Transcribed by Elsie Sampson
This Article Appeared In The
Times
But Was Not Actually In Cal’s
Column
December 11, 1952
About 1809 William Smith left North Carolina to come to Tennessee, traveling over the mountains and along trails and roads hewn out of the forests, in covered wagons. His family, consisting of his wife and nine children, came with the caravan. They were supposed to ride in the wagons, but the tradition goes that they walked by the wagons most of the way. Randall said that his mother, a slender woman, carried him most of the way. Randall was two or three yrs. old at the time of the migration, and his son, the Rev. Jesse Smith, says that his father was born in 1806, setting the date of their arrival around 1809.
The caravan settled in Smith County, near Carthage, where they remained for some years.
The Tennessee Land records for Smith County show grants for William in 1835 for 50 acres on the waters of Dixon’s Creek and Peyton’s Creek: No. 13297 and entry No. 1444. No doubt this adjoined an earlier grant for 50 acres on Dixon’s Creek: No. 9102 and entry No. 541, taken out in 1826. This was the custom in early years for land to be settled and later granted, or reclaimed. Other grants for his sons were Jesse Smith, in 1824, 191 acres on the waters of Smith’s Fork, grant No. 1949, entry No. 249; and in 1831 another tract of 50 acres on Smith’s Fork, entry No. 1235.
Coleman Smith in 1836 took out 6 acres on waters of Peyton’s Creek: grant No. 9015, entry No. 935.
Archibald, bought 100 acres on the waters of Peyton’s Creek, grant No. 8705, entry No. 935.
Daniel Smith in 1835, bought 180 acres on the waters of Peyton’s Creek. (This may have been a brother to William or his son James Daniel.) Another grant was made to Daniel Smith on the waters of Peyton’s Creek, containing 14 1/2 acres, No.17838 entry No. 2340.
The children of William Smith and his wife who was a Miss Morley or “Worley or Marley (acc. to their grandson Dr. Daniel) were :
1. Archibald--in War of 1812, in New O. with Andrew Jackson.
2. James Daniel--in War of 1812, in New O. with Andrew Jackson.
3. Betsey Barton
4. Sally Davis
5. Macon
6. Coleman
7. William
8. Jesse
9. Randall (1805-1889, of whom later.)
Later William ( his granddaughter said that, his name was William T. Smith) moved near Pleasant Shade, also in Smith County.
Here they built a church, Mt. Tabor, the first Baptist church in that part of the country. Daniel Smith, brother of William T. was the first Baptist preacher in that section and later established a church that is now in Trousdale County.
Randall, when grown, assisted his uncle at his meetings, being a gifted singer and poet, often composing his songs as he sung them. One of his accompanies this sketch:
Randall Smith was born in North Carolina. He married Sarah Mitchell in Smith County possibly in 1828. A son of Randall’s, Dr. Daniel Smith, says that his mother’s people were the only family of Mitchells that he, knew anything about, and that they lived half way between Carthage and Dixon Spring’s, Tennessee. On the waters of Peyton’s Creek lived David, Allen and Robert Mitchell. Their lands probably joined those of the Smiths and Sarah was the daughter of one of these.
William T. is buried, according to Dr. Daniel Smith, two or three miles from Dixon’s Springs on Dixon’s Creek. William Allen Smith, Great-grandson of William T., said he had located the grave and that the stream it is on is now called Scanty Branch, and the land is near what is now called the Dillehay or Massey place.
Ramsey’s Annals mention William Smith, page 428.
An account of Daniel, Randall’s uncle with whom he worked is given in Borum’s Baptist Ministers, page 577. He is called Elder Daniel; it states that he was born in 1792 in Chatham County, N. C., coming to Tennessee in 1811.
After his marriage Randall moved to what is now Macon County and built a mill on Middle Salt, Creek two miles north of Red Boiling Springs. He was a farmer, preacher and mill wright.
The children of Randall and Sarah Mitchell Smith were:
1. Polly, 1828
2. William Allen, 1831
3. Elizabeth, 1831
4. Macon, 1833
5. Sarah Ann, 1835
6. Matilda, 1837, m. Charles Smith moved to Ark.
7. James Daniel, 1839, became a doctor, Benton, Ill.
8. Emaline, 1840
9. John, 1842, ( of whom later)
10. Lucinda, 1846
11. Eliza, 1848
12. Henry, 1851, farmer at Benton, Ill.
13. Jesse Thomas, 1853, preacher in Arkansas; Children: Sarah, James and Betty.
Sarah Mitchell Smith died in the spring of 1853 and was buried at Walnut Shade.
In 1870 Randall moved westward, taking with him some of his younger children, the elder ones having established homes of their own. In Arkansas he married Jemima Sneed and had four children: Miranda, George, Willis and Wiseman.
He died in 1889, in the 84th year of his age, and is buried in Fulton County, Arkansas, three miles N. E. of Elizabeth, Ark.
John, son of Randall and Sarah Mitchell Smith, was born in 1842, in what is now Macon County, Tennessee. When the Civil War broke out the family was divided in their sympathies. Taking the advice of his father, John joined the Union Army. He served throughout the war with a friend, Thomas Shepherd, only brother of Mary Elizabeth Shepherd. He was honorably discharged from the Army August 17, 1865, and he and Mary Elizabeth Shepherd were married in the fall.
John and his brother, Daniel, studied medicine and became doctors. Daniel going to Benton, Ill., and John practicing in the territory around Red Boiling Springs.
Mary Elizabeth S. Smith died in June, 1919. John died Dec. 2_, 1924. They are buried at Bethany.
The children of John and Mary Elizabeth Smith were:
1. William Allen, (of whom later)
2. Jesse Thomas, physician, Gamaliel, Ky.
3. John Rodman, m. Sarah Rhodes; lives Red Springs.
4. Florence, d. in infancy.
5. James Henry, d. in infancy.
6. Margaret Lolamontis, m. Hugh G. Jordan; no issue.
7. Lucinda Pocahountas m. Shade Chitwood; three sons.
8. Hattie Elizabeth, m. E. H. York.
9. Randall Jefferson, d. in infancy.
10. Samuel Hugh, lives at Red Springs.
11. Adolphus Greely, went to Benton, Ill.
12. Jewel, m. Joe Henderson in Ark.
William Allen Smith, son of John and Mary Elizabeth Shepherd Smith, was born June 22, 1869. He was educated at Bellwood Academy and the Hartsville Masonic Institute, graduating in 1890. He studied law for two years while teaching, and was admitted to the bar in 1892. He served as expert Accountant for the County for four years, as City recorder for Lafayette, Tennessee, in the State Legislature for four years, as Post Master of Lafayette ten years, as Prohibition director for Middle Tennessee six years, during which time he lived in Nashville, Tennessee. Moving back to Lafayette, he resumed the practice of law and was again made President of the Citizens Bank of Lafayette.
In 1893 he married Eddie Lindsey Pledger in Lafayette. They had two children:
1. William Pledger Smith
2. Jesse Aubry Smith
He married Mrs. Virginia Milam Brittain of Nashville on June 25, 1919. They had two children:
1. Howard Allen Smith
2. John Randall Smith
Samuel Jones took out a land patent very early. His land included all tracts where Red Boiling Springs now stands, to Gibb’s Cross Roads. He found the original Salt Lick, the “little Red” which is still running. He followed deer to the Lick to see why they drank from this place rather than from the creek by it. He built a house by a freestone spring under the big bluff, not far from the “little Red.” There is on record in the Tennessee Land Office-Mountain Land Records-Book No. 6 pages 210 and 248, an entry for Samuel Jones, 25 and 50 acres on Jennings Creek in 1816.
We know that Samuel Jones was the first land owner, in this section, because the original land patent was used in a land transaction in recent years. This land was claimed both by Virginia and N. Carolina, and it is now known from which state this land was granted to him. The Mathias line ran through Lafayette, and would throw most of Sam Jones’ land in Kentucky; the Walker line, now used puts the line in Tennessee.
We believe Sam Jones to have been a Revolutionary soldier. Reference to the name of Samuel Jones are made in N. C. Continental Troops, in the N. C. Register, in The State and Colonial Records of N. C. , and in Heltman’s Historical Register. In Saffell’s Records of the Revolutionary War p. 503 under a list of officers, for services, Virginia Land warrants were issued prior to Dec. 1774, the name of Samuel Jones appears. In Tennessee Land records, Military Warrant Book A No. 1 p. 170, Wm. Tuton apears as the assignee of Samuel Jones in 1787.
Sam Jones’ wife is known to us as “Granny Jones Delilah.” She lived to be 116 years old, living at the time John Smith was courting her great granddaughter, with her granddaughter Lucinda Hutchinson Shepherd.
The children of Samuel Jones and his wife were:
1. Betty Jones M. Thomas Hutchinson (of whom later)
2. Lemuel
3. Polly “Popin” M. Borden
Tradition says that Samuel Jones had a half-brother, Peter Bean. He is believed to have been very wealthy. His grave is supposed to be located in the graveyard on the bluff, above where he built his house.
Thomas Hutchinson came from the director of Gainsboro. His father died when he was very young, his mother marrying again a Mr. Roddy, having two children by the second marriage, Filmore and Capt. Wm. Roddy. Thomas Hutchinson owned 640 acres of land.
The children of Thomas and Betty Jones Hutchinson were:
1. Margaret Peggy, m. a Borden
2. John Finn, son-in-law, Simpson County.
3. Charles m. Phoebe and Eliza Stevens
4. Wade m. Miss Haliburton, Eliza Stewart.
5. Andrew m. Martha Cornwell
6. Betty, m. Cephas King
7. Lucinda, m. James Shepherd. (of whom later)
James Shepherd came from Illinois. It is believed that he first settled near Gordonsville where 250 acres were granted to James Shepherd Jan. 9, 1830 on the waters of Smith’s Fork, No. 11307 entry No. 1578, for one cent per acre. They resided near Gordonsville, after his marriage to Lucinda Hutchinson, until 1857, when James went to visit his people in Illinois. His wife received a letter, saying that he was starting home by way of the Mississippi River. Nothing more was ever heard from him and it is supposed that he was quarantined at St. Louis during the Cholera plague and died there. He is said to have been well educated, and tradition has it that he attended school at some time with Alexander Campbell, becoming a convert to his church.
Two children were born to them:
1. Mary Elizabeth, m. John Smith (mentioned before.)
2. Thomas Shepherd, m. Mary Mitchell--had twelve children, relative of Sarah Mitchell, I believe, a niece.
From Census records of Smith County, Tennessee 1820.
ALLEN
No. Name
4. Allen, Grant
5. Allen, Thomas
9. Allen, Robert
12. Allen, James
34. Allen, William
37. Allen, Isaac
57. Allen, Hezakiah
58. Allen, Sarah
62. Allen, Moses
MITCHELL
126. Mitchell, Charles
1354. Mitchell, David
1381. Mitchell, Allen