JAMES SMITH, JR. b. ca 1752 MD – d. 1817 NC - Biography

ALIASES: James Smith, Cripple; James Smith, Little River; James Turner Smith

JAMES SMITH, Jr. son of James Smith, Sr. and Sarah Turner Smith, was born about 1752 in Pickawaxen Parish, Charles County MD. Sarah Turner was the daughter of James Turner and Kerenhappuch Norman of Spotsylvania, VA. When James Smith, Jr. was about ten years of age the family moved to Halifax, VA. [VA Land Patent 37, P.214, 10 Sept 1767.] In 1795, James Smith (Cripple) filed for a pension based upon a musket ball shot to his thigh during the "Battle of Guilford Courthouse" which occurred at Guilford Courthouse, NC, 15 March 1781. Roll 2217-RevWar Pension & BLW Files, National Archives. Virginia Military Records indicate James Smith joined the American Revolution cause in 1777 eventually serving for the "duration" of the war. He was with Gen. George Washington and the 12th Virginia Regiment at Valley Forge; fought at Brandywine; by 1779 was assigned to the ‘Southern Department’ and captured with the 2nd Virginia Continental Regiment at Charleston. He returned to fight at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in March 1781 where he sustained a disabling thigh wound.

James Smith married on 4 May 1784 in Charles County Maryland, Constantia Ann Ford, [MD Marriages 1778-1800, Robert Barnes, 1979, P. 209]. Constantia was the daughter of Charles Allison Ford and Ann Chandler Ford. [NSDAR Genealogical Records, Thoms Allanson, Lord of Christian Temple Manor, by Mary Turpin Layton, 1947, LDS-FHC, #929.273/A1/#1081.] The family settled in Richmond County, NC by 1785. Children of James Smith, Jr. and Constantia Ford from Bible records on file with the DAR: Anna Ford Smith (1785NC-1796NC); Richard Smith (1787NC-1808NC); twins - James Norman Smith (1789NC-1875TX), Charles Allison Smith (1789NC-1851MS); and Elizabeth Ford Smith (1792NC-1802NC). The Smith family left Richmond County NC and moved to Maury County TN around 1807. They settled in an area near Duck River and Ruthersford Creek. Constantia Ford Smith died 24 February 1812 in Covington, TN. [DAR# 391242, Juel Meyer- Family Bible Records.]

On 27 October 1816 during a visit to North Carolina, James Smith married his cousin’s widow, Mrs. Lucy Marshall Turner, relict of James Turner. In November 1817, James Smith returned to Maury County TN to settle his interests there and return to Anson County NC. He deeded to his son, James N. Smith, 100 acres on Duck River and Negroes: Mary, Kato, Queen, Nancey, Townley, Thomas and Hannibal. [Maury CoTN Deed Book G, P. 245,246,251.] The same day he deeded 100 acres on Duck River to his son Charles A. Smith along with Negroes: Mack, Frank, Jack, Nancey, Ally, Milly, and Calico. Also to his granddaughter, Elizabeth Hungerford Smith one Negro girl named Jenny. (Negroes Mack, Townley, Milly, Nancey, and Ally were devised to Constantia Ford by her father, Charles Allison Ford’s will. [Charles CoMD Wills, 1780-1791, P.96.] )

Late November 1817, James Smith began his journey from Maury County TN back to Anson County NC. On the way he fell ill and died 17 December 1817 in Asheville, NC just about 50 miles from home. His will was probated 16 April 1818 with his widow, Lucy Smith and his son, James N. Smith as co-executors. The will devised his remaining Negroes: Asa, Anney, Amey, and Little Caesor to his yet unborn heir, Robert Benjamin Smith, (1818NC-?). [Anson CoNC Will Book 2, P. 152.] (These Negroes came into James Smith’s possession through the will of his sister, Mary Ward, d. 1816 Maury, TN. [Maury CoTN, Will Book B-1, P.26-27.] )

Additional information on the Smith Family of MD, VA, NC, TN, may be found in the Memoirs of James N. Smith, Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin; memoirs also available at Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library, San Antonio, TX and University of Texas at Arlington Library; see also Early Southern Maryland Families, Vol. VII and Vol. VIII, Elise Greenup Jourdan, 1998; Southerland Latham & Allied Families, 1931, Imogen Southerland Voorhees, LDS-FHC; and the following Website: Error! Bookmark not defined.. Submitted May 2000 by: Bennie Lou Hook Altom, 9966 Galway Drive, Dallas TX 75218-2821.

Submitted by: BENNIE LOU HOOK ALTOM
9966 GALWAY DRIVE
DALLAS, TX 75218-2821
(214) 327-9260