Johnson from England to New Haven, Conn. before 1640). Abagail, widow of Samuel Johnson and Thomas Smith, died intestate in Cape May Co., N. J. in 1732, on the 17 Nov. of which year 'Ebenezer, Phebe and Abagail Johnson, children of said deceased by her former husband, Samuel Johnson, renounced their rights in favor of Aaron Leaming.' (N. J. Abstract of Wills.) Richard Swaine d. in Cape May Co., N. J. in 1707, his administration papers referring to him as formerly of Nantucket Island.
"The first record of Thomas Smith found by this writer was dated 1 Oct. 1704 at which time he registered an earmark for his cattle. It was a relatively simple mark and remained with his descendants for four generations at least, going first to his son Thomas Jr., thence to Thomas Jr.'s son Christopher and then to Christopher's grandson named Christopher. On 8 Oct. 1707 Thomas Smith entered an action 'on ye case of John Reves.' On 28 Dec. 1710 Lewis Morris, attorney for the West New Jersey Society, conveyed to Thomas Smith of Cape May, yeoman, for the sum of 25 pounds silver money, 178 acres of land in Cape May County called Mackrell Neck. (Deed Book BBB, p. 173 in Secy. of State's Office, Trenton, N. J.) This land was near Goshen Creek in Middle Township. Thomas Smith along with Yelverton Crowell and Nathaniel Jenkins witnessed the will of Joseph Crowell of Cape May, yeoman, dated 14 Feb. 1714/ 15 and proved 25 Sept. 1717. The will mentioned a wife Ann, (Joseph Crowell, m. Ann Eaglesfield at Cape May, 2 March 1709/10), a minor son Edward and a daughter Mary, latter to have all land etc. 'at New England in Cape May. ' His wife, Ann, was executrix. (N. J. Abstract of Wills, Vol. 1, p. 121.) The next record of Thomas Smith appears in an indenture of 13 Dec. 1715 where he, Yelverton Crowell, George Crafford (Crawford) and Thomas Hand sold their rights to land 'taken up and surveyed for father-in-law, Jacob Dayton.' This deed proved the maiden name of Thomas Smith's first wife. (Deed Book B, p. 182, Cape May Court House, N. J.) The settlement account of the estate of Charles Robinson, cordwainer of Cape May, dated 16 April 1719 shows two payments to Thomas Smith, the first, amounting to 6 pounds, for an amount owed him by the deceased, and the second a deposit of 25 pounds in trust to Thomas Smith to enable him to pay Col. Lewis Morris the principal and interest due from the deceased on bond. (Secy. of State's Office, Trenton, N. J.) The wife of Charles Robinson apparently was a sister of Thomas Smith. She married, as her second husband, Yelverton Crowell whose first wife was Ruth Dayton, sister of Thomas Smith's first wife. Another record of Thomas Smith of Cape May shows that he and Nathaniel Jenkins inventoried the intestate estate of Yelverton Crowell of Cape May, N. J. on 4 Jan. 1723/24. Elizabeth Crowell, widow, was made executrix of this estate and Nathaniel Jenkins a fellow bondsman. (Estate settlement of Yelverton Crowell of Cape May in Secy. of State's Office, Trenton, N. J.) Elizabeth Crowell, the widow of Yelverton, was also a witness to the will of Thomas Smith in 1731 and was mentioned in his estate settlement as having nursed his widow Abagail prior to her death. These records imply a more than ordinary connection between the Crowell and Thomas Smith families and have led some to guess that Thomas Smith's second wife, Mary, may have been a Crowell. As already pointed out logic and actual records pretty definitely disprove this.
"Further facts about the Thomas Smith family of Cape May were found in the records of the Little Egg Harbor, N. J. Meeting of Friends where the birth dates of the families of his daughters, Marjorie and Ruth and of Anthony Smith, his son, are recorded.
"The will of Thomas Smith, yeoman, of Cape May, N. J. was dated 28 Dec. 1731 and proved 13 May 1732. The executors designated in the will were 'friends and brother William Smith and Henry Young.' The witnesses were Elizabeth Crowell, widow, no doubt, of Yelverton Crowell, John Thompson and John Thompson, Jr. The will, quoted in more detail below mentioned his wife Abagail and children named Thomas, Christopher, Anthony, all under age and Margery, Jerusha, Ruth, Abagail and Alathare.
"The originals of Thomas Smith's will, inventory and executor's settlement account are in the office of the Secretary of State at Trenton, New Jersey, (Liber 3, p. 217, Cape May Wills). It reads as follows: . . . .
"The very complete accounting of Thomas Smith's estate confirms the names of the husbands of all five of his daughters, shows that his three sons were under 21 years of age when he wrote his will, shows that he had a brother William and shows that his son Christopher died before his estate was settled. It also shows that his son Thomas helped to administer his estate, that John Robinson occupied his plantation after his death, that his wife at the time of his death was Abagail the widow of Samuel Johnson and that her nurse during her last illness was Elizabeth Crowell the widow, no doubt, of Yelverton Crowell and the Elizabeth Crowell who witnessed his will. Most likely Elizabeth Crowell was the mother of John Robinson who lived on the Thomas Smith plantation after the latter's death and Thomas Smith's sister as well.
"A deed (Liber BBB, p. 173 in the Secretary of State's Office at Trenton, N. J.) shows that Thomas Smith of Cape May Co., on 28 Dec. 1710, purchased from Lewis Morris Esq., attorney and agent for the 'proprietors known commonly as the New West Jersey Society' for a consideration of 25 pounds current silver money, a 'tract of land lying and being on a neck within the county of Cape May . . . called Mackrell Neck and containing one hundred and seventy six acres, together with all and Every the Mines, Minerals, Woods, Waters, Fishing and Fowling, Hawkings, Huntings, and all other the Royalties, Profits, Privileges, Advantages, Commodities, Hereditaments and appurtenances' belonging to same.
"A later deed (Liber L, p. 27 in the Secy. of State's Office at Trenton, N. J.) dated 31 Jan. 1754 shows that the above farm of Thomas Smith at Mackrell Neck was located in the Middle Township of Cape May Co., N. J. near Goshen Creek which would locate it about five miles north west of Cape May Court House on Delaware Bay. More about this deed will be given under Thomas Smith Jr. below. Incidentally, it shows that Christopher Smith, son of Thomas Sr., died without issue.
"Where Thomas Smith was born has not been found by this writer but, as already noted, he suspects that he came from Long Island and that his father was the Abram (Abraham) Smith of the early Cape May Co. Records. (See Chapter II herein.)
"The church preference of Thomas Smith has not been definitely established but the fact that the earliest Smiths of Cape May were organizers of the First Baptist Church, implies that Thomas Smith was probably of that faith also. His wife, Alathea, however, having lived in Brookhaven and East Hampton, L. I. may have been a member of the First Congregational, later the Presbyterian Church of Brookhaven and unwilling to change her allegiance thus giving the reason for her husband and herself not appearing among the list of organizers of the Baptist Church in the Middle Precinct of Cape May County. Two of their daughters, Ruth and Margery, married and became devout Quakers and his son, Anthony, by his second wife, later became one, all of which indicates early interest of the family from some source in that faith.
"The children of Thomas Smith and his first wife Alathea Dayton, order of birth not proved in all cases, were:
"(1) Margery Smith, probably named for her grandmother Smith, b. 28th day, 11 month 1702/03; d. 11 May 1790. She married, 6 Nov. 1727, (intentions filed 6 Sept. 1727), James Bellangee, a Quaker, who was b. 24 Jan. 1703 and d. 3 Mar. 1790. (Little Egg Harbor, N. J. Friends Records.) He was a son of Evi (written Jeams in his will) and Christiana (Delaplaine) Bellangee (father Jesse or James) and is said to have been a practicing physician at Little Egg Harbor, N. J. The will of James Bellangee of Little Egg Harbor, N. J. was dated 9 March 1781 and proved 18 March 1790. It mentioned his wife Margery and children shown below. (N. J. Abstract of Wills.) . . . .
"(2) Jerusha Smith probably named for her aunt, b., say 1704; m., probably as his second wife, Lemuel Swaine who was b. 1692 and died between 21 Sept. 1733 when his will was written and 2 March 1734 when it was proved. (Liber 3, p. 408, Cape May Co. Wills) He was called a Whale Man in his will probably meaning that he was one of a number of early settlers in those parts who were engaged in the whaleing business. His will mentioned his wife Jerusha and seven children listed below, all minors, and provided 'If my wife be with child and it live to maturity said son or daughter shall have an equal part of my personal estate.' (Vol. II, N. J. Abstract of Wills.) The children named in his will do not suggest any forebears or relatives on the Smith side. This plus the fact that his wife was mentioned second in her father's will thus making her very young to be bearing seven children before 21 Sept. 1733 when her husband's will was written, strongly suggests that she was his second wife. . . .
"(3) Abagail Smith, probably named for her aunt, born, say 1706; m. Lewis Cresse, b. 1686 and died before 18 April 1733 when the inventory of his intestate estate was taken by John Jones and Ephriam Edwards. Administration was granted to his widow Abagail Cresse on 1 May 1733, her fellow bondsman being Ephriam Edwards. No children were mentioned. A second inventory of his estate was made, 23 March 1747, by Elijah Hughes and John Eldridge . . . .
"(4) Ruth Smith, b. 4 June 1711; d. 23 March 1747, aged 36; second intentions filed 6 July 1731, James Pharo, b. 28 May 1702. She probably was named for her grandmother Dayton. James Pharo was a son of Jarvis (Gervas) Pharo who died in 1718 and his wife Elizabeth Willets, born 3 Dec. 1681, dau. of Hope Willets (Richard). James and Ruth Pharo were Quakers and lived at Little Egg Harbor, N. J. . . .
"(5) Alathare (Alathea) Smith, b., say 1713, d. ca. 1746. She was named, no doubt, for her mother. She m, 23 Jan. 1732, as his first wife, Joseph Ludlam Jr. of Cape May, b. ca. 1706; d. Feb. 1753 near age 86. (Aaron Leaming's Diary) His will, dated 6 Feb. 1753 and proved 2 March 1753, mentioned his wife Abagail and minor children named Joseph, Henry and Thomas and 'my daughters' not named. His 2nd. wife was Abagail Young whom he m., April 17, 1747, who survived him and, on 27 June 1754, m., as his 2nd. wife, Jonathan Smith son of William. The daughters mentioned but not named in Joseph Ludlam Jr's will were named in the will of his sister, Phebe Young, widow first of Elisha Eldredge, second, of Daniel Norton and third of Henry Young, which was executed 1 Sept. 1761 and proved 26 Aug. 1766. Apparently she died without leaving living children and willed her property to her brothers and sisters and to the children of her deceased brother Joseph all named, and to other nephews and nieces. Joseph Ludlam Jr. (Joseph, Anthony, William of Southampton, L. I.), had a brother Anthony, b. ca. 1671, who married Patience, dau. of Samuel Barnes, and a sister Phebe and perhaps other sisters whose names were not found. His farm lay on the east side of Jarret's Gut near Goshen, N. J. and adjoined the land of Thomas Smith. A genealogy of the early generations of the Ludlam family will be found in 'The American Genealogist', Vol. 20, pp. 8-30. The map of New Jersey shows that the Ludlam name identifies a part of the Jersey coast south of Ocean City. Ludlam's Beach, some eight miles long lies between Townsend Inlet on the south and Corson's Inlet on the north with Ludlam's Bay flanking it on the west. . . .
"Children of Thomas Smith and his second wife Mary were:
"(6) Thomas Smith Jr., b. 1718; d. 24 Oct. 1783, aged 66; m., licence dated 15 Nov. 1739, Sarah Cresse, b. 1724; d. 20 Feb. 1791, aged 66, the dau., probably, of David and Hannah (Willets) Cresse. (N.J. Marriages, Vol. XXII, N.J. Archives, First Series.) Both lie buried in the Smith family burial grounds on the east side of the Bay Shore Road about 400 yards north of Bidwell's ditch, Cape May Co., N. J. Both wrote wills in Cape May Co., N. J. his will bearing the date of 24 June 1778 and proved 22 Nov. 1783 and hers bearing the date of 4 April 1789 and proved 17 March 1791. Both wills mentioned sons Christopher and Levi Smith and daughter Hannah Townsend. Her will also mentioned a granddaughter, Migal Smith. (N. J. Abstract of Wills, Vol. VIII.) A Cape May Land Record (Liber L, p. 27, at the Secretary of State's Office in Trenton, N. J.) gives some important information about Thomas Smith Jr., his brother Christopher, and his father Thomas and the place where they lived. It was dated 31 Jan. 1754 and was an indenture between the Attorney for the West New Jersey Society, party of the first and Thomas Smith Jr., party of the second part. It reads in part as follows:
"'WHEREAS, Thomas Smith, deceased, father of the party of the second part, by deed dated December the twenty eighth 1710 in his lifetime did purchase of Lewis Morris Esq., Deceased, when agent for the West New Jersey Society one hundred and seventy six acres of their land situate in Cape May at a place called Mackrell Neck near Goshen Creek and by his will Devised the same to his two sons the said Thomas Smith, party to these presents, and Christopher Smith equally between them and,
"'WHEREAS, the said Christopher Smith Dyed without Issue whereby his share of the said land fell to his Brother the said Thomas, and
"'WHEREAS, the said Thomas Smith did Purchase of Messrs Jeremiah Settouch and Joseph Haynes in conjunction and of one of them solely when agents for the West New Jersey Society one hundred twenty four acres more of their land with common allowance for Roads as by these several Indentures the first of the twenty seventh of Sept. 1744, the second of the first of June 1745 and the third of the fifth of June 1745 will appear, by virtue of which the said Thomas Smith became seized of three hundred acres of Land which is situated in the County of Cape May aforesaid at a place called Mackrell Neck or Goshen and bounded as follows.' (Here follows a long description of the land boundaries.)
"'AND WHEREAS, there being eighty seven acres and eighteen perches of land in the above bounds More than were intended to be conveyed by the Deeds before recited and in order to confirm the same to the said Thomas Smith This
"'INDENTURE WITTNESSETH, that the said Party of the first part by Lewis Johnson, their Attorney, by letter of Attorney, Duly executed, bearing date of the Seventh Day of May 1752 and recorded in the Secretary's office at Perth Amboy in Book H2, page 39 and in the Secretary's office at Burlington in Book H, page 96, for and in consideration of the sum of fourteen pounds seven shillings and nine pence proclamation Money to the said attorney in Hand Paid by the said Thomas Smith the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged and thereof Do discharge the said Thomas Smith forever, Have Granted, Bargained Sold Released Emfoffed and Confirmed etc. to the said Thomas Smith his heirs forever together with all manner of Woods, Underwoods, Trees, Mines, Minerals, Quarries, Hawking, Hunting, Fowling, Fishing, Buildings, Fences and Improvements, Hereditaments, Privileges and Appurtenances whatsoever to the same belonging or appertaining
"'TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, etc.'
"The witnesses to the above document were John Smyth and Andrew Smyth, both spelling their name with a 'y'. Who they were has not been determined by this writer. They signed in Perth Amboy, N.J.
"Thomas Smith Jr. called Gentleman in some records, was a well-to-do man of some prominence in Cape May. He was made sheriff of the county in Feb. 1751. (Book B, p. 72 Cape May Court House.) His farm and that of his father was located on Goshen Creek which is located about five miles northwest of Cape May Court House in the Middle Township of Cape May County. He acquired, 22 May 1739, the earmark for cattle that was originally recorded to his father Thomas Smith on 1 Oct. 1704. After Thomas Smith Jr.'s death this earmark passed to the latter's son Christopher who survived all of his sons so that the earmark passed from him to his grandson, Christopher, 31 July 1827. . . .
"(7) Christopher Smith. He died without issue before 20 June 1741 when the final account of his father's estate Supra showed him then to be deceased. That he died without issue is proved by Deed Book, Liber L, p. 27 in the Secretary of State's Office at Trenton and quoted in part under Thomas Smith Jr. above.
"(8) Anthony Smith, b. 26 July 1723; d., in Greene Co., Penna. 1809 or 1810. His will was probated Jan. 29, 1810. He married, licence dated, 16 May 1746, Lydia Willets, b. 16 Jan. 1726 and died after her husband's will was written in Greene Co., Pa., 3 June 1798. Her marriage licence was accompanied by a statement that she was a daughter of Timothy Willets, (Hope, Richard). Anthony and Lydia Smith became Quakers at Little Egg Harbor in 1768 and remained true to that faith throughout their lives. It is said that after his father's death when he was in his 8th year he was taken into the home of his half sister Margery Bellangee at Little Egg Harbor, N. J. and never again lived in Cape May County. (See Chapter V herein for a full account of this family.)"

From these extensive excerpts from Hook's account of Thomas Smith's life and family, we see that Thomas had five daughters by his first wife Alathea and three sons by his second wife Mary. Thomas' children were all born in Cape May County, New Jersey.

     -- MARGAREY SMITH, born 28 Jan. 1703, married James Bellangee, a Quaker.
     -- JERUSHA SMITH, born perhaps 1704, married Lemuel Swaine.
     -- ABAGAIL SMITH, born perhaps 1706, married Lewis Cresse.
     -- RUTH SMITH, born 4 June 1711, married James Pharo, a Quaker.
     -- ALATHEA SMITH, born perhaps 1713, married Joseph Ludlam Jr.
     -- THOMAS SMITH JR., Gentleman, born 1718, married Sarah Cresse.
     -- CHRISTOPHER SMITH, born circa 1720, died unmarried and without issue.
     4. ANTHONY SMITH, born 26 July 1723.

4. ANTHONY SMITH, son of Thomas and Mary Smith, born 26 July 1723 in Cape May County, New Jersey, died 1809 or Jan. 1810 in Greene County, Pennsylvania, buried (acccording to a Quaker tradition) in the old Smith burying ground at Greensboro, Greene County, Pennsylvania. In May 1746 (marriage license dated 16 May 1746), Anthony married LYDIA WILLETS, born 16 Jan. 1726, died after 3 June 1798 (the date of Anthony's will) in Greene County, Pennsylvania, said to be buried in the old Smith burying ground at Greensboro, Pennsylvania, daughter of Timothy and Judith Willets. Anthony and Lydia had nine sons and two daughters. During his life, Anthony lived in Cape May County, New Jersey, at or near Little Egg Harbor, Burlington County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, New Jersey, and finally Greene County, Pennsylvania.

A detailed and thoroughly documented account of Anthony Smith's life and family is found in James W. Hook's Smith, Grant, and Irons families of New Jersey's shore counties, including the related families of Willets and Birdsall (1955), pages 66-90. Following are extensive quotes from Hook's account:

"ANTHONY SMITH (Thomas), son of Thomas and Mary Smith, was born in Cape May County, N. J., 26 July 1723, and died in Greene County, Pennsylvania in 1809 or January 1810, his will having been proved there 31 January 1810. (Will book 1, p. 83, Greene Co., Pa.) He married, licence dated 16 May 1746, Lydia Willets, the licence saying that he was a blacksmith of Burlington County, N. J. and that she was of Monmouth County, N. J. Peter Parker, yeoman, of Monmouth Co., N. J. signed as his surety and accompanied his signature with a written statement declareing that Lydia Willets was a daughter of Timothy Willets. (Book S of Marriage Licenses, p. 55 in Secy. of State's office, Trenton, N. J.) It is probable that Anthony Smith was then living at or near Little Egg Harbor, N. J. in Burlington Co., perhaps with his half sister, Margery Bellangee, with whom he first lived after his parents' death. After his marriage he settled in Monmouth Co., N. J., where, in 1755, he is listed as a freeholder. (Vol. 17, p. 41, Gen. Mag. of N. J.)
"Lydia Willets was born 16 January 1726 and died in Greene County, Pennsylvania after the 3rd of June 1798, the date of her husband's will, wherein she was mentioned but not by name. She was a daughter of Timothy and Judith Willits (Willets) whose farm bordered the south bank of the Matetcunk (now Metedeconk) River in what is now Lakewood Township, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. (Deed Book E, p. 144, Monmouth Co., N. J.; also see Willets Family, Chapter VI herein.)
"Anthony Smith and his wife Lydia lived first in Monmouth County, N. J., probably in Lakewood Township. On 1 Feb. 1768 the Shrewsbury, N. J. Friends Meeting recorded the conversion of Anthony and Lydia Smith to the Quaker faith as follows:
"'It appears from the Preparatory Meeting that Anthony and Lyddia Smith hath sent in request for themselves and children to be received in unity with Friends. Benjamin Walcott and Joseph Potter desired to make necessary inquiry and report at next meeting.'
"At the next meeting Walcott and Potter asked for other Friends to be appointed to assist them and Nathan Tilton and Benjamin Jackson were selected. At three subsequent meetings the committee asked for more time and it was not until 1 August 1768 that the record says,
"'Committee apptd. to Enquire into the Lives and conversation of Anthony and Lydia Smith reported that it found them in good degree orderly and acquainted with Friends Principles and think it might be safe for Friends to grant them their request for themselves and think it may be well for Friends to Extend their care toward their children but not to receive them into membership at present.'
"These records reveal the time that Anthony and Lydia Smith embraced the Quaker faith. Lydia, no doubt, had been raised a Quaker because her father's family was of that faith but living so far from a meeting house and therefore unable to attend meetings their names did not find their way into the early Quaker records. Anthony, also, was familiar with Friends principles from having lived with his Quaker half sister, Margery Bellangee, at Little Egg Harbor, N. J.
"After their conversion Anthony Smith appears often in the records of the Shrewsbury Friends Meeting whose membership included residents as far south as Toms River. He was often given special assignments and, on occasions, was chosen with three or four others to attend quarterly meetings in other places. On 11 Feb. 1773 he and Jacob Laing requested a certificate, which was granted, that they could carry with them in their travels 'on business to Southern Provinces. ' Which southern provinces were meant was not explained. On 1 May 1775 Anthony Smith and his wife Lydia of the Township of Stafford in Monmouth Co., N. J., (now Ocean Co.), sold two of their farms in Monmouth County to Richard Chamberlain of Shrewsbury Township. One farm contained 131 acres and was located in Shrewsbury Township near the Manasquam River in what is now Wall or possibly Howell Township of Monmouth County. It was sold for '400 pounds current money of New York.' He acquired this land by deeds from Richard Gisbert, Awrey and Stoffel Longstreet, executors of the estate of John Forman, (Book S, No. 3, Mon. Co., N. J. Deeds, p. 327), and from Daniel Grandin, (Book B, No. 4, Mon. Co., N. J. Deeds, p. 528). The other farm, described as three lots containing in all, 28 acres, was located on 'the south side of a branch of Mosceto (Mosquito) Creek two chains below the bridge.' Doubtless these lots were in Dover Township of what is now Ocean County near Silverton, N. J. They bordered the land of Timothy Willets. For these lots they received a 'certain competent sum of money' the amount not given. (Deed Book 0, p. 293 and Deed Book K, p. 304, Monmouth County, New Jersey.)
"On 17 Nov. 1775, or soon after these land sales were made, Anthony Smith and wife Lydia and minor children applied to the Shrewsbury Friends Meeting for a certificate to remove to the Little Egg Harbor Meeting. The following 5 Feb. 1776 said certificate was granted to Anthony Smith and wife and six children namely James, Margery, Job, Silvanus, Elihu and John the certificate saying in addition 'on enquiry we find he (Anthony Smith) has settled his outward affairs to satisfaction and that they were, in good degree, orderly in life and conversation and frequently attended meetings on first days and sometimes others and therefore recommend etc.' The Little Egg Harbor Meeting received them on 4 April 1776.
"Apparently the first thing that Anthony and Lydia Smith did after being accepted at Little Egg Harbor was to record the birth dates of themselves and all of their children. This is the source of the names and dates of birth of the Anthony and Lydia Smith family given below. Apparently they didn't remain here long because on 4 June 1781 they applied to the Little Egg Harbor Meeting for a certificate to return to the Shrewsbury Meeting and were received there 7 January 1782 with their minor children Job, Sylvanus, Elihu and John. On 7 April 1783 Benjamin Jackson, Peter White, John Hartsorne, George Parker, Anthony Smith, Obadiah Tilton and Robert White were chosen to attend 'Services of Ensueing Quarterly Meetings.' On 2 June 1788 a certificate was given to Anthony Smith and his wife and minor son John to return to the Meeting at Little Egg Harbor. Here they remained until a certificate was given Anthony and Lydia Smith on 14 Aug. 1794 to remove to the Redstone Friends Meeting in Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Redstone immediately endorsed the certificate to the Westland Friends Meeting in Washington County, Pennsylvania where they were received 22 Aug. 1795. On the 16 July 1795 Anthony Smith purchased from James Hook and Mary his wife, for 309 pounds, a farm of 116 acres located in what was then Washington but now Greene Co., Penna. on the north side of Smith Fork of Tenmile Creek adjoining the land of Anthony Smith, Samuel Seals, John Seals and John Lee. This purchase indicates that Anthony Smith was already a land owner in that section of Pennsylvania before he and his family were received there by the Westland Friends Meeting. They later owned other property in Greene Co., Penna.

The birth record of the children of Anthony and Lydia Smith as entered into the monthly meeting records of the Little Egg Harbor Society of Friends (Quakers).

"Mr. Samuel M. Smith, Esq., Attorney at Law in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania a great, great grandson of Anthony and Lydia Smith through their son Sylvanus supplied to this writer a record, made by his father from an old Bible, which gives the names and dates of birth of the children of Sylvanus Smith, son of Anthony and Lydia. Written in the Bible, also is a statement about the forebears of Sylvanus saying that Thomas Smith, the father of Anthony was a lineal descendant of the brother of a Smith that came over from England with William Penn. This writer, after diligent (sic) search, could find nothing to confirm this statement. The old Bible also says that Anthony Smith was a well-to-do Quaker farmer of Monmouth Co., N. J. and that he sold his farm about the time that the old Continental money became worthless and lost nearly all he had.
"The will of Anthony Smith was dated in Greene Co., Pennsylvania 3 June 1798 and was probated there 31 Jan. 1810. It mentioned 'his loving wife', without naming (sic) her, and gave to her the life use of his plantation. He also mentioned his eleven children as follows, (1) Judith Burge who was given the right to live with her mother as long as she remained a widow; (2) Thomas; (3) James; (4) Silvanus; (5) John; (6) Anthony; (7) Job; (8) Elihu; (9) Timothy; (10) Noah; (11) Margery. His sons Timothy and Thomas were designated executors. A brief genealogy of the Anthony and Lydia Smith family, with some slight errors, will be found in Vol. 2 of 'The Tenmile Country and its Pioneer Families' by Howard L. Leckey, 1950, pp. 78-80.
"The children of Anthony Smith and his wife Lydia Willets, all mentioned in his will, were:
"(1) Timothy Smith, (Anthony, Thomas) b. 25 Jan. 1747; letters of Administration on his estate given 15 Apr. 1822 to Daniel Smith and Job Garey; m. 1st., Sarah who died about 1806. He m. 2nd., 15 Feb. 1810 at Shrewsbury, N. J., Hannah Williams, b. 17 Dec. 1762; d. in Fayette Co., Pa. 22 Nov. 1842. The Redstone, Fayette Co., Pa. Friends Records show that Timothy Smith was given a certificate on 29 July 1808, 'to return to Shrewsbury, N. J. and marry Hannah Williams.' The Shrewsbury Friends Records show that 'Hannah Williams was a dau. of John and Elizabeth Williams both deceased' and that she was born 17 Dec. 1762 and that Timothy Smith was of Luzerne, Fayette Co., Pa. Why the delay of more than two years between the Redstone Certificate and the actual marriage is not explained. On 30 Apr. 1813 Timothy Smith and his wife Hannah were given a certificate by Redstone in Fayette Co., Pa. to remove to Westland in Greene Co., Pa. where they were received 28 Aug. 1813 and where Timothy died. His wife Hannah returned to Fayette Co. and was received by the Providence Meeting, 24 Jan. 1826. Here she d. 22 Nov. 1842. . . .
"(2) Thomas Smith, (Anthony, Thomas), b. 9 Dec. 1748; m. 11 Dec. 1771, at the home of George Parker, at 'Squancum' Monmouth County, New Jersey, Deborah Laing. (Shrewsbury, N. J. Monthly Meeting Record.) The family removed to Crooked Run, Frederick Co., Va. Monthly Meeting on certificate from the Upper Springfield, N. J. Friends Meeting, dated 9 May 1787 with children William, David, Ann and Lydia. On 3 May 1788 they removed back to New Jersey to the Hopewell, Monmouth Co., N. J. Monthly Meeting on certificate issued by Crooked Run. Another child named Copperthwaite in addition to the four above named accompanied them. On 3 March 1796 the Hopewell, N. J. Meeting gave them a certificate to the Redstone Monthly Meeting in Fayette Co., Pennsylvania. Children accompanying them were David, Ann, Lydia, Copperthwaite, John, Margaret, Elizabeth, Judith and James. On 31 Dec. 1802 they were issued a certificate by Redstone to remove to the Westland Monthly Meeting in Washington and Greene Counties, Penna. with children Copperthwaite, John, Margaret, Judith and James. Their children, only David of whom apparently remained true to the Quaker faith, . . . .
"(3) Judith Smith, (Anthony, Thomas), b. 9 May 1751, o.s.; m. 1st. Jacob Burge, b. 5 Apr. 1743; d. before 3 June 1798. He was of Monmouth Co., N. J. She m. 2nd., 25 Apr. 1801, as his second wife, John Hank. The will of John Hank was probated 20 Nov. 1823 in Greene Co., Pa. (Will Book 1, p. 243) It listed children (by first wife) John, Daniel and Rebecca, the latter of whom probably m. 1st. Jesse Bowell and 2nd. Mr. Cherry. The will also mentioned five step-children who were children by Judith and her first husband, Jacob Burge, and very likely there were others born between 1774 and 1780 who were not recorded or who died young. (See Shrewsbury, N. J. Redstone, Pa., Westland, Pa., Providence, Pa., Upper Springfield, Ohio and Carmel, Ohio Friends Records.). . . .
"(4) Anthony Smith, Jr., (Anthony, Thomas), b. 10 Sept. 1753. He and his brother Thomas were designated executors of their father's will. He also was a witness to this will with William Rhodes and Thomas Adamson. Land records in Greene Co., Pa. show that his wife's name was Hannah. The Little Egg Harbor Friends records show that Hannah, wife of Anthony Smith Jr. was disowned 8 July 1784 for 'going out in marriage.' Evidently she had been a Quaker and had married Anthony Smith Jr. who did not follow his parents into Quaker membership. Note: There was another Anthony Smith, son probably of Joseph Smith of Middletown, Monmouth Co., N. J., who died in Middletown, New Jersey in 1816. He m. lst., Experience who was still living 23 March 1807; m. 2nd., 10 May 1815, the widow, Elizabeth Crane of Middletown, N. J. Anthony and John Smith were appointed executors of the intestate estate of Joseph Smith of Middletown, Monmouth Co., N. J., 28 July 1796. (Vol. IX, p. 375, N. J. Abstract of Wills) The will of this Anthony Smith was dated 5 June 1816 and his estate inventoried, by James Frost and Daniel Smith, 29 Nov. 1816. His will mentioned his wife Elizabeth and her two sons, George and Silas Crane. It also mentioned his son Anthony who with his wife Eleanor were designated executors of his will. He mentioned, also, daughters Abagail Walling and Susannah Springsteen. Witnesses were Joseph and Ann Chasey, Joseph Caphart, Joseph Morford and James Frost. Anthony Smith, with 44 others, signed the certificate of incorporation, dated 20 June 1793, of the Baptist Church of Middletown, Monmouth Co., N. J. ('Hist. of Monmouth Co., N. J.', 1885 by Franklin Ellis.) His son Anthony married, 11 Oct. 1819, Eleanor Morris of Middletown, N. J. (Monmouth Co. Marriages)
"(5) Noah Smith, (Anthony, Thomas), b. 20 March 1756; d., in Greene Co., Penna. in 1835. His will was written 28 May 1835 and proved in Greene Co., 30 Dec. 1835 and mentioned wife Nancy and 9 children shown below. (Will book 2, p. 60) He m. 1st. Ann Hoge, b. 19 Apr. 1759; d. after 3 Oct. 1828. (Deed book 6, p. 334 Greene Co., Pa.) She was a dau. of George Hoge and his wife Elizabeth Blackledge. (See Hoge Family in 'The Tenmile Country and Its Pioneer Families' by Howard L. Leckey, 1950.) He m. 2nd., Nancy, surname not found. Noah Smith moved to Greene Co., Pa. and acquired land in Morgan Township in August 1801 and in 1810. . . .
"(6) James Smith, (Anthony, Thomas), b. 9 May 1758. No further record found.
"(7) Margery Smith, (Anthony, Thomas), b. 12 May 1760 in Monmouth Co., N. J., d., 7 June 1809, in Greene Co., Pennsylvania. (Gravestone in Smith Cem., Morgan Twsp., Greene Co., Pa.) She married, as his first wife, James Grant of Dover Township in Monmouth, now Ocean Co., N. J. Their marriage took place on 14 Nov. 1776 or very soon thereafter, their second intentions to marry having been declared on that date at the Little Egg Harbor, N. J. Meeting of Friends. James Grant was born, probably, about 1752 in Dover Township of Monmouth, now Ocean Co., N. J. and died in Greene Co., Pa. about 1826/27, his will having been probated there 2 Feb. 1827. He was a son of John and Sarah (Irons) Grant of Dover Township, Monmouth Co., N. J. (See Grant Family II, Chapter V herein.) Margery (Smith) Grant remained a devoted Quaker throughout her life. Her husband was not quite so loyal to the faith and on 8 Sept. 1785 was dismissed for concerning himself with Military Services. Every one of her five children, also were dismissed for 'marrying out of unity', that is for not marrying Quakers. James and Margery Grant removed from the jurisdiction of the Little Egg Harbor, N. J. Meeting to the Shrewsbury, N. J. Meeting on certificate dated 11 Nov. 1785 and from Shrewsbury to the Westland Friends Meeting in what is now Greene Co., Pa. on certificate dated 10 Oct. 1794. These certificates were issued in both cases to 'Margery Grant wife of James' and her children, all named, indicating that James had not been taken back into the Quaker fold. For the children of Margery and James Grant see Grant Family IV, Chapter VII herein. . . .
"(8)Job Smith, (Anthony, Thomas), b. 27 March 1762; m. Sarah. Job and Sarah Smith were prominently in the land records of Greene Co., Pa. from 21 June 1796, (Deed Book 2, p. 120 Greene Co., Pa.), to 13 Oct. 1819, (Deed Book 4, p. 732), when he gave his residence as Warren Co., Ohio and 1 Oct. 1822 (Deed Book 5, p. 9, Greene Co., Pa.) when he again gave his residence as Ohio. Some six years then elapse before Job Smith again appears in the records; then on 9 Oct. 1828, (Deed Book 6, p. 314, Greene Co., Pa.), Job Smith and his wife Jane of Greene Co., Pa. sold land to Joseph Adamson that he had purchased earlier from Noah Smith. It is not clear if this last named Job Smith was Senior or Junior. Most likely he was Job Smith Jr. although in no place were the words Senior or Junior used. The 1800 census of Morgan Township of Greene Co., Pa. lists Job Smith, age 26 to 45 with wife of same age and with one daughter 10-16, and another daughter under 10. There must have been sons in his family and the reason for them being omitted is not clear. He left no will either in Greene Co., Pa. or Warren County, Ohio. The Job Smith families of Greene Co., Pa. are very confusing and what is said about them herein is to record the facts as found and to fit those facts into the genealogical picture as logically as possible but with the warning that the picture may not be strictly accurate. Job and Sarah Smith may have been the parents of two sons as follows and, also, there may have been other children. . . .
"(9) Sylvanus Smith, (Anthony, Thomas), b. 20 Jan. 1764; d. in Greene Co., Pa. 16 Aug. 1854; aged 90 years, 6 months and 27 days; m. 1st., 13 Feb. 1792, Lydia Hewlet, dau. of William and Abagail Hewlet of Shrewsbury, N. J.; bap. 20 Sept. 1770; d. 13 Dec. 1815. Her mother was an Inghram. He married 2nd., Rebecca Rachel Pew, b. 13 Jan. 1782; d. 9 Apr. 1836. She was a dau. of William and Alice Pew. Sylvanus Smith settled in Greene Co., Pa. in 1793. It was a farm family and worshipped in the Quaker faith. Sylvanus Smith was called a son of Anthony Smith and a friend of testator Hannah Diffedoffy (Devendolfe) in her will dated at Middletown, Monmouth Co., N. J., 1 Oct. 1785 and proved 21 Nov. 1785. She was the widow of Henry Devendolfe (Diffedoffy) of Middletown, N. J. whose will was dated, 22 June 1764 (prob. 1784) and proved, 21 Nov. 1785 which mentioned no children. Henry Diffedoffy's will was witnessed by James Anderson, James Hivison and Ezekial Smith and the executor was his wife Hannah. Her will designated her 'friend Cyrenus Van Meter, son of Benjamin,' as executor and gave her property to Rachel, wife of Martin Drum, to Ruluf Fisher's three daughters, to Lydia, wife of Anthony Smith and to, 'friends Sylvanus Smith and John Willets Smith, sons of said Anthony my lands.' She probably was an aunt of Sylvanus and John Willets Smith. (See Willets Family, Chapter VI herein.) . . .
"(10) Elihu Smith, (Anthony, Thomas), b. 25 March 1767. Only one record of Elihu Smith was found in Greene Co., Pa. and that was the assignment of a deed he had made 21 Feb. 1797 with Patrick Martin to William Mason on 27 Apr. 1797. (Deed Book 1, p. 573, Greene Co., Pa.) He was mentioned in his father's will as then living. He may have returned to Chester Township in Burlington Co., N. J. after making this assignment where on 30 Aug. 1804 Elihu Smith and Mary his wife sold to Joseph Pearson for $280 a tract of land that he had purchased 24 Aug. 1804 from Edward Hubbs and his wife Hannah. His brother Timothy had once lived near by in Mansfield Twsp. of Burlington Co., N. J. and sold his property there 1 May 1786 and 7 May 1788 prior to removing to south west Pennsylvania. (Deed Books 0, p. 217, A, p. 255 and B, p. 168 at Mt. Holly, N. J.)
"(11) John Willits Smith, (Anthony, Thomas) b. 30 July 1769. He was mentioned in his father's will as then living. No further record found. He may have been the John Smith mentioned in Salter's Hist. of Monmouth Co., p. LIV, as marrying in the latter part of the 18th century, Ann Price, dau. of Major John and Mary Price and removing to 'the Redstone Country in Western Pennsylvania and having children named Reuben, Jacob, James, Lydia and perhaps others.'"

The children of Anthony and Lydia were:

     -- TIMOTHY SMITH, born 25 Jan. 1747 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, married 1st Sarah (NN), married 2nd Hannah Williams.
     -- THOMAS SMITH, born 9 Dec. 1748 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, married Deborah Laing.
     -- JUDITH SMITH, born 9 May 1751 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, married 1st Jacob Burdg, married 2nd John Hank.
     -- ANTHONY SMITH JR., born 10 Sept. 1753 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, married Hannah Sooy.
     -- NOAH SMITH, born 20 March 1756 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, married 1st Ann Goge, married 2nd Nancy (NN).
     -- JAMES SMITH, born 9 May 1758 in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
     -- MARGERY SMITH, born 12 May 1760 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, married James Grant.
     -- JOB SMITH, born 27 March 1762 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, married Sarah (NN).
     -- SYLVANUS SMITH, born 20 Jan. 1764 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, married 1st Lydia Hewlet, married 2nd Rebecca Rachel Pew.
     -- ELIHU SMITH, born March 1767 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, probably married Mary (NN).
     5. JOHN WILLETS SMITH, born 30 July 1769 in Monmouth County, New Jersey.

5. JOHN WILLETS SMITH, born 30 July 1769 in Monmouth County, New Jersey, died probably during the 1830s in Somerset Township, Belmont County, Ohio. In either late 1790 or early 1791 in Ocean County, New Jersey, John married ANN PRICE, daughter and only child of Major John Price and his wife Mary of Goodluck, New Jersey. John and Ann had at least five sons (maybe six) and at least two or three daughters. As shown above, James W. Hook's Smith, Grant, and Irons families of New Jersey's shore counties, including the related families of Willets and Birdsall (1955), page 90, has a brief notice regarding John Willets Smith, proposing he was the same John Smith mentioned in an earlier source as having married an Ann Price in New Jersey and then moving to Western Pennsylvania. For convenient reference, here again is Hook's information regarding John Willets Smith:

"(11) John Willits Smith, (Anthony, Thomas) b. 30 July 1769. He was mentioned in his father's will as then living. No further record found. He may have been the John Smith mentioned in Salter's Hist. of Monmouth Co., p. LIV, as marrying in the latter part of the 18th century, Ann Price, dau. of Major John and Mary Price and removing to 'the Redstone Country in Western Pennsylvania and having children named Reuben, Jacob, James, Lydia and perhaps others.'"

The source to which Hook referred is Edwin Salter's book, A History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties : Embracing a Genealogical Record of Earliest Settlers in Monmouth and Ocean Counties and their descendants, the Indians, their language, manners and customs, important historical events (1890), page 54, which reads as follows:

"In the latter part of last century, Major John Price and w. Mary of Goodluck, had an only child named Ann who m. John Smith (or John H. (sic) Smith) and the latter removed to the Redstone country in Western Pennsylvania; they had children Reuben, Jacob, James, Lydia and perhaps others."

Although John's middle initial is printed here as "H.," an examination of relevant records establishes beyond doubt that "H." is an error for "W." and that Hooks' proposal was correct -- Salter's John H. Smith is John Willets Smith. As we have seen from the above cited Quaker Meeting Records, a number of John's siblings also moved to the Redstone country, and their parents themselves left New Jersey and settled in Greene County, Pennsylvania. One of those Quaker Meeting Records, dated 14 Aug. 1794, shows a certificate of transfer from the Little Egg Harbor Monthly Meeting in Ocean County, New Jersey that was received by the Redstone Monthly Meeting in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and then endorsed to the Westland Monthly Meeting in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

John Willets Smith himself appears several times in the records of the Little Egg Harbor Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends. However, he last appears in Quaker records in 1791. On 11 Aug. 1791, the Little Egg Harbor Monthly Meeting in Ocean County, New Jersey, "disowned" (expelled) John for marrying a non-Quaker. When he was disowned, he was given a chance to appeal, but on 13 Oct. 1791 it was reported to the Little Egg Harbor Monthly Meeting that John had been served with the notice of his disownment and his right to appeal, but John said he would not avail himself of that right. From these notices in Quaker Records, and from the fact that John's eldest child Reuben was born 2 Oct. 1791, we can discern that John and Ann must have married no later than very early January 1791.

This extract from the records of the Little Egg Harbor Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends shows that John Willets Smith was expelled by the Quakers on 11 Aug. 1791 because he had married a non-Quaker.

Since John's older siblings began to move to Western Pennsylvania around the mid-1790s, most likely John's move to the Redstone country took place about the same time. In any case, John and his brothers were in Redstone by the year 1800 as shown by the U.S. Census. The brothers John, Anthony, and Timothy Smith are listed together in that order in the 1800 U.S. Census for Redstone Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. In the years following the 1800 U.S. Census, John and Anthony moved further west, crossing the Ohio River to Somerset Township in Belmont County. At the time of the 1820 U.S. Census, we find John and Anthony living rather close together in Somerset Township, with Anthony listed just seven names below "John W Smith" on the census page. In the 1830 U.S. Census of Somerset Township, Belmont County, Ohio, we find only "John W. Smith," but it is significant that in this census record we find Thomas M. Freeman listed just seven names above John. In the 1820 U.S. Census, this Thomas Freeman is seen in Franklin, Greene County, Pennsylvania, in the county where John's parents and several of his siblings are known to have settled.

About this time, John Willets Smith also appears in the tax rolls for Somerset Township, Belmont County, Ohio. Most significantly, in the 1830 tax rolls, we find listed together "Smith P John" (i.e., John Price Smith, a younger son of John Willets Smith), "Smith W John," (John Willets Smith), and "Smith Reuben" (John Willets Smith's eldest child). This record says John W. Smith owned a horse valued at $40 and two cows valued at $16, while his sons each owned one horse valued at $40 and one cow valued at $8. Then in the 1831 tax rolls, "Smith John W" and his eldest child "Smith Reuben" are listed together, each of them owning a horse valued at $40 and a cow valued at $8.

In this detail from the 1830 tax rolls of Somerset Township, Belmont County, Ohio, John Willets Smith and his sons Reuben Smith and John Price Smith are listed together.

The record of the marriage John Price Smith (1805-1882) and his first wife Sarah Smith, which took place 6 July 1826 in Belmont County, Ohio. Significantly, the record says John's older brother Reuben swore that, "I have heard the father of John P. Smith consent to his marriage with Sarah Smith."

This portrait, shared at Ancestry.com by Glenda F. Moser, is probably that of John Price Smith, son of John Willets Smith and Ann Price.

Citing the family records of Alberta Stuart Smith, Vickey Sanders Baumli listed six sons and two daughters of Mr. Smith and his wife Ann Smith. In the genealogical papers that she supplied to me, she does not always list these children in order of their birth. However, in the following table I show them in their birth order and supply Baumli's information, as follows:

i.    Reuben Smith, born 2 Oct. 1791 in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, died 13 Nov. 1863 in Monroe, Indiana.
ii.   Keziah Smith, born between 1790 and 1800. She was in Belmont Co., Ohio, in 1869 (I think).
iii.  James B. Smith, born in 1798 in New Jersey.
iv.   John Price Smith, born in 1805 in Pennsylvania. 1850 Belmont Co., Ohio, Census.
v.    Mary Smith, born 25 April 1808 in New Jersey, died 27 Feb. 1875. Sold land in Monroe Co., Ohio, 1837, and was in Hardin Co., Ohio, in 1869.
vi.   Ezra Smith, born about 1810 in Pennsylvania, died 10 Jan. 1868, went to Illinois in 1867.
vii.  Phineas Thomas Smith, born in 1811 in New Jersey, in Belmont Co., Ohio, 1850-1869.
viii. William B. Smith, born in 1827 in Virginia, possibly in Monroe Co., Ohio, in 1850, in Wayne Co., Illinois, 1869-1884.

Of these eight children listed by Baumli, the last one, William B. Smith, born in 1827, appears to be none other than William Bailey Smith (1827-1908), son of James B. Smith, and if so, then he should not be listed among these children at all -- unless there was an earlier William B. Smith, uncle of William Bailey Smith. Notably, this William B. Smith is said to have been born in Virginia, which would be the strip of land that is now West Virginia's "panhandle," between the western border of Pennsylvania and the eastern border of Ohio. If there really was a William B. Smith among these children, then he almost certainly was born earlier than 1827, and he would need to be distinguished from James B. Smith's same-named son.

There has also been some uncertainty about which of these children were born in New Jersey and which were born in Pennsylvania, but John Willets Smith was probably in Washington County, Pennsylvania, by August of 1794, and was in Redstone, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, by 1800, so it would appear that all of these children except for Reuben and perhaps Keziah and William B. Smith were born in Pennsylvania, not New Jersey. As for the daughter Keziah, I have been unable to find any record of her. There was a Keziah Smith in Belmont County, Ohio, during the 1860s, but she was the daughter of a Samuel Ross Smith and died in 1866. The tradition that there was a Keziah among the children of John and Ann seems to be reliable, though, and it is notable that James B. Smith named one of his daughters Keziah.

The children of John and Ann Smith included:

     -- REUBEN SMITH, born 2 Oct. 1791 in Ocean County, New Jersey, married Keziah Bonham.
     -- JACOB SMITH
     6. JAMES B. SMITH, born circa 1798 in Pennsylvania.
     -- LYDIA SMITH
     -- KEZIAH SMITH, born between 1790 and 1800 in New Jersey or Pennsylvania.
     -- JOHN PRICE SMITH, born 9 Sept. 1805 in Pennsylvania, married 1st Sarah Smith, married 2nd Avice Jane Patten.
     -- MARY PRICE, born 25 April 1808 in Pennsylvania, married William Binford Bailey.
     -- EZRA SMITH, born circa 1810 in Pennsylvania.
     -- PHINEAS THOMAS SMITH, born 1811 in Pennsylvania.

6. JAMES B. SMITH, son of John and Ann (Price) Smith, born circa 1798 in Pennsylvania (though census records usually say New Jersey), died 24 Oct. 1881 in Taylor County, Iowa. On 14 Jan. 1824 in Ohio, James married NANCY BARNHART, born 3 March 1805 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, died 29 March 1853 in Malaga, Monroe County, Ohio. James and Nancy had six daughters and four sons.

As shown above, Salter's 1890 Monmouth County history, page 54, lists James among the children of John "H." Smith and Ann (Price) Smith, who had moved from Monmouth County, New Jersey, to the Redstone country in Western Pennsylvania. From Pennsylvania's Redstone country, John Willets Smith and his family moved a bit further west into Belmont County, Ohio, along Ohio's "eastern seabord."

The household of James B. Smith was enumerated in the 1830 U.S. Census of Malaga Township, Monroe County, Ohio, as consisting of one free white male under 5 (James' eldest son William Bailey Smith), one free white male aged 30-39 (James B. Smith himself), one free white female under 5 (James' eldest child Lydia Ann Smith), and one free white female aged 20-29 (James' wife Nancy). That same year, the tax rolls for Malaga Township list "Jaimes B. Smith" as owning one cow valued at $8. Four years later, we find "James Smith" owning 8 1/2 acres valued at $15 in the 1834 tax rolls for nearby Somerset Township, Belmont County, Ohio, the same locale where James B. Smith's father John W. Smith and brothers Reuben and John P. Smith had been listed on the 1830 tax rolls.

James B. Smith again appears in Malaga Township, Monroe County, Ohio, at the time of the 1840 U.S. Census, but the census record is too faded to be able to read the enumeration of James' household. Ten years after that, however, the 16 Oct. 1850 U.S. Census returns for Malaga Township list his household as "James B. Smith," 51, born in New Jersey (sic), blacksmith, wife "Nancy Smith," born in Pennsylvania, with children "Jacob Smith," 20, also a blacksmith, "Mary E. Smith," 10, "Harriet Smith," 7, and "Silvanus Smith," 4. The 1850 U.S. Census Non-Population Schedule also says James B. Smith owned $17 of livestock (one milk cow and two pigs).

From Malaga, Ohio, James B. Smith and his family moved west to Indiana, as indicated by Smith family records. Vickey Sanders Baumli provides the following account of James B. Smith's life and family, drawn from sources including as Julia Townsend Smiths' Bible records and information compiled by Alberta Smith:

"James B. Smith lived with daughter Lydia Ann Smith Willard, also with her sister Harriet (Hattie) and brother 'Veen' Sylvanus in Spencer, Indiana, Lydia's mother Nancy having died in Ohio.
"In 1868 Lydia's husband, Nathaniel 'Nattie' V. Willard, with his neighbor, Vivian Beck, went by train to the end of the line at Savannah, Mo., where they were met by Anthony and Willard Barnes (Anthony Barnes married the fourth child of James B. Smith, Mary Elizabeth), with a span of mules hitched to a spring wagon. After a visit at Barnard, Mo., they bought land five miles southwest of Bedford, Taylor County, Iowa. After making the first payment on the land, they returned home, sold their land in Spencer, Indiana, and moved out that fall.
"There were four covered wagons of relatives and neighbors who made this 500-mile trip in about four weeks. The first wagon carried Vivian Beck with his wife Sarah Price and their five children, then at home. The second carried John Beck and his wife Rachel. The third carried the four Nathaniel Willard boys, Jim, Reuben, Isaac and Ed, and Sylvanus 'Veen' Smith, brother of Lydia Ann Smith Willard. The fourth carried David Eli Barnes and his bride, Anna Sarah Willard, maried 4 July 1869 in Owen County, Indiana (she was a daughter of Nattie and Lydia Smith Willard).
"Eli and Anna bought land near the Hazel Dell church, north of Hopkins, Mo. Nattie Willard's farm was about four miles beyond Vivian Beck's farm and nearer to Hopkins, Mo.
"The remainder of these families came on the train. They were Nattie Willard and wife, Lydia Ann Smith Willard, with children, Jacob Asbury and Louisa Alice; Granpap Smith (James B. Smith), as he was called, and his daughter Hattie Smith."

Lydia Ann (Smith) Willard, eldest child of James B. and Nancy (Barnhart) Smith.

After this migration, the 11 July 1870 U.S. Census returns for Polk Township, Taylor County, Iowa, shows "James B. Smith," 72, born in New Jersey (sic), and his daughter "Harriet Smith," 26, born in Ohio, housekeeper, both living in the household of James' eldest child Lydia A. (Smith) Willard. James continued to live in Polk Township, Taylor County, Iowa, with his daughter Lydia Willard and her husband and children until his death. He last appears in the U.S. Census on 12 June 1880, where he is listed as a widower and as the father-in-law of Nathaniel Willard.

Vickey Baumli's records list five children of James and Nancy Smith who lived to adulthood and married. Besides those five, online family trees also list five other children who died in infancy or childhood -- these children presumably were recorded in a family Bible or other Smith family record.

The children of James and Nancy were:

     -- LYDIA ANN SMITH, born 25 Sept. 1824 in Ohio, married Nathaniel V. "Nattie" Willard.
     -- WILLIAM BAILEY SMITH, born 20 Feb. 1827 in Woodfield, Malaga Township, Monroe County, Ohio, died 25 Sept. 1908 in Fairfield, Wayne County, Illinois, married Sarah Sill.
     -- HARVEY SMITH, born perhaps circa 1830, apparently died young.
     -- CATHERINE SMITH, born 20 Aug. 1833 in Malaga, Monroe County, Ohio, died 16 Aug. 1834 in Malaga, Ohio.
     -- KEZIAH SMITH, born 14 Aug. 1835 in Malaga, Ohio, died 8 Aug. 1837 in Malaga, Ohio.
     -- MARY ELIZABETH SMITH, born 25 Aug. 1838 in Monroe County, Ohio, married 1st Anthony Sheets Barnes, married 2nd Perry Price.
     -- JACOB SMITH, born 1839, apparently died young.
     -- MARGARET EUPHEMIA SMITH, born 17 Sept. 1840 in Malaga, Ohio, died 13 May 1842 in Malaga, Ohio.
     -- HARRIETT SMITH ("Hattie"), born 9 Nov. 1843 near Malaga, Monroe County, Ohio, died 30 Jan. 1885 in Ross Township, Taylor County, Iowa, married William Edward Beck.
     7. SYLVANUS PRICE SMITH ("Veen"), born 17 May 1845 in Malaga, Monroe County, Ohio.

7. SYLVANUS PRICE SMITH ("Veen"), son of James B. and Nancy (Barnhart) Smith, born 17 May 1845 in Malaga, Monroe County, Ohio, died 24 Sept. 1916 in Hopkins, Nodaway County, Missouri, buried 26 Sept. 1916 in Hopkins Cemetery, Hopkins, Missouri. Sylvanus was named after his father's paternal uncle Silvanus Smith, and after his paternal grandmother Ann (Price) Smith. On 1 Jan. 1876 in Maryville, Nodaway County, Missouri, Sylvanus married ANNA DEL BALL, born 2 Nov. 1854 in Rockville, Parke County, Indiana, died 26 May 1921 in Hopkins, Nodaway County, Missouri, buried in Hopkins Cemetery, Hopkins, Missouri, daughter of David W. and Mary Ann (Nevins) Ball. Anna was baptized at the Eagle Congregation, Park County, Indiana. Sylvanus and Anna had three daughters and one son.

The 16 Oct. 1850 U.S. Census returns for Malaga Township, Monroe County, Ohio, show Sylvanus with his parents and older siblings as follows: "James B. Smith," 51, born in New Jersey (sic), blacksmith, wife "Nancy Smith," born in Pennsylvania, with children "Jacob Smith," 20, also a blacksmith, "Mary E. Smith," 10, "Harriet Smith," 7, and "Silvanus Smith," 4. Ten years after that, the U.S. Census returns for Franklin Township, Owen County, Indiana, dated 16 July 1860, list "Harret Smith," 16, born in Ohio, domestic, and "Selvinius T. Smith," (sic) 14, born in Ohio, living in the household of Nathaniel and Lydia Ann Willard (their older sister).

Sylvanus attained his majority during the Civil War, but it is not known if he served during the war. It is known, however, that after the war Sylvanus found work as a farm laborer in Nodaway County, Missouri, where his father and other relatives had settled. The 30 Aug. 1870 U.S. Census returns for White Cloud Township, Nodaway, Missouri, shows "Sylvanus Smith," 23, born in Ohio, a farm laborer living and working in the household of John and Elizabeth Tetrick.

Vickey Sanders Baumli provides the following account of the lives of Sylvanus and Anna:

"Sylvanus Price Smith was born on 17 May 1845 in Malaga, Monroe, Ohio. He resided in 1850 in Dist. 107, Magnolia Twp., Monroe Co., Indiana. He died on 24 Sept. 1916 in Hopkins, Nodaway Co., Missouri. He was buried on 26 Sept. 1916 in Hopkins, Nodaway Co., Missouri. . . . From obit in Hopkins Journal, Sept. 28, 1916:
"Sylvanus P. Smith was born in Malaga, Ohio, May 17, 1845 and died at his home in Hopkins, Mo., Sept. 24, 1916, age 71 years, 4 months and 7 days, having been in failing health for several years. At the age of 9 years he was converted and remained a consistent Christian until his death. On Jan. 1, 1876, he was married to Miss Anna Dell Ball and to this union four children were born, Minnie, dying in infancy. The living children are Mrs. Verna Lee, of Bedford, Willard, of near Hopkins, and Mrs. Ruth Whitlow, of Topeka, Kansas. He is also survived by his wife, and the sympathy of a wide circle of friends goes out to the family in the loss of a dear husband and loving father.
"From the Willard family history given to me by Alberta Stuart Smith, wife of Carl Smith:
"Nathaniel Willard married Lydia Ann Smith in Ohio. They came to Indiana about 1855. Lydia's father, James, sister Hattie, and brother Veen lived with them in Spencer, Lydia's mother Nancy having died in Ohio.
"In 1868 Nattie Willard, with his neighbor, Vivian Beck, went by train to the end of the line at Savannah, Mo., where they were met by Anthony and Willard Barnes, with a span of mules hitched to a spring wagon. After a visit at Barnard, Mo., they bought land five miles southwest of Bedford, Iowa. After making the first payment on the land, they returned home, had their sales, and moved out that fall.
"There were four covered wagons of relatives and neighbors who made this 500-mile trip in about four weeks. The first wagon carried Vivian Beck with his wife Sarah Price and their five children, then at home. The second carried John Beck and his wife Rachel. The third carried the four Willard boys, Jim, Reuben, Isaac and Ed, and Veen Smith, brother of Lydia Ann Smith Willard. The fourth carried Eli Barnes and his bride, Anna Sarah Willard.
"Eli and Anna bought land near the Hazel Dell church. Nattie Willard's farm was about four miles beyond Vivian's and nearer Hopkins, Mo.
"The remainder of these families came on the train. They were Nattie Willard and wife, Lydia Ann Smith Willard, with children, Asbury and Alice; Granpap Smith, as he was called, and daughter Hattie."

The 1885 Iowa State Census for Ross Township, Taylor County, Iowa, lists "Silvanus P. Smith," 38, born in Ohio, farmer, "Ann Dell Ball," (sic) 30, born in Indiana, keeping house, "Verna Lee Smith," 5, born in Taylor Co., Iowa, and "Willard H. Smith," 2, born in Taylor Co., Iowa. Five years later, the 26 June 1900 U.S. Census returns for Ross Township shows "Sylvanis Smith," 54, born May 1846 in Ohio, farmer, wife "Anna D. Smith," 44, born Nov. 1855 in Indiana, son "Willard H. Smith," 18, born April 1882 in Iowa, farm laborer, and daughter "Carrie R. Smith," (sic) 8, born July 1891 in Iowa. Ten years after that, the 11 May 1910 U.S. Census returns for Ross Township show Sylvanus P. Smith, 63, born in Ohio, farmer, wife Ann D. Smith, 54, born in Indiana, having had four children with three still living, and daughter Ruth Smith, 18, born in Iowa. Sylvanus last appears in census records in the 1915 Iowa State Census for Ross Township, which lists him as S. P. Smith, 68, born in Ohio, father born in Pennsylvania, mother born in Ohio, farmer, member of the Church of Christ, value of home/farm $1,600, and having earned $200 in 1914.

Besides the Hopkins Journal obituary that Vickey Baumli quoted above, Sylvanus' obituary was also published in the Bedford Free Press (Bedford, Iowa), Tuesday, 3 Oct. 1916:

"S. P. Smith died at his home in Hopkins Sunday, September 24. The funeral services were held at the home Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. D. W. Griffith. Interment was made in the Hopkins cemetery. He is survived by his wife and three children. The children are: Mrs. Verna Lee of Bedford, Willard Smith of Hopkins; and Mrs. Ruth Whitlow of Topeka, Kan."

Vickey Sanders Baumli also supplies this transcription of the obituary of Sylvanus' widow Anna:

"Anna Del Ball was born in Parke County, Indiana, Nov. 2, 1854, and departed this life at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. W. Dorr, near Bedford, Iowa, May 26, 1921 at the age of 66 years, 6 months and 21 days. She moved to Taylor county, Iowa, with her parents when three years of age, where she resided until about six years ago when she moved to Hopkins, Mo., and had since resided there. On Jan. 1, 1876, she was united in married to Sylvanus P. Smith, who preceded her in death, Sept. 24, 1915. To this union four children were born, one of whom, Minnie, died in infancy. The children living are Mrs. Verna L. Dorr, Bedford, Iowa, Willard H. Smith, Hopkins, Mo., and Mrs. Ruth Whitlow, of Avon Park, Florida. Also two sisters, Mrs. Emma Graham, Clifton, Kansas, and Mrs. Clara E. Kelly, Cosby, Mo., and one brother, Charlie E. Ball, Mankato, Minn., and one half-brother, James F. Ball, Rockville, Ind. She obeyed the Gospel in the year 1908, under the preaching of Bro. Wm. J. Whaley and placed her membership at the time of her death. She was a splendid, home-loving woman and will be sadly missed by her children and by all in the community in which she had so long resided."

The children of Sylvanus and Anna, all born in Hopkins, Missouri, were:

     -- MINNIE SMITH, born Sept. 1877, died 3 Jan. 1878, buried Jan. 1878 in Willard Cemetery, Taylor County, Iowa.
     -- VERNA LEE SMITH, born 24 June 1879, married John Warren Dorr.
     8. WILLARD HAYES SMITH, born 15 April 1882.
     -- RUTH VALERA SMITH, born 9 July 1891, married Milton Henry Whitlow.

8. WILLARD HAYES SMITH, son of Sylvanus Price and Anna Del (Ball) Smith, born 15 April 1882 in Hopkins, Nodaway County, Missouri, died 6 May 1964 in Bedford, Taylor County, Iowa, buried 11 May 1964 in Hopkins Cemetery, Hopkins, Missouri. On Christmas Day, 25 Dec. 1904, in Hopkins, Missouri, Willard married JULIA MARY TOWNSEND, born 10 Aug. 1885 in Hopkins, Nodaway County, Missouri, died 23 June 1958 in Bedford, Taylor County, Iowa, buried in Hopkins Cemetery, Hopkins, Missouri, daughter of Alexander Mathes and Mary Elizabeth (Dwyer) Townsend. Willard and Julia had four sons and six daughters.

A portrait of Willard Hayes Smith that was shared on Ancestry.com.

Vickey Sanders Baumli's family records provide this account of the lives of Willard and his wife Julia:

"Have a copy of his funeral program. Grandpa Smith was a carpenter and farmer. He was very quiet but had a very warm smile and loved to hold his grandkids on his lap and let them talk to him.
"From diary of Lizzie Townsend and Julia Townsend Smith: Julia bought a Singer sewing machine June 12, 1893 for $40. (A lot of money for that time.) Willard bought a McCormick binder Aug. 2, 1893. They bought their first car on Nov. 29, 1924. It was a 1925 Studebaker which cost $215. In 1938 they got a second-hand Ford truck for $450 and $50 credit for the old car. Willard and Julia moved to the 'home place' Nov. 11, 1907. In 1945 they had the place wired for electricity and got lights for the first time on Jan. 1, 1946.
"When he was three days old his mother took him and fled to the brush and timber from a tornado which struck some neighbors' homes. No harm to mother and son. He attended the same school through his school days. He was married to Julia Mary Townsend on 25 Dec. 1904 in Hopkins, Nodaway Co., Missouri. The marriage license for Julia and Willard is in the possession of Vickey Sanders Baumli."
"Diary of Julia Townsend Smith, written in her mother's autograph book, in possession of Helen Smith Spencer and loaded to Vickey Sanders Baumli, 1992: An account of Julia and Willard's wedding: Married at the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Townsend, Julia Townsend and Willard Smith on Sun. afternoon at 1/2 1 o'clock Christmas Dec. 25, 1904. There were 33 present, Rev. J. K. Hicks married us. His wife and little girl, Hattie, Mr. and Mrs. I. H. Herbert and Roy, Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Townsend and children, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Townsend and children, Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Townsend, Mr. S. P. Smith and family, Mr. David Ball and Wife, Mrs. John Dorr and Cora, Mr. Riley Stine and family, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Switzer. We enjoyed ourselves alright and had a big dinner. It was a cloudy and damp day. The groom was dressed in black and the bride was dressed in white silk and wool.
"From a story written by Julia (there were two copies, one evidently a rewrite, but I tried to put the two together to make one): Julia M. Townsend was born Aug. 16, 1885, on a farm 2 1/2 miles northeast of Hopkins, Mo., in Nodaway Co., Mo. She was born to Alexander M. Townsend and Mary Elizabeth Dwyer Townsend. A.M.T., as he was called, was married before to Catherine Lowe, who died in 1878 or 1879, but they had three sons born to them, named Charles Edward, Franklin James, and William J. Then in 1880 he married Mary Elizabeth Dwyer, to whom three children were born. First a boy, who died at birth, then Julia M. in 1885, then Joseph H. born May 29th 1888. Julia didn't start going to school until 7 years old, so that her brother Joe could go along. They went to a country school named Unity, 2 1/4 miles from their home and walked almost all the time they went.
"At noon on Sun. Dec. 25, 1905 they were married at Julia's parents' home by Rev. Hicks of Hopkins Methodist Church. They had 25 or so there as all the close relatives on both sides came and a dinner after. They went to a show sometimes through the week and church most Sunday nights. Julia never was at a dance in all her ignorant life [note: this was Julia's own self-description], Willard had been but only to watch. On the next day after the wedding it rained awful, turned cold, sleeted, then snowed until all the roads were blockaded, so therefore were not charivaried. They all called their folks Pa and Ma then; and Julia's Grandmother Townsend lived with her folks most of the time; and she had to stay home on Sats. with her while the rest of the folks went to town; and Julia and Joe played house and such, and if Julia hurt Joe, her mother would chase her down and whip her for it, but Joe didn't get any whippings. Grandma Townsend was 97 years old when she died. Her name was Christena. Alexander M.T. was a good man, didn't smoke, drink, or swear. Worked hard and good to his family and when he got sick Dr. didn't know what was the trouble and didn't do much for him and he suffered so. We think he had appendicitis, but it was unknown then. Then he died. My Pa had been married before and his wife died and left him with three small boys, our 1/2 brothers, and my mother treated them same as her own.
"My mother, Lizzie Dwyer Townsend, came to live with us in later years and was so crippled with rheumatism and neuritis, had to be taken care of for 3 or 4 years. When she was young, she had to go away from home and work for others, so she stayed with Uncle Sammy and Aunt Nancy McFarland, who were good to her. They weren't any relation. He founded Hopkins, Mo., and furnished the lumber, etc., to build the M. E. Church there. When he and Aunt Nancy died they wanted me to have a large Bible as his first wife's name was Julia and I was named for her. Some said I was named for my father's sister, Julia Townsend; she married Norris Herbert. She died before I remember. My other Aunt Tilda Townsend Herbert told me she was short and fat and I reminded her so much of her. I always thought so much of Aunt Tilda. The telephone came to us after I started to school, I don't know just when. Never were any in the county till then and the car came after we were married, several years."

Vickey also shared some of her own memories of her Grandma Julia Townsend Smith:

"The things I remember most about Grandma were her singing to me and playing the piano. She loved ‘Red River Valley' and ‘Yellow Rose of Texas.' She also kept a stash of candy in the flour bin for the kids. She made toys out of wooden thread spools and those were the toys we played with. I loved the family get-togethers. The cousins and I would play hide-and-seek, etc., and there was a big yard with lots of flowers to enjoy, and an equally large garden that took lots of attention. When Grandma was sick I had to pick the strawberries and other things; it seemed to take forever. Grandma always wore an apron and hairnet. She had a mustache! She was always jolly and loving. Hers was the first funeral I was allowed to attend and I was seated in front of the casket."

A photograph publicly shared at Ancestry.com of the 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration of Willard and Julia (Townsend) Smith. Shown from left to right are Verna (Smith) Dorr, Verna's brother Willard Smith, Willard's wife Julia (Townsend) Smith, and Julia's brother Joseph Townsend.

A photograph of Willard and Julia Smith and their children, from the collection of Vickey Sanders Baumli and kindly shared with her permission, at the 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration of Willard and Julia (Townsend) Smith. Shown from left to right are (back row) Galen, Alice, Helen, and Carl, and (front row) Olive, Willard, Julia, and Iva.

The obituary of Willard's wife Julia was published in the Bedford Times-Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, July 3, 1958, page 8, as follows:

"Mrs. Willard Smith Buried At Hopkins
"Funeral services for Mrs. Willard Smith, who died at her home in Bedford, Monday, June 23, were held at the Bedford Methodist church Friday afternoon. Rev. Anthony Blankers, pastor of the church officiated. Burial in Hopkins cemetery.
"Julia Mary Townsend was born August 16, 1885, the daughter of Alexander and Mary Elizabeth Townsend, on a farm near Hopkins, Missouri and died at the age of 72 years, ten months, seven days.
"On December 25, 1904, she was married to Willard H. Smith. To them ten children were born, four sons and six daughters. A son, Donald, passed away shortly after his birth, and two of the daughters, Ruby Esther and Lucile Mary died at the age of ten years. Her surviving children are Mrs. Helen Spencer, Bedford; Kirk Smith, Auburn, New York; Carl Smith, Pocatello, Idaho; Galen Smith, Montpelier, Idaho; Mrs. Alice Tibbetts, Pickering; Mrs. Olive Wyckoff, Des Moines; Mrs. Iva Ruth Sanders, Bedford.
"After their marriage, Mrs. Smith and her husband made their home on a farm south of Bedford near the Iowa-Missouri line and near the Hazel Dell School and church. After living in this community 40 years, they moved to Bedford where they have since resided. A very happy event in the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Smith was the celebration of their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1954.
"Mrs. Smith united with the First Methodist church of Hopkins in 1912 and in October of 1951, she with her husband transferred their membership to the Bedford Methodist church.
"Surviving with the husband, Willard H. Smith and the children, are one brother, Joseph W. Townsend of Creston; 30 grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren."

A few years after Willard's wife Julia passed away, he remarried on 11 Feb. 1962 to GRACE NELLIE (SWEARINGEN) RANKIN, widow of Frank Oliver Rankin, born 30 March 1883 near Truro, Madison County, Iowa, died 25 Feb. 1985 in Corning, Adams County, Iowa, buried in Fairview Cemetery, Bedford, Iowa, daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Fine) Swearingen. Grace's obituary in the 7 March 1985 Bedford Times-Press says, "On February 11, 1962 she was united in marriage to Willard H. Smith of Bedford and they enjoyed their home together until his death in April 1963. (sic - May 1964) She enjoyed Willard's children and their families."

Willard's obituary was published in the Bedford Times-Press (Bedford, Iowa), Thursday, 14 May 1964, page 5, as follows:

"Willard Smith Services Held Here Monday
"Funeral services for Willard Hayes Smith, lifelong Taylor County resident, were held May 11 at the Bedford Methodist Church with Rev. J. Milton Kinney officiating. Mr. Smith died at his home in Bedford May 6, 1964, at the age of 82 years and 21 days. Interment was at Hopkins Cemetery, Hopkins, Mo.
"The following obituary was included in the services:
"Willard Hayes Smith, son of Sylvania P. and Ann D. Smith, was born on a farm south of Bedford, Iowa in the Hazel Dell community, on April 15, 1882. He attended the Hazel Dell School in Ross Township and grew to manhood in this community.
"On Dec. 25, 1904, he was united in marriage to Julia M. Townsend, and they moved to their farm where they continued to live for the next 40 some years until they moved to Bedford in 1947. To them were born ten children, four sons and six daughters.
"He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister; one son, Donald who died in infancy; two daughters, Ruby Esther, and Lucile Mary who passed away at the age of ten years; and his wife, Julia who passed away June 23, 1958.
"He was united in marriage to Grace Rankin in February 1963.
"He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife Grace and children: Helen Spencer of Bedford, Kirk Smith of Port Byron, New York, Alice Tibbetts of Pickering, Mo., Carl Smith of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Galen Smith of Montpelier, Idaho, Olive Wyckoff of Des Moines and Iva Ruth Sanders of Bedford; 32 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Verna Dorr of Hopkins, Mo., and Mrs. Ruth Whitlow of Lakeland, Florida; a stepdaughter, Phyllis McMillin of Bedford and a stepson, Dale Rankin of Omaha.
"He united with the Hopkins Methodist Church in 1912 and transferred his membership to the Bedford Methodist Church when he moved here to live.
"His entire lifetime had been lived in Taylor County Iowa where he engaged in farming.
"Willard was a quiet and sincere person. His thoughts were of others first. He was a kind and loving husband, father, friend and neighbor and will be missed by all who knew him."

Willard and Julia's children, all born in Taylor County, Iowa, were:

     -- DONALD WILLARD SMITH, born and died 13 Oct. 1906, buried 14 Oct. 1906 in Hopkins Cemetery.
     9. HELEN ELIZABETH SMITH, born 6 March 1908.
     -- KIRK EDWIN SMITH, born 18 April 1910, died 25 June 1985 in Auburn, New York, married 1st Lurlene Lewis, married 2nd Mildred David. 
     -- LUCILE MARY SMITH, born 9 Nov. 1912, died 14 Nov. 1922, buried in Hopkins Cemetery.
     -- ALICE GERTRUDE SMITH, born 7 Feb. 1915, died 30 Jan. 2018 in Maryville, Missouri, married Charles Barton Tibbetts.
     -- CARL ARTHUR SMITH, born 18 Oct. 1918, died 18 June 1986 in Lakeland, Florida, married Alberta May Stuart.
     -- GALEN HARDING SMITH, born 11 March 1921, died 26 Jan. 1993 in Pocatello, Idaho, married Elnora Ruth Couts.
     -- RUBY ESTHER SMITH, born 18 Oct. 1922, died 27 May 1934, buried in Hopkins Cemetery.
     -- OLIVE JULIA SMITH, born 14 July 1924, died 19 March 2022 in Des Moines, Iowa, married Donald La Verne Wyckoff.
     -- IVA RUTH SMITH, born 3 Nov. 1925, died 3 Nov. 2022 in Bedford, Iowa, married Dale Burdett Sanders.

9. HELEN ELIZABETH SMITH, daughter of Willard and Julia Smith, born 6 March 1908 in Taylor County, Iowa, died 26 April 2000 in Bedford, Iowa, buried in Hopkins Cemetery, Nodaway County, Missouri. On 21 Sept. 1926 in Bedford, Iowa, Helen married JOHN HOWARD SPENCER ("Howard"), son of W. Penn and Eva Spencer, born 11 June 1904 near Bedford, Taylor County, Iowa; committed suicide on 20 July 1948 at Climax, near Leadville, Lake County, Colorado; buried 23 July 1948 in Hopkins Cemetery, Hopkins, Nodaway County, Missouri. Helen and Howard were married at the Methodist parsonage in Bedford. They had six sons and two daughters.

Less than two years after their marriage, Howard and Helen had their first child, HOWARD JUNIOR SPENCER ("Junior"), born 17 Jan. 1928 in Polk Township, Taylor County, Iowa, died 9 June 1996 in at St. Francis Hospital, Maryville, Nodaway County, Missouri. According to Junior's siblings and other kin, when Junior was born and his parents were asked what they were going to name him, Helen replied, "Well, I guess this is Howard Jr." The clerk then wrote down "Howard Junior Spencer" on his birth certificate, even though his parents meant, "We're naming him 'John Howard Spencer Jr.'"

Two years later, the U.S. Census returns of 7 April 1930 show "Howard Spencer," age 25, a farmer, living in Ross Township, Taylor County, Iowa, with his wife "Helen E. Spencer," age 21, and their children "Howard Jr. Spencer," age 2 years 3 months, and "Mary R. Spencer," age 1 year 1 month. By this time, the Great Depression was in full swing, and Howard and his family suffered hardships because, although Howard and Helen continued to have children, during those years Howard often had trouble finding employment, or finding steady employment. At one point, Howard even took out a want ad in the Taylor County Herald (8 Dec. 1932, page 8), that said, "WANTED: Work on farm; married. Write or see Howard Spencer, Route 5, Bedford. 2p." Apparently that want ad got results, because later the same month the Taylor County Herald (22 Dec. 1932, page 6) reported, "Howard Spencer and family have moved from Ray Dawson tenant house to the old Gamel place near Hopkins."

The U.S. Census returns of 10 April 1940 show Howard and his family renting a farm in Polk Township, Taylor County, Iowa. The census lists "Howard Spencer," age 35, a farm laborer, as the head of household, with his wife "Helen E. Spencer," age 32, and their children "Howard J. Spencer," age 12, "Mary R. Spencer," age 11, "Ivan P. Spencer," age 9, "Raymond D. Spencer," age 8, "Clyde A. Spencer," age 6, "Donald G. Spencer," age 2, and an as yet unnamed infant son who was then less than a month old (i.e., their youngest son ROY ELDON SPENCER, born 31 March 1940). The 1940 U.S. Census shows that the nearest neighbors of Howard and his family were the Jacksons on one side and the Fergusons on another. The census indicates that Howard's difficulty in finding adequate employment to support his family had continued -- the census returns say Howard had worked only 26 weeks in 1939, earning only $150 (or perhaps $180 -- the numeral's shape is unusual and hard to interpret), and that he was working during the week of March 24-30, 1940, but also was looking for work that same week.

This photograph of the family of Howard and Helen Spencer was taken about 1941. From left to right, the children are Raymond, Roy, Clyde, Donnie, Rose, Ivan, and Junior.

Helen Spencer with her two daughters, Evie and Rose.

About two years later, on 15 Aug. 1942, Howard and Helen had their youngest child, EVELYN JULIA SPENCER. The following year, in 1943, Howard and his family left the farm in Polk Township and moved to a house in Bedford. Around this time, Howard's efforts to provide for his family were dealt a serious set back when Howard's health took a turn for the worse. But also around this time, Howard got a job in Colorado while Helen and the children remained behind in Bedford. (On the other hand, Helen's obituary says, "Helen and Howard moved to Colorado after their marriage. After a short time they returned to Taylor County where she lived on a farm, raising her family until 1945 when she moved to Bedford." But that seems to be a misremembering of the sequence of events and the year that the family moved to Bedford.) Howard lived and worked much of the year at mess halls in a mining town called Climax, near Leadville, Lake County, Colorado, and sent money back home to Iowa. Sometimes he would get some time off and would return to Bedford for short stretches of time. The following five-page letter written by Howard over the course of two days in early October 1944 helps to paint a picture of what his life was like during that time. He began to write the letter on Thursday, 5 Oct. 1944 (grammar, spelling, and punctuation are as written in the letter):

"Dear Helen & kiddies: Here it is almost payday tonite and tomorrow morn is it. I got up while ago and I am feeling fine but boy it is cool here. I had 3 blankets on me today then didn't get to hot, altho the window was open quite a ways. I went down after mail and the custodian has went to supper so I will wait till Morning. I am sending you the policy and you can read it over and be your own judge but I think I had better drop it. It is paid up to Nov 16th. then $6:50 more, altho it might come in pretty handy in case of accident Of course I've never been yet but you can't never tell in a place like this. So we will see in a little time. I have my receipt book because I have to send it when ever I send the money, and they send it back every time. Mabye I had better took the money and Sent it home. My pen is getting scratchy I guess. Well what did you & kids think of my room mate poet writer. I dont see much of him only on Friday nites and Sundays. Well I don't know for sure when No 6 is going to close its doors but it is coming fast. It all depends on the outside areas, they may close up pretty fast and of course the mess will leave out. They are starting to move out fast now, another week will make an awful difference. So I don't know but I would like to stay until No 6 closes its doors then I wan't to come toward home. I have no desire to go up to any other mess hall now. Altho 1, 2, & 4 will run for quite a while yet I think and it will be a long time before 1 closes. Mabye they wont give me a transfer when I get my stay out they will take me back here, we will wait and see. Well Helen I am not going to see the ocean with out you, so don't worry the minute I get released from here I am takin'g the nearest route home, and we will all see it some other time You can't tell when you are tied up with gov't. work. Of course the boys and Rose have plenty of time ahead of them to see things. I sure wish all of you could walk in this mess hall some meal time when its really busy. Oh Boy it would be funny. Believe me its a busy place for about an huor and a half. its getting time to clock in my card so will write more Frid. Good night and pleasant dreams.
"Here it is Good Friday again and I have been over after my check and sure am sleepy ready for bed. Well I sure dont think it will be too long before I see all of you. Some Say the 15th and others say last of month but I don't see how it can close the 15th by the amount of men they are feeding around 3000 or 3500 a day You know thats several men. Oh well I am going to stay or try to until No 6 closes then I am going to get that transfer to Bakers Field Calf. The Olympic's contract is running out and are putting us on to another Co, or about the same thing. We will think about it after I get home. Altho Ill try and have every thing settled before they ship us out. I have around 75 pills left but in case No 6 would stay open a week or 2 in Nov., it wouldn't hurt to send me some would it? They will send it back home if I am not here. Well all of you keep well and it can't be too long before we meet. So lots of kisses and good luck to all of us.
"Daddy."

After about four years during which he was separated from his loved ones for the greater part of a year, Howard is believed to have grown despondent, until at last he hanged himself in his living quarters in Climax, Colorado. It reportedly was his roommate who found him. News of Howard's sorrowful death in Colorado was reported in a brief obituary on the front page of the Thursday, 22 July 1948 Bedford Times-Press:

"Spencer Rites To Be Friday"
"Howard Spencer, 44, died at Leadville, Colorado, Tuesday, July 20. The body arrived in Bedford Thursday evening and the funeral services will be held at the Wetmore Funeral Home at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. George W. Swan. He is survived by his wife and several children, residents of Bedford."

A full obituary was published the following week, on the front page of the 29 July 1948 Bedford Times-Press:

"Howard Spencer Rites Held Friday"
"Funeral services for Howard Spencer, who died at Climax, Colorado, July 20, were held at the Wetmore Funeral Home Friday afternoon, conducted by Rev. George W. Swan. Burial was in the Hopkins cemetery. John Howard Spencer, youngest son of W. P. and Eva Spencer, was born June 11, 1904, in Taylor county, Iowa, being aged 44 years 1 month and 9 days at the time of his death. He was married to Helen Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willard Smith, on Sept. 21, 1926. To them were born eight children. Howard spent most of his life in Taylor county. He attended the rural school in Ross township and high school at Hopkins, Mo. He was a member of Plumb Lodge No. 285 A.F. & A.M. at Siam. He was preceded in death by his father, mother and one brother, Freddie. He is survived by his wife; six sons, Howard, Jr., Ivan, Raymond, Clyde, Donald and Roy; two daughters, Mary Rose, now Mrs. Darrell Salen, and Evelyn, all of the home. Also one grandson, Richard Salen; two brothers, Paul Spencer and Lee Spencer and one sister, Mrs. Lela Blake, all of Bedford."

Helen never remarried after Howard took his life. She survived him by nearly 52 years, living a life filled with family and friends, and work, diligently devoting herself to the care and raising of her children, and getting to welcome 22 grandchildren and not a few great-grandchildren (including my eldest son Alex). God blessed her with 92 years of life, and she succumbed to a surprising late case of pancreatic cancer.

Helen's obituary was published in the Bedford Times-Press, Wednesday, 3 May 2000, as follows:

"HELEN SPENCER
"Funeral services for Helen Spencer, age 92 of Bedford, who died Wednesday, April 26, 2000 at the Bedford Nursing and Rehab Center were held Saturday, April 29, 2000 at 10:30, a.m. at Ritchie Funeral Home£ in Bedford with Pastor Jamie Mogler officiating. Interment was held in the Hopkins Cemetery. Memorials can be directed to the Children's Make A Wish Foundation.
"Helen Elizabeth Spencer was born March 6, 1908 just north of the state line in Taylor County, Iowa, the daughter of Willard H. Smith and Julia M. Townsend Smith. Helen grew up living on the north side of the Iowa/Missouri state line. She attended rural schools.
"On September 26, 1926 she was united in marriage to John Howard Spencer at the Methodist Parsonage in Bedford. To this union eight children were born.
"Helen and Howard moved to Colorado after their marriage. After a short time they returned to Taylor County where she lived on a farm, raising her family until 1945 when she moved to Bedford. Howard died in 1948.
"Helen served as treasurer for the Order of Eastern Star for many years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Baptist Women's Ministry where she was very active in their fellowship.
"Helen always put others' needs before her own. She enjoyed her family most of all and was known to be very creative when it came to having a reason for the family to get together for dinner and socializing. Birthdays were also important to Helen, and all family birthdays, including her own, needed to be celebrated! She felt if she could have lived to be 100 years old would have been a real milestone.
"Left to cherish Helen's memory are her five children, Rose Johnson and husband Ray of Corning; Raymond Spencer of Joliet, Ill.; Clyde Spencer and wife Joann of Bedford; Roy Spencer and wife Carolyn of Roodhouse, Ill.; and Evie Barnes and husband Mike of Des Moines; three sisters, Alice Tibbetts of Maryville, Mo.; Olive Wyckoff and husband Don of Norwalk; and Iva Sanders and husband Dale of Bedford; 21 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
"Preceding Helen in death were her husband Howard in 1948; her parents, Willard and Julia Smith; three sons, Howard Jr., Ivan and Donnie; four brothers, Kirk, Carl, Galen and another in infancy; two sisters in infancy; one grandchild, and one great-grandchild."

Shown here are photographs of the side-by-side gravestones of John Howard Spencer and his wife Helen Elizabeth Smith Spencer in Hopkins Cemetery, Nodaway County, Missouri. The photos were taken in early July 2008.

Howard and Helen had six sons and two daughters:

     --  HOWARD JUNIOR SPENCER, born 17 Jan. 1928, died 9 June 1996, married Ann Lantz.
     --  MARY ROSE SPENCER, born 27 March 1929, died 27 Dec. 2012, married twice.
     --  IVAN PAUL SPENCER, born 9 July 1930, died 19 May 1997, married Dolores Rose Allen.
     --  RAYMOND DUANE SPENCER, born 10 Aug. 1931, died 21 Feb. 2010, never married.
     --  CLYDE ALLEN SPENCER, born 3 Feb. 1934, died 21 Aug. 2008, married Joann Waugh.
     --  DONALD GALEN SPENCER, born 13 March 1938, died 16 March 1960, married Connie Lee Newbury.
     --  ROY ELDON SPENCER, born 31 March 1940.
     --  EVELYN JULIA SPENCER, born 15 Aug. 1942, married twice.

-------------

Smith Genealogy Resources:

Smith, Grant, and Irons families of New Jersey's shore counties, including the related families of Willets and Birdsall, James W. Hook, 1955.
John Willets Smith, born 1769, at Smith Official DNA & One Name Study
Abraham Smith, at Grandons.org

Return to Website Index


You may contact me with genealogical questions by clicking here.