Crawford County GaArchives Photo Tombstone.....Smith, Anthony Garnett Sr. [Reverend] [Whole Marker With The Methodist Clergy Grave Marker] ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: T. Bradford Willis http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007638 February 4, 2013, 12:38 pm Cemetery: Anthony Garnett Smith, Sr. Family Cemetery Name: Anthony Garnett Sr. [Reverend] [Whole Marker With The Methodist Clergy Grave Marker] Smith Date Of Photograph: November 26, 2012 Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/crawford/photos/tombstones/anthonygarnettsm/smith17933gph.jpg Image file size: 1155.1 Kb This photograph was taken by T. Bradford Willis. Rev. Anthony Garnett Smith, Sr. Birth: Aug. 30, 1776 Cumberland County Virginia Death: Jan. 18, 1852 Crawford County Georgia Rev. Anthony Garnett Smith, Sr. was born August 30, 1776 in Cumberland County, Virginia and later died January 18, 1852 in Crawford County, Georgia. He married Mary "Polly" Allen on January 19, 1797 according to the A. G. Smith, Sr. Bible. He began his ministry in 1807 and was licensed to preach in 1801 (Methodist Preachers in Georgia, 1783-1900, A Supplement.) Rev. Anthony Garnett Smith, Sr. is listed, as are many of his relatives, as a charter member of the Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church in Oglethorpe County, GA in 1820. They moved to Crawford County, GA circa 1824. He and his wife are buried at the A. G. Smith family cemetery near his home in Crawford County, GA. He was the son of Robert Smith, Jr. (1749-1834) and Hannah Andrews Smith (1755-1845). Robert Smith, Jr. was a veteran of the American Revolution. In The Southern Christian Advocate on March 12, 1852 appears the following obituary: Died the 18th Jan. in Crawford Co. Ga. Rev. Anthony G. Smith [Sr.] in the 76th year of his age. He embraced Religion when about 11 years of age and joined the M. [Methodist] E. [Episcopal] Church at Smith's Chapel, Cumberland County, Va. Ever afterwards he undoubtedly believed that a change was divinely wrought upon his heart, for several years after his conversion he experienced a large measure of religious enjoyment but coldness and back-sliding succeeded and for some years his heart was a stranger to the comforts of DIVINE GRACE, but in 1801 he was reclaimed and was fully restored into the joys of salvation. During the same year he was licensed to preach. In 1811 he received ordination [as a deacon] at the hands of Bishop [Francis Asbury] Asberry and in 1812 was ordained [an elder] by Bishop [William] McKendree. During the last six years of his life his mind was almost a total wreck, yet, strange to say, he did not lose his consciousness of the things of GOD, and for a long time he continued to pray regularly and devoutly in the service of the family Altar. Religion had become a habit of his heart and life. He was never heard during his affiliation but to pronounce the name of GOD but with tones and tokens of Holy Reverence. He never forgot the name of JESUS, it sounded sweetly to his ears and amidst the decay of his mind his memory was graven like a heavenly talisman upon his heart. The last act of his ministry was singularly touching and memorable to those present. It was at the burial of one of his grandchildren. The corpse was composed to its sepulcher, but there was none found to breath a prayer over the remains, ere dust was consigned to dust; when unexpectedly to all, this aged and smitten servant of GOD raised his voice in one of the most appropriate and impassioned Prayers which has ever been echoed from the opened grave to the ears of GOD. Thus when reason seemed to forsake her throne, Grace maintained its impire of the heart. When the temple had fallen to decay, Holy fire still radiated from its altar, consecrating its very ruins. Bro. Smith's piety was eminently characterized by firmness of faith and a professed love for the Word of GOD, as a Minister he labored faithfully and very usefully in the local ranks, and was ever a warm friend and ally of his brethren in the itinerant work. He was a plain strong preacher of practical and experimental religion, and doubtless very many to whom he ministered will rise up in the last day to call him blessed. -C. R. J. +++ Source: Will Book Written: April 17, 1839 Recorded: March 3, 1852 Anthony Garnett Smith, Sr. Will: Crawford County State of Georgia I Anthony G. Smith of this county and state aforesaid calling to mind the uncertainty of life & the mortality of body & knowing that it is appointed for man once to die and after death the judgement, and being of sound & disposing mind do hereby make this my last will & testament hereby revoking all former wills heretofore made by me. First I recommend my soul to the protection of Almighty God in hopes of its gracious acceptance by him through the infinite merit(?) of our Lord & Saviour Jesus Christ through whose merit and atonement I hope and trust for eternal life and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent and Christian manner, believing in the resurrection of the body and that state of eternal felicity at the right hand of God, prepared for the penitent believer with a lively hope of enjoying that state of blessedness where soul and body will be reunited & spend a happy eternity in the presence & enjoyment of their Savior & God. And whereas it has pleased Almighty God to bless me with a portion of this worlds goods I herewith make the following disposition of the same. My wish and desire is and I hereby direct that there shall be no appraisement of my estate and that my beloved wife Mary H. Smith remain in the practicable (?) possession of the same to manage it with the aid of my executors to promote the interest of the same together with the interest of the legatees, my wish is & I hereby direct that when my daughter, Emily C. and my son Carey H. Smith marry or become(?) of age that my wife with my executors shall allot & give unto(?) each of them the said Emily C. & Cary H. Smith such Negroes having reference to such as I gave my other children to be appraised at the same ratio as I valued those I gave my other children. Also one horse each to be valued at these then values together with Beds, Bedsteads, & furniture household & Kitchen furniture & stock such as my other children received and which is not included in this amount they are charged with in a schedule of property & money they my children, who are married have received heretofore and which shall not be charged to Emily C. & Cary Hull, and whereas my son A. [Anthony] Garnett Smith [Jr.] has not received his stock Household & Kitchen furniture, I hereby direct that is shall be delivered unto him when he applies for the same he having heretofore received his bed & furniture. I hereby direct that my debts maybe be paid as soon as may be convenient or as they become due and that the fund remaining on hand & the money due my estate be collected as soon as may be and the same be divided among my children who are of age or their representatives so as to make them equal, with what they have received heretofore proved & the sum is sufficient, if not beginning with the lowest account(?) and make them equal as far as the sum is sufficient. The balance of my estate I wish to remain in the possession of my beloved wife, Mary H. Smith during her widowhood and I hereby direct that the carriage and pair of gentle horses shall be kept for her use, during her widowhood or natural life. And should she think proper to marry again I hereby lend her during her natural life a childs part of my personal estate then? remaining which at her death shall be equally divided amongst my children or their legal representatives. At the marriage or death of my beloved wife, Mary H. Smith, I wish my estate both real and personal of every description to be so divided among all of my children viz Sarah W. Colquitt, Johanna A. Andrews, Mary A. Bradley, Anthony Garnett Smith, Wesley F. Smith, Emily C. Smith, Carey H. Smith and the children of my daughter Zilah [sic] A. Johnson [-] Luke G., Robt. Thomas & Harriet Ann Johnson who shall receive the dividend that would of rights have fallen to their mother, Zillah A. Johnson were she in life so as to make them all equal having reference to this schedule above alluded to & here I think its best to leave the manner of proceeding after my decease to those living with this Motto, act in peace, live in peace and may the God of peace bless you my children & descendants through life & save you eternally. My wish and desire is that when it may be practicable that 2 marble slabs shall be procured from Cherokee. One to be placed over my grave the other over my beloved wifes after her decease enclosed with this instrument will be a short epitaph subject to the revision of my friends. The dividend going to Nathan Johnson's children above named shall be paid to him who is their natural Guardian, and he is thereby authorized if he thinks proper to apply a part of that amount to placing a tombstone (a marble slab) over his late wife (my daughters) grave. I hereby direct that a solid stone wall be made around my graveyard of sufficient size for the use of my families burying ground and in case of any sale the burying ground or graveyard be exempted and provided for as the law may direct. I hereby constitute and appoint my sons, Anthony G. Smith & Wesley F. Smith my executors to this my last will and testament as also Carey H. Smith when he becomes of age. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this seventeenth day of April 1839. Anthony G. Smith Signed in presence of Curran Battle Ann J. Miller J.A. Miller ======= Crawford County. Court of Ordinary March term 1852 The last will and testament of Anthony G. Smith dec'd late of said county being brought & produced in Court by Wesley F. Smith & Carey H. Smith the Executors therein named(?) and proved by and upon this oath of James A. Miller & Ann I. Miller, subscribing Witnesses thereto. It is upon motion ordered by this Court that said Will be and the same is hereby held to be duly & legally proven & that the same be admitted to record and that this order be entered on the ? of By the Court James I Ray Ordinary The foregoing will of Anthony G. Smith dec'd and order duly recorded on 3rd day of March 1852. James J. Ray Ordinary Additional Comments: Appreciation is expressed to Virginia Crilley for transcribing his will which was difficult to decipher in places. Anthony Garnett Smith, Sr. was born on 30 Aug 1776 in Cumberland County, VA, and he died on 18 Jan 1852 in Crawford County, GA. He was a Methodist minister for many years and this is noted on his grave marker. He was buried at his family cemetery near his home in Crawford County, GA. Details about the marble markers and the rock wall around his cemetery are mentioned in this will in much detail. In the will, his wife's name appears as Mary H. Smith which is a bit confusing since he married Mary "Polly" Allen, and she was later buried beside him. Perhaps "H" was a middle name or the "H" in the will should be transcribed as an "A" for Allen. This will was sent many years ago by James Anthony "Pete" Vining of Thomaston, GA, a noted Smith family historian. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/crawford/photos/tombstones/anthonygarnettsm/smith17933gph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 11.7 Kb