From the writings of Rachel (Smyth) Scott: In 1770, my great grandfather, Jonas [Smyth], came from Botetourt Co. VA to Southwest Virginia, and located in what is now Washington Co. on lands lying immediately north of the present Emory and Henry College. A very small portion of this land is now in possession of his descendants. He came with his widowed mother, Mrs. Mary (McDonald) Scott. I do not know if any other or all other children by her first husband, Tobias Sr., came with her then or later.
Jonas Smyth married first Mary Kincannon, daughter of Francis Kincannon. Their children were Tobias, Francis, John, Elizabeth, Nancy, Rebecca, Sarah and Mary. Jonas Smyth's second wife was Mrs. Annabel Bates of Wythe Co. She had no children.
Jonas was energetic, honest, truthful, temperate and rather irritable tempered. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church until his minister offended him in a business transaction. He then joined the Methodist Church. He never had but one slave, Uncle Parlor, whom he freed before his death, but both his wives were slave owners.
This grandsire, Jonas Smyth, lived to be nearly ninety years old and died at the nearby home of a sister, Mrs. Ezekial Kelly. It was told me by an aunt that he conceived the notion of marrying again after his second wife died, and that a very respectable widow of a nearby neighborhood received his attentions favorably and that my grandfather and her son planned a deception which brought about a misunderstanding and estrangement between the two old people, thus thwarting the marriage.
Additional information is added from the writings of Rachel's father (Jonas's grandson), James K. Smyth, in 1891: Jonas Smyth was born in 1750. He married Mary Kincannon, moved to this place in 1770, located at the end of the old orchard which is the south end, changed his location, sank a tanyard and built his dwelling house near to it where he lived and died at the age of 89 years, 3 months, and 5 days. Jonas raised only 2 sons, John and Tobias. Tobias was a twin; his mate was named Francis Kincannon and died at the age of nine years. They were named for their grandfathers, Tobias Smyth, and Francis Kincannon. The daughters of Jonas Smyth were Elizabeth Holliday, Mary Holliday, Rebecca Bradley, Sarah Dixon and Nancy Kelly