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52 Ancestors: Week 27, William and Edna (_____) Smith

Orginal post: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

William Smith1 was born in North Carolina about 17782 and died probably in Rutherford County, North Carolina 11 September 1858.3 Although, the administration of his estate states he "departed this life about the month of October 1858."4 He married Edna _____. She was born in North Carolina about 17832 and died probably in Rutherford County, North Carolina in September 1854.5

He appears to have resided in North Carolina for his entire life. His birth place is recorded there in the 1850 census as are each of his children's. He is recorded in Rutherford County in 1820,6 1840,7 and 1850.2 He made his will there on 16 August 1858,8 just a few weeks prior to his death. The will was contested by Lewis and Sarah (Smith) Scoggin claiming that "no legal notice having been served on the heirs of the said William [Smith]" by the executor Dove Pannell and that William "did not have capacity to make a will."4 Notably, the will reduced the Scoggins' share of the estate to just $5 "by reason of bad treatment."8

His will names:

. . . son James L. Smith [repeated later] . . . two grandsons Matthew and Richard Smith . . . daughter Polly [repeated later] . . . Jeremiah W Smith [repeated later] . . . son in law Lewis Scoggin and my daughter Sally Scoggin . . . two gran [sic] daughters [unnamed] . . . daughter Nancy Waggoner is dead . . . daughter Meneme being dead . . . daughter Jane being dead . . . Ritter . . . daughter Melinda Haney . . . worthy friends Wm Smith junior and Dove Pannel to execute . . . John Smith Jacob Smith the heirs of Joel Smith and Wm Smith Junior in testimony . . .8

His heirs recorded in the administration of his estate:

John Smith, Jacob Smith, Wm Smith Jr[,] G W Smith, Robt Haney & wife Malinda all of the State of Georgia & James Holified of said State who is a minor. Edy, Amy, Martha, Eliza, Adry, Adolphus, Anonymous, Hazzael & John Waggoner of the State of Illinois[.] Ashford Queen & wife Ritter of Yancey, Daniel Hollified of McDowell Co also Malinda, Nancy & Polly Hollifield of McDowell Co, Eliza Hollified of Cleveland Co, Jacob Hollified of the County of Rutherford, James Vickers & wife Catharine & George Smith of the same & also D.[?] M. Smith[,] A. M. Smith[,] Ellen L Smith[,] Sarah A Smith & C. L. Smith who are minors of the same county[.] James L. Smith[,] Polly Scruggs[,] J. W. Smith also of Rutherford County & Matthew & Richard Smith who are minors of said county. Elizabeth & Jacob Hollifield of Rutherford County[,] Elizabeth [???] a minor also J. G. Smith of the same county[,] Nolin Hollified of Cleveland County.4

John and Jacob Smith in the estate file are probably same listed in the will. The phrasing seems to suggest they are the "heirs of Joel Smith," but it is more likely a list with John and Jacob being William's eldest sons. "G W Smith" is certainly George Walton Smith, who, based on his age, is probably William Sr.'s son even though he is not recorded in the will. The Waggoner heirs are Nancy's children. Daniel Hollified is Jane's widower. Catharine (Smith) Vickers is apparently Joel's daughter. Polly Scruggs is probably the "daughter Polly" from the will. Nolin Hollifield is Meneme's widower.

There are 5 William Smith households in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1820. Only two have the appropriate number of children, and of these two, one does not contain a the correct number of older children leaving one reasonable possibility. This William, aged 45 or over, appears older than the birth date estimated from his gravestone and 1850 census, but still could fit as a reasonable age. Perhaps, he was just over 45 and born about 1775.9

The likely household contains 11 free white persons: two males under 10 (William Jr., George Walton), one male 10 to 15 (Joel), one male 16 to 18 (prob. John or Jacob), two males 16 to 25 (prob. John, Jacob), one male 45 and over (William Sr.), two females under 10 (Melinda, Jane), two females 10 to 15 (Sarah, Meneme), and one female 26 to 44 (Edna).6 Nancy already married Isaac Waggoner in 1815.

In the 1840 census, William's household consists of three males aged 10-15 (James T., Jeremiah W., and one other), a male aged 60-70 (William), a female aged 10-15 (Ritter), a female aged 15-20 (Polly), and a female aged 60-70 (Edna). Also listed on the same page as William are: Jacob Smith (male, 30-40) his son W[illia]m Smith (male, 30-40), his son-in law Lewis "Scoging" (male, 40-50), and his son Joel Smith (male, 30-40).7

Children of William and Edna (_____) Smith (b. North Carolina; order uncertain):8,4

  1. Jacob Smith.
  2. Nancy Smith, b. about 1800; m. Isaac Waggoner.10
  3. John W. Smith, b. about 1802;11,12 m. Elizabeth Haney.13
  4. Joel Smith, b. about 1806;14 m. Lucinda Dobbins.15
  5. Sarah "Sally" Smith, b. 10 March 180716; m. Lewis Scoggin.17
  6. Meneme Smith, b. by 1810;18 m. Daniel Holifield.19
  7. William Smith Jr., b. about 1812;20 m. Narcissa Scoggin.21
  8. Melinda Smith, b. about 1812;22 m. Robert Haney.23
  9. (prob.) George Walton Smith, b. about 1815;24 m. Catharine Wilkie.25
  10. Jane Smith, b. say 1815; m. Nolin Hollified.26
  11. Mary "Polly" Smith, b. about 1824;27 m. _____ Scruggs.4
  12. James T. Smith, b. about 1826.2
  13. Henrietta28 M. "Ritter" Smith, b. about 1828;29 m. Ashford Quinn.4
  14. Jeremiah Webb Smith, b. 2 Feb. 1829;30 m. Sarah Spurlin.31

  1. William Smith is frequently confused with William S. Smith who also resided in Rutherford County, North Carolina. FamilySearch, Find a Grave, and many other online resources incorrectly show them to be the same individual. This profile's William Smith was born about 1778 in North Carolina. He resided there his whole life, dying in Rutherford County on 11 September 1858. William S. Smith, the son of Clator Smith, was born in Virginia about 1779. He married Sarah Burge in Rutherford County in 1803 and by 1850 was living in Heard County, Georgia.↩

  2. 1850 U.S. census, Sandy Run, Rutherford Co., N. C., p. 625 (penned), dwelling 1191, family 1222; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4204423 > image 170; citing NARA microfilm M432.↩

  3. Find a Grave, memorial 33273681, William Smith (about 1776 [calc.]-11 Sept. 1858), Race Path Baptist Church Cemetery, Ellenboro, Rutherford Co., N. C.↩

  4. Rutherford County, North Carolina, estate files, William Smith, 1858; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 7640053 > images 442-461.↩

  5. Find a Grave, memorial 75378471, Race Path Baptist Church Cemetery, Ellenboro, Rutherford Co., N.C. Image quality is poor, but it supposedly states she died Sept. 1854, aged 70 years.↩

  6. 1820 U.S. census, Rutherford Co., N.C., p. 358, William Smith; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5156903 > image 332; citing NARA microfilm M33, roll 80.↩

  7. 1840 U.S. census, Rutherford Co., N.C., fo. 300r, line 186; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5154840 > image 613; citing NARA microfilm M704.↩

  8. Rutherford County, North Carolina, Will Book E:352-354; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4779261 > images 616-617. See also a typescript of the will.↩

  9. Search of "1820 United States Federal Census" database on Ancestry.com for "William Smith" living in "Rutherford County, North Carolina."↩

  10. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, entries by letter group, Isaac Wagner-Nancy Smith, 21 Dec. 1815; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 102504830 > image 31; citing North Carolina Department of Archives and History (Raleigh).↩

  11. 1850 U.S. census, Sandy Run, Rutherford Co., N.C., p. [626] (penned number missing), dwelling 1197, family 1228; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4204423 > image 171; citing NARA microfilm M432.↩

  12. 1860 U.S. census, unnamed locality [post office Catoosa Springs], Catoosa Co., Ga., p. 7 (penned), dwelling 47, family 51; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5165685 > image 313; citing NARA microfilm M653, roll 114.↩

  13. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. S, unnumbered license, John Smith-Elizabeth Haney, 31 Dec. 1832; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 102504829 > image 394.↩

  14. 1850 U.S. census, Camp Creek, Rutherford Co., N.C., p. 705 (penned), dwelling 1774, family 1829; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4204423 > image 252; citing NARA microfilm M432.↩

  15. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. S, unnumbered license, Joel Smith-Lucinda Dobbins, 16 Aug. 1827; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 102504829 > image 391.↩

  16. Find a Grave, memorial 21655503, Sarah Scoggins (10 March 1807-6 May 1877), Race Path Baptist Church Cemetery, Ellenboro, Rutherford Co., N.C.↩

  17. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. S, unnumbered license, Lewis Scoggin, 30 Dec. 1822; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 7740376 > image 208. Sarah Smith is strangely unnamed.↩

  18. Probably one of the 10 to 15 year old females in the 1820 census.↩

  19. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. H, unnumbered license, Daniel Holifield-Minimia Smith, 4 July 1831; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 102504826 > image 909.↩

  20. 1860 U.S. census, 10th District, Whitefield Co., Ga., p. 687, dwelling 1246, family 1243; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5165712 > image 180; citing NARA microfilm M653.↩

  21. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. S, unnumbered license, William Smith-Narcissa Scoggin, 4 April 1844; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 102504829 > image 431.↩

  22. 1860 U.S. census, 10th District, Whitefield Co., Ga., p. 687, dwelling 1239, family 1236; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5165712 > image 179.↩

  23. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. H, unnumbered license, Robert Haney-Melinda Smith, 30 July 1827; digital images, [https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZX-P9K9-V FamilySearch], DGS 102504826 > image 617.↩

  24. 1850 U.S. census, Sandy Run, Rutherford Co., N.C., p. 625 (penned), dwelling 1192, family 1223; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 4204423 > image 170; citing NARA microfilm M432.↩

  25. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. S, unnumbered license, Walton Smith-Catharine Wilkie, 23 Feb. 1835; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 102504829 > image 427.↩

  26. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. H, unnumbered license, Nolin Holifield-Janie Smith, 25[?] July 1835; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 102504826 > image 915.↩

  27. 1860 U.S. census, Sandy Run District, Rutherford Co., N.C., p. 20, dwelling 144, family 144; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5170504 > image 24.↩

  28. Henrietta is named "Ritter" or similar variations in all[?] contemporary records, but her daughter Edia Aline (Quinn) Mathis's death certificate calls her mother Henrietta.↩

  29. 1860 U.S. census, Yancey Co., N.C., p. 192, dwelling 1274, family 1274; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 5170510 > image 432; citing NARA microfilm M653.↩

  30. Find a Grave, memorial 33274137, J. Webb Smith (2 Feb. 1829-15 June 1863), Race Path Baptist Church Cemetery, Ellenboro, Rutherford Co., N.C.↩

  31. Rutherford Co., N.C., Marriage Bonds, vol. S, unnumbered license, J. W. Smith-Sarah Spurlin, 21 Sept. 1849; digital images, FamilySearch, DGS 102504829 > image 377.↩