Georgia: Oglethorpe County: Robert Smith Biography ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Thomas Smith TomS11429@worldnet.att.net ==================================================================== BIOGRAPHY OF ROBERT SMITH Robert Smith was born 7 February 1748/49, in Cumberland County Virginia. He was the son of Robert Smith and Mary (unknown-possible Lee). He is a grandson of William Smith, of Cumberland County Virginia. Confusion exists about the name of Robert (1) second wife. Some claim that her name was Elizabeth James. Others refute this. Betty is proved to be the mother of Larkin, Byrd and Elizabeth Smith by her will. Miss Ruth Andrews compiled records of Robert Smith’s family in 1921. The information was obtained from Robert’s bible. The bible was in the possession of Mrs. Lucille Andrews Torrey of Mobile Alabama. Additional information was obtained from Robert’s son, Rev. Anthony Garnett Smith’s bible that was in the possession of Ms. Evelyn Smith (1973) and from family record compiled by Robert Hugh White Sr. A will of “Betty” Smith, dated 18 April 1804 in Littleton Parish, Cumberland County Virginia Robert (2) or George was not named. Three of her children, Larkin, Bird/Byrd and Elizabeth were. Larkin’s birth has been established as March 1760. George is supposed to have been born in 1758. Collateral data indicates that the first wife, Mary died late 1758. Robert (1) needed someone to care for his children, Robert (2) and George, so he married Elizabeth James in 1758/9. Robert served in the military during the Revolutionary War for a short period of time. A copy of his application for a pension has been transcribed and presented elsewhere. He was in the battle at Guilford Courthouse in North Carolina. This battle took place in February or March 1781. Cumberland County Order Book 1779-1794 page 198, a notation that “On November 15, 1781 it is certified that Robert Smith furnished 225 pounds of Beef for the Continental Service” The amount of the bill was 1 pound 17 Shillings and 6 pence.” In the Cumberland County Order Book 1776-1778, pages 373 and 381 Robert is referred too as “Robert Smith, Gentleman, one of the Justices.” From various indicators, Robert (2) was considered a wealthy man. He owned a large amount of land; he had at one time 18 slaves and possessed hard currency. He also had a large amount of “tobacco currency”. The settlement of his estate listed over $ 8,000.00 of items sold and over $ 16,000.00 passed on to his children. Robert (2) was a religious man. This is evident by the fact he helped create two Methodist Churches. One in Virginia and one in Georgia. The Church in Virginia was designated as “Smith Chapel”. The one in Georgia started out as a “Brush Arbor” but later a church was built and called Mt. Pleasant. SMITH’ CHAPEL SOURCE: Research paper of Lola F. Addleman, Cumberland County, Virginia The write-up by Mrs. Addleman is part of the Virginia W.P.A. Historical Inventory Project sponsored by the Virginia Conservation Commission under the direction of its Division of History. Credit to both The Commission and W.P.A. is requested for publication, in whole or in part. The following is abstracted from Virginia W.P.A. Historical Inventory Project dated June 1936. 1. SUBJECT: Smith Chapel 2. LOCATION: 4 miles south of Cumberland City Virginia on Davenport Road on route # 60, known as R.M. Glen’s Farm. 3. DATE: Prior to 1814 4. OWNERS: Robert Smith, to the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church 1814-1841. 5. DESCRIPTION: Situated on the Davenport Road and what is known now as R.M. Glenn’s Farm there are three corner stones all of which is left of what is known “Smith Chapel”. Records show that the church was rebuilt in 1831, and is erected just like the old one. The second chapel was thirty-two feet square, same pitch of the old one; two doors, six windows, eighteen lights with sills to be of good heart pine or white or post oak, twelve inches square with a lentel same size. The sleepers were four by eleven inches. Mortis in the side sill and lumber for the sleepers to be let in, good sound corner post the same size as the old ones. The wall had a post for every ten feet. The plates were five by twelve inches, joist were twelve feet apart, four by eleven inches. The rafters were twenty-six feet long, three inches thick, five inches at one end and seven inches at the other, weather boarding to be well painted and beaded. There was a good lap box and cornice, good floor, square joist. The doors were at the opposite isles. There were a number of seats of thick plank, sixteen inches wide, the backs of the seats came down upon the seats, a partition in the center and ends from the seat up to the top of the back with a cap on the seats from the partition out as far as the seats in form of a pew. The altar was eight by twelve feet with balusters around it. When the Chapel was rebuilt all of the sound timbers in the old building were used. 6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The deed of 1814 of Robert Smith to the Chapel Trustees” for ½ acre of ground to be used as a church speaks of this piece of ground as whereon the Chapel denominated “Smith’s Chapel” stands, shows there was a church here even before 1814. Also the plans for rebuilding in 1831, indicating then new one to be built just the same as the old one, shows there must have been here for some years earlier, for if the old one was in good condition they would not have been building a new one on the same site and just like the old one. According to the Church Conference Report there were services being held in this church in 1841, how much later I have been unable to find out. Mrs. Lucie Woodruff says she attended services there when a child. The deed if 1814 speaks of a cemetery of which there is no signs. Whether anyone was buried there, or just so much land reserved for a cemetery is not known. It is said that Miss Nannie Brooks, deceased aunt of Judge Smith of Cumberland Virginia was the organist for years. It is also said that someone who was organist there got mad over some church affairs and moved her membership to “Tar Wallet Methodist” (which was abandoned in 1935) and from this a break in the church. It grew weaker and weaker until it was abandoned. Lorenza Dow preached here at pone time so it was said. There used to be a hill in the road in front of where this church stood. During the last few years the hill has been cut down by a road machine. This hill used to be and still is called “Chapel Hill” 7. ART: Nothing written 8. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: Informant: Mrs. William Allen, Cumberland Virginia. Court Records, Cumberland Virginia. /////END///// A notation appears on the front of the above publication. “See Va. Mag. of History, vols. 33-34-35-36-37 “Diary of John Early.” Another notation was made by Marshall Richardson that he had received a copy from Mae Peters Meinhard, Rt. 3 Box 245, Cumberland Co. VA 20304. On 14 Sep 1983. Personal note: While attending a conference in Sioux Falls SD, I was passing an evening in the Main Library. I discovered an abstract of John Early’s diary. I briefly scanned a portion of the diary and noted an entry that John Early had arrived at “Brother Robert Smith’s house” late one cold wet evening and was spending the night prior to preaching a sermon the next day. I am not sure of the date but it seemed to me it was in 1783. Robert and his brother Larkin with their families moved to Wilkes County Georgia, that portion that later became Oglethorpe County, in 1787. Upon their arrival Robert and family attended church mostly under a large tree. Conditions permitting, he would travel to a local church for services. As Robert aged and became too feeble to travel any distance to attend church he conferred with neighbors and they agreed to build a Brush Arbor on his land in 1814. The Brush Arbor was located about ½ mile from the present Mt. Pleasant Church location. Attendees sat on puncheons. There is a difference of opinion as to when Robert moved to Georgia. One opinion is that he did not move to Georgia until early nineteenth century or about 1810-1814. Another opinion is he moved in 1787. This is based upon three items. Robert was present and paying taxes in Oglethorpe County in 1796. A statement made by a clergyman that “Robert moved to Wilkes County sometime in the later part of 1787 (his son Robert S. was born April 26 of that year in Virginia)”. His son James was born in December 1788 in Georgia. Robert received a land grant from the State of Georgia in 1787. He also drew land in all of the subsequent Georgia Land Lotteries. Robert drew land in the 1827 Land Lottery in Lee County and Muscogee Georgia 11/25/1836. Thirty-five years after signing of the Treaty of Paris, a limited class of Revolutionary Veterans were given a preference under the Act of December 1815, which sat up the Third Land Lottery of 1820. Each veteran had to be a resident for three years and had to sign an oath as follows: “I (name) do further swear that I was and officer or soldier (as the case may be) during the Revolutionary War, that I was engaged in the service of the United States, and that I am an invalid or indigent officer or soldier (as the case may be) of the Revolutionary War. The Fifth land lottery of 1827 was established in 1825. A veteran must be a resident for 3 years and received three or four draws less any fortunate draw in the Third Land Lottery. He must also take the following oath. “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I served as a soldier in the armies of the United States during the Revolutionary War a tour or tours of duty, and am entitled to draw according to the provisions of this act; so help me God”. The same preference was given to all Revolutionary Veterans by the act of December 21, 1830, setting up the sixth (Cherokee) land Lottery of 1832. There were additional requirements and another oath. “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I served as a soldier in the armies of the United States during the Revolutionary War a tour or tours of duty, and that I did not anytime during the said war bear arms or act as a spy or emissary against the United States, or in any manner aid or abet the enemy thereof, and am entitled to a draw or draws according to the provisions of this act, so help me God”. There were 2069 Revolutionary veterans in the third (1820), Fifth (1827), and sixth (1832) Land Lotteries. Revolutionary Veterans did not receive and preference in the First (1805), Second (1807) or Fourth (1821) Land Lotteries. MT. PLEASANT METHODIST CHURCH In 1820 two acres of land was purchased from Robert Smith and a small house was built and designated as Mt. Pleasant Meetinghouse. The house was built mostly by members of the congregation. William England cut the first sapling for the clearing where the house stood. There were thirty charter members of the church in 1820. Part of the membership from Rock Springs and Prospect moved their membership to Mt. Pleasant. The Protestant or Prospect at Privilege gave away and united with Mt. Pleasant. In 1920, the one hundredth anniversary of the church, many of the original surnames appeared on the church roll. In 1850 fourteen feet were added to the length of the original building. In 1873 the house was ceiled and glass put in the windows. Not all members of the church were agreeable to this foolish extravagance. The present building was erected in 1899. Robert was very active in his church. The superintendent of the church was passed on from one England to another England. From 1899 to about 1983 the church had its normal ups and downs as the population increased and decreased. From 1983 to about 1996 the church declined in membership to the point that it was not supporting the community or a full time preacher. The Methodist Conference removed the classification as a church from Mt. Pleasant. The present classification is again Mt. Pleasant Meetinghouse. When the church lost its designation as a church Mr. England, the church superintendent took the church records home with him. A fire destroyed all of the records. During the fall of 1998 a visit to the church reveled that the church and the cemetery is in need of maintenance and repair. At the backside of the cemetery the undergrowth is so thick you cannot read the headstones. No one seems to care for the cemetery or the church. About 1997 two headstones appeared in the cemetery of Mt. Pleasant Church. The headstones were furnished by the Veterans Memorial Services for veterans who did not have a headstone. No one seems to know who requested and had installed the headstones. It is believed that the headstones are memorial headstones. Robert is supposed to be buried in the family cemetery located not far from Robert’s home place. Larkin may be buried there also but there is a reference that he is buried in the Milner Cemetery. DOCUMENTATION OR SOURCE: 1. Will of Betty Smith, Will Book 3 page 258, Littleton Parish Cumberland County Virginia 2. 1796 Tax List Oglethorpe County Georgia 3. Ordinary’s Office May Term 1835. Return of division of the estate of Robert Smith 4. Marriage & Death Notices from the Southern Christian Advocate Volume 1 1837-1860 5. Will of Robert Smith, recorded 15 January 1835 Oglethorpe County Georgia 6. Pension Application R-9842 7. Letter to R.W. White, 14 June 1933, about Robert’s pension. 8. Headstone located at Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church, Oglethorpe County Georgia 9. Mt. Pleasant Church Centennial Anniversary Book 10. DAR application for membership for Viola Maud White Lewis Number 186173 11. Veterans Administration records of Robert Smith 12. Cumberland County Virginia Order Books 1776-1778 & 1779 – 1794 13. Georgia Grants Book C: page 230 14. Knights Roster page 368. List of Revolutionary Soldiers. Appendix B, 5th Annual Report No, 210, 57th Congress, 2nd Session Pages 320-350. 15. State of Virginia W.P.A. project about Smith’s Chapel. 16. Authentic List of All Land Lottery Grants Made To Veterans of The Revolutionary War by the State of Georgia. Compiled by Alex M. Hitz, Surveyor-General Department, second edition 1966. Thomas W. Smith Grandheart1@hotmail.com TomS11429@worldnet.att.net