The Smiths of Virginia; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., Vol. 4, No. 1 Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** THE SMITHS OF VIRGINIA. BY THE EDITOR. I. FAMILY OF JOHN SMITH, OF PURTON. Richard Bernard, of Petsworth, Buckinghamshire, was born in 1618, and married Anne Corderoy, born in 1622; they were licensed to be married at St. Andrews-in-the-Wardrobe November 24, 1634(1). Bernard's arms were a bear rampant(2). The family is found in York county in 1647, and that year Richard Bernard had a lease of Pryor's plantation above Yorktown. In 1661, "Anna Bernard, now of Purton(3), in Petsoe Parish", Gloucester county (which Page 47. parish was doubtless named in honor of the Bernard family), sold Pryor's plantation, purchased by her in 1652 of Thomas Edwards, of the Inner Temple, London, gentleman, and Margaret, his wife, one of the two daughters of William Pryor, deceased; and the deed is witnessed by Francis Bernard and John Smith. Mrs. Anne Bernard was guardian of the orphans of Col. Samuel Matthews, of Warwick county; and in 1670 Major John Smith was a guardian. In 1653 Mrs. Anne Bernard wrote to Walter Brodhurst(4), of Northumberland county, a letter, in which she refers to her daughter, Anne Smith. 1. Major John Smith, first of Warwick county, Speaker of the House of Burgesses, had occasion on March 13, 1657, as presiding officer of the House of Burgesses, to voice the refusal of the members to accept the order of dissolution by Governor Mathews. They con- tinued sitting and won the case. Their declaration, signed first by "John Smith, Speaker", runs: "That we find by the records the present power of government to reside in such persons as shall be empowered by the Burgesses (the representatives of the people) who are not dissolvable by any power extant in Virginia but the House of Burgesses". The House elected Mathews Governor, and issued orders, over the name of John Smith, Speaker, to the sergeant- at-arms, to execute no warrants but those of the Speaker(5). In 1663 a conspiracy of the servants was exposed by "Berkenhead, a servant of John Smith, of Purton". The Assembly, September 16, 1663, "Resolved that Berkenhead (the discoverer of the 'horrid plot") have his freedom and 5000 pounds of tobacco given him in Gloucester county, and that his master be satisfied in said county for his time". It was also resolved that the 13th of September, the day fixed for the alleged rising, "be annually kept holy."(6). John Smith became Lieutenant Colonel before 1674, and in that year he was agent for Mr. Richard Tyler, of London, who had lands in Gloucester county, by the courtesy of England(7). During Bacon's Rebellion, Smith ws one of the prominent men whom the great patriot compelled to take the oath of allegiance at Middle Plantation, on August 3, 1676(8). He was afterwards classed by the king's commissioners among the "eminent sufferers" by the rebels. March 7, 1675-6, Lt. Coll John Smith, Major John Lewis, Capt. Philip Lightfoot, Mr. Thomas Royster, and Mr. John Buckner, patented land in Gloucester Co. Page 48. Several seals, bearing three ounces' heads, descended in John Smith's family, one of which is still in the possession of the Daniel family living at Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. J. Smith Davison, late of Warren county, Va., wrote in 1854 that another heirloom was a cream pot(9) which "is now (1854) owend by Mrs. Anna M. Turner, to whom it was given by her great grandmother, Mrs. Anna Smith, bearing the crest of the family, a nag's head engraved on it * * An old paper now in my possession, found among the papers of Gen. John Smith, of Hackwood, is endorsed "The ages of my father's children". This is a literal copy of the paper, taken itself from the old Purton Bible, now lost: 2. JOHN SMITH(10) AND MARY WARNER(10) were married ye 17th of Feby 1680. 3. Mildred Smith was born y 20th of Feb 1681-2 it being Munday about a quarter before nine in y morning. 4. Mary Smith was born ye 29th of April 1684 about one o'clock in ye morning - it being tewsday. 5. John Smith was born y 18th of July 1685 about a quarter after one in ye morning - it being Saturday. Mary Smith dyed ye 18th of June 1684. 6. Augustine Smith ws born ye 16th of June 1689 about twelve o'clock at night it being on a Thursday. 7. Elizabeth Smith was born ye 25th of May 1690 it being Sunday about eight in ye evening. 8. Philip Smith(11) was born ye 1st of June 1695 at a quarter past two in ye morning it being Saturday. 9. Ann Smith was born ye 2nd November 1697 about half an hour past 5 in ye evening it being Saturday. CAPT. JOHN SMITH Senr of Purton died ye 14th of April, 1698. Mr Robert Porteus(12) & Mildred Smith were marryed ye 17th of Augt 1700. MRS. MARY SMITH(13) Senr of Purton dyed Nov ye 12th 1700. Henry Harrison and Elizabeth Smith were marryed April 1st 1708. John Smith and Ann Alexander were marryed 8br y 18th 1711. Philip Smith & Mary Mathews were marryed Feb 9th 1711. Augustine Smith & Sarah Carver were marryed y 9th of 9ber 1711. 5. John Smith owned "Purton" in Glocuester Co. 6. Augustine Smith owned "Shooters Hill", in Middlesex Co. 8. Philip Smith inherited "Fleet's Bay" in Northumberland Co. The following register of AUGUSTINE SMITH and SARAH CARVER of "Shooter's Hill" was copied by General Smith into his niece's Bible, along with the "Purton" register. Augustine Smith and Sarah Carver, daughter of John Carver(14) of Gloucester, were married November 9, 1711. Issue: Page 49. 9, I. Mary Smith was born 30th of July 1713. 10. II. John Smith was born 13th of November 1715 (of "Shooter's Hill"). 11. III. Sarah Smith was born 8th Septr 1717. 12. IV. Mildred Smith was born the 22d of September 1719. I. Mary Smith died the 8th of June 1720. 13. V. Elizabeth Smith was born the 8th of May 1722. 14. VI. Ann Smith was born 10th of February 1724. VI. Ann Smith died the 2nd of June 1724. 15. VII. Susanna Smith ws born the 27th April 1725. 14. VIII. Jane Sith was born the 6th of March 1726. Sarah Smith Senr died the 12th of March 1726 age 31 years 10 months & 7 days. VIII. Jane Smith died March 29th 1732. Mordecai Cook & Sarah Smith were married the 6th of Novr 1735. John Smith and Mary Jaquelin were married the 17th Novr 1737. John Willis and Mildred Smith were married 26th January 1743. Philip Aylett & Elizabeth Smith were married 16th March 1749. The following register of JOHN SMITH, son of Augustine Smith and Sarah Carver, was copied by Edward Jaquelin Davison from the original Bible register: John Smith(15) and Mary Jaquelin were married the 17th day of November 1737 By the Revrd. Wm. Dawson at James Town. 17. I. Augustine Smith was born the 3 of Jan at 5 o'Clock in the evening at Yorktown 1739 & Christened on the 15th of Jany by the Revrd. Mr. Fountain [Fontaine]. 18. II. Martha Jaqueline Smith was born 12th Novr 1740, it being on a Wensday about 11 o'Clock in the forenoon. Her Aunt her Godmother & M. S.(?) [This was the aunt for whom she was named, Miss Martha Jaquelin.] 19. III. Sarah Smith was boran the 11th Novr 1742 about 9 o'Clock at night, her Aunt Cook & E. Smith with Mr. Phillip Grymes Godfather and Mothers. 20. IV. Mary Smith was born the 17th Septr 1744 at 6 o'Clock in the morning. Richard Ambler Esqr Majr Berkeley Godfathers, Mrs. Berkeley and Milld Willis G.M. [Godmothers.] 21. V. Jaquelin Smith was born the 2nd of July 1746 about 4 o'Clock in the morning and died the 24th Feb 1747. 22. VI. Elizabeth Smith was born the 29th Decr 1747 abt 3 in the morning and died the 10th September 1748. 23. VII. John Smith was born the 7th of May 1750 about five in the morning. [This is General John Smith, of "Hackwood."] 24. VIII. Edward Smith was born the 11th of June 1752 about 1 in the morning. Register(16) of Edward Jaquelin of Jamestown: Edward Jaquelin (b. 1668, d. 1739), son of John Jaquelin and Elizabeth Page 50. Craddock of Kent, England, emigrated to Virginia about the year 1697, and married for his second wife, 1706-7, Martha (b. 1686, d. 1738) dau. of William Cary, Gent., of Warwick Co., son of Miles Cary. He was a merchant of prominence and wealth at Jamestown. Issue: Mathew Jaquelin was born 1707-8 and died 1727. Elizabeth Jaquelin was born Oct. 1709 and died 1759. Martha Jaquelin was born Jany 1711 and died 1804. Mary Jaquelin was born March 1714 and died Oct. 4, 1764. Edward Jaquelin was born Dec. 1716 and died 1733-4. Elizabeth Jaquelin married Richard Ambler, the old Colonial treasurer, ancestor of all the Virginia Amblers. Martha Jaquelin remained single, and died at the advanced age of 95. She was known as "Lady" Jaquelin on account of her high, aristocratic ideas, and it is said she waited for a duke or a count to come over and address her. At the age of 50 she took upon herself the title of "Mistress", a custom in vogue in England amongst aged spinsters at that day. Mary Jaquelin married John Smith, a son of Augustine Smith and Sarah Carver. The two sons of Edward Jaquelin died in youth, so that the name Jaquelin as a sirname became extinct with the death of their father, they having pre-deceased him. Martha Jaquelin and her son, Edward, gave to the church at Jamestown a silver baptismal font in 1733-4, which, after the destruction of the church, was returned to Col. John Ambler as the nearest representative of the donors, and was by him presented to Monumental church, Richmond (where it now does service), on the express condition that it should be retained in all time in its present shape. These are the inscriptions engraved upon it. This is that around the rim on the upper side: "After the church at James City was destroyed this basin was returned to Col. John Ambler, of Jamestown, as the representative of the donor, and by him was presented, in the year 1831, to the Monumental church, city of Richmond, upon the condition that it should be retained in all time in its present shape for the use of the church". The following is on the bottom, "Given by Martha, the wife of Edward Jaquelin, and Edward, their son, for the use of the church in James City. The last Dyed in Hackny - Interred in Shadwell church-yard. Aged 18." NOTES. 1. Chester's London Marriage Licenses. 2. York Records. 3. Purton Plantation lies on York River. 4. His widow married Col. John Washington. 5. Hening Stats. 6. Ibid. 7. General Court Records MS. 8. Anne Cotton's "Bacon Proceedings", Force's Tracts, Vol. I. 9. Mr. Edward Jaquelin Davison (nephew of J. Smith Davison), to whom I Page 51. am indebted for much that follows, says, "The cream-pot mentioned may have been a Jaquelin relic, as the same design appears in botht eh Jaquelin and Smith crests, with the exception that the former had the head, or neck, transfixed by a spear. My uncle was remarkably accurate in everything he did, and I am sure General Smith's version was given correctly. The Bible register was copied by General Smith, 6th August, 1773, just before he removed to Frederick county, as he copied the same data into a Bible for his niece at that time, a copy of which I had sent me by her daughter, an old lady now residing in Richmond. I have a copy furnished from an entirely different souce, it having been taken from a copy made from the old Bible itself, which was some years since in the possession of Capt. Boyd Smith of Alexandria, and I presume was destroyed during the late war. This gentleman was a descendant of General Smith's eldest brother, Augustine. I am sure Augustine Smith was an Episcopal clergyman, at least I have been told so. All of these copies of the "Purton" register have been identical, which undoubtedly is verification sufficient. 10. According to a deed dated 1708 in York county, Mrs. Mildred Warner bought land of her brother, Thomas Reade. On her death she left the same to her son, Robert Warner, who dying childless, the land went to her three daughters, Isabella who married John Lewis, Mildred who married Lawrence Washington (Grandfather of George Washington), and Mary who married John Smith deceased. 11. Mr. E. J. Davison adds an item here s given by Gen. Smith, of Hackwood, and as coming from one of his correspondents, both being identical; "Philip Smith, of Northumberland, died June 4, 1743, being 48 years and 3 days old." 12. Robert Porteus married secondly Elizabeth, daughter of Hon. Edmund Jennings, mother of Beilby Porteus, Bishop of Chester. She, Elizabeth, died 20 January, 1754, aet. 60, and was buried in St. Martin's, Cony St., York. (Jening's Pedigree from New York Curio.) 13. In the Petsworth Parish Vestry Book, Capt. John Smith appears as vestryman, in room of Capt. Lightfoot, October 5, 1691. An order was made by the vestry about the L10 left by him to the poor. Under date of October 1, 1701, it is stated that "Madam Mary Smith" left a legacy of L5 to be distributed among the poor. 14. COPY OF A DEED OF JOHN CARVER OF "GLOSTER". Know all men by these presents that I John Carver in Gloster County in Virginia, Doe by these presents out of my Love & Affection I have for my sonn William Carver & opon the Consideration of his being Joyned in Matrimony with Dionesia Bayley by the will & Appointment of Almighty God, Doe give him & his heires for Ever the one halfe of the Seat of Land he now Lives opon with pportion of houseing plantation & fenceing & one halfe of the Stock of Cattle and hogs now belonging to itt & one mare & Colt & a Bay horse & the household goods there belonging & two negroes & one Negroe Boy named Robin, Nan & jack, & to be in possession of all of wich att the time of his Marriage as above said. & Doe further give the Remainder of the Said Land att my Decease or Departure out of this World, all which premises Above Mentioned I Page 52. Doe p'mise & oblige my Selfe to make an Acknowledgment of the Same in Court to be there Recorded after the time of there Marriage When Demanded as Witness my hand this 15th Day of May 1694-'5. JOHN CARVER. Test Conquest Wyatt Richard Bayley George Seaton At a Court held for Gloucester County the 16th day of December 1696. This day came into Court John Carver presented and acknowledged the above Deed unto William Carver upon whose motion y same is admitted to Record & is Recorded. P. BEVERLEY, Cl. Cor. 15. These dates were supplied by Mr. Davison from other sources: "John Smith, Sen., of Shooter's Hill, died November 19th, 1771, at 3 in the morning, aged 56 years, at 'Harewood', the house of Samuel Washington, near Winchester, to which he was on a visit. Mary Smith, Senr., of Shooter's Hill, died Novemer 19, 1754, aged 50 years." "'Shooter's Hill', the home of the Smiths in Middlesex county, was situated on the Rappahannock River, not far from the town of urbanna. The house was a large three-story brick, covered on the top with lead, and had a fish-pond on it, where a mess of fish might be caught at any time. John Smith, the proprietor, lived in style, with his coach-and-six, and three postillions in livery. The place descended to Dr. Augustine Jaqueline Smith, son of Augustine Smith, eldest son of John Smith and Mary Jacquelin, and was burned while the owner was in Europe". - Mrs. mary Smith Mutter, granddaughter of Rev. Thomas and Mary Smith. 16. "The above register was furnished me from a number of sources, and in the main they all agree; there are, however, a few discrepancies. One gives the date of the marriage of E. J. and M. C., as 1697, while his wife at that time ws but nine years of age. A remarkably youthful bride! Full investigation gives the above result". - E. J. Davidson. (To be Continued.)