John Smith1
b. 30 December 1780
| Father | Thomas Smith1 |
| Mother | Lydia (?)1 |
| Birth | 30 Dec 1780 | John Smith was born on 30 Dec 1780.1 |
| Anecdote | Theophilus Rogan recorded these memories of his uncle John: The old Smith homestead fell to the second son John. When somewhat advanced in life he married a widow with a well grown daughter. They soon led him such a life that he abandoned to them his farm & all his property except a riding horse & left them for all time. For the remainder of his life he traversed the upper counties of E. Tenn. & Washington Co. Va., selling good books. He had no home; stopped where it suited him to do so, everywhere well received; would perhaps spend a day or two there, mending up the delapidated books of the family, scolding the children, if there were any to scold & they needed it. He died in this work at the house of _____________ receiving kind treatment at the hands of the family. He was somewhat eccentric, a little crabbed, but a thoroughly good man, whose only object was to do good.1 | |
| It is quite likely this John Smith was the same person as the John Smith buried in the old James Davis/Nancy (Smith) Davis Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia. However, that headstone says "Our Friend" which seems a little unusual if the person buried there was Nancy's brother. Also, additional writing on the stone states that John Smith spent his life in the service of the church, which may or may not have been consistent with the life of the John Smith described above. However, the calculated birth date for the John Smith in the cemetery is within a few days of the known birth date for John Smith, son of Thomas and brother of Nancy. |
| Last Edited | 7 Feb 2011 |
Citations
- [S2574] Theophilus Rogan, "Reminiscences" (transcribed excerpt, undated). Mr. Rogan was the son of "Polly" (Smith) Rogan. He was therefore a nephew to Polly's siblings, the other children of Thomas and Lydia Smith.