To recap (for those who are not regular visitors to my blog) My 3rd Great Grandfather is Alexander Dock SMITH. He married Sarah "Catherine" WRIGHT a daughter of Hubbard WRIGHT and Massa FORD. For a long time it has puzzled me as to who the parents of Grandfather Alexander and his brother Timothy Caleb SMITH were. This week I stumbled upon some new information thanks to DNA and good old fashioned research on the part of myself and a few others.
What I do know is that Grandfather Alexander Dock SMITH was said to have came to Wayne County, Missouri from Smith County, Tennessee. The original information I located stated it was Macon County, however, we know that back when it occurred said county was known as Smith County as Macon had not yet been formed.
My 4th Great Grandfather Hubbard WRIGHT also came from Smith County on into Hancock Illinois with his three brothers one of which was named Hickerson WRIGHT.
On the 1830 Census for Smith County, Tennessee we find Grandfather Hubbard WRIGHT living next door to one Charles E. SMITH. Charles has a household total of 24 people, 19 of which were slaves. My interest was peaked when I found that entry because Hubbard WRIGHT`s daughter Catherine (My 3rd Great Grandmother) went on to marry Alexander SMITH, so naturally, I wondered could this neighbor Charles E. SMITH have been my 4th Great Grandfather?
In lieu of my suspicions I decided to check the 1840 Census, listed, I found an A. SMITH who I assume was Alexander Doc SMITH, but Charles was nowhere to be found in Smith County! How could he have just up and disappeared? This A. SMITH was neighbors to members of my WRIGHT family, so it further solidified my suspicions that I may indeed have found my SMITH family.
Since I had somewhat hit a brick wall I decided to turn to the folks at the Roots Web Smith County Tennessee List Service. I got some wonderful input from other researchers there and even a Random Act of Genealogical Kindness that gave me a lot of clues!
It appears as though this Charles Eton SMITH had several land transactions with various folks. Thanks to another researcher who generously located some land index records and shared them with me. She turned up the following clues:
Charles was listed on Deed record entry to a Frances YOUREE who sold land to Charles E. SMITH in Aug 1828 in Smith County, Tennessee.¹ 75 Acres from Frances YOUREE to Charles E. SMITH entered on page 557, Smith County Deed book I.
I believe the above mentioned Frances YOUREE to have been one William Francis YOUREE, son of Joseph YOUREE and Roseanne McSPADDEN; however, let it be known this couple is said to have also had a son named Frances YOUREE who married one Josephine McSPADDEN. It could have been either or of these two individuals.
In 1830 there was another deed in Smith County between Charles E SMITH and one Horace LAWSON. A quick search for the name Horace LAWSON turned up the following. He appears on an 1838 Smith County, TN tax list and he is also listed in 1850 as living North of the Cumberland and East of the Caney Forks Rivers in Smith County, Tennessee. I haven't located any connection between him and the SMITH family other than what was stated above with the sale of land between he and Charles E SMITH. A marriage entry states that he (Horace LAWSON) married one Tabitha M. ALEXANDER on 29 October, 1829 in Sumner County, Tennessee. Said Marriage Bond is also signed by one Mitton PARKER.
The next Deed entry took place on 29 March, 1832 between one Charles E SMITH and Eliza DAVIS. This sale was for a tract of land located on Goose Creek. I did locate a marriage record for an Eliza DAVIS and a Frank FISHER. I cannot be certain that this is the same Eliza DAVIS that appears in this Deed entry though. Any relationship to my SMITH family is unknown at this time.
Following that entry there appears the following: Charles was listed on a Deed Index record between Charles SMITH & Johnathan SMITH to Hezekiah LOVE deed on 15 Oct 1834 in Smith County, Tennessee. We cannot be certain that this is the same Charles SMITH as the initial E is dropped in this entry and for the record there have been found at least two Charles SMITH`s on the 1830 Census in Smith County, Tennessee. There is a marriage record between a Hezekiah LOVE and a Martha TERRY for Smith County, Tennessee. It may be the same Hezekiah that is listed within this Index entry.
On 27 March, 1835 there is an entry between Charles E SMITH and one Frederick N MITCHELL for a tract of land located on Goose Creek. On the 1838 Tax Records for Smith County, Tennessee is listed a F. N MITCHELL which is likely this same individual. Any relationship to the SMITH family is currently unknown.
The next entry we have is Frederick N MITCHELL to Charles E SMITH of Sumner County, Tennessee.200 Acres, 29 Mar, 1835 Page 200-201-Deed Book M (Smith County) It appears as though this is the same man listed above, apparently they traded land for some reason.
Next we find another land entry for one Charles E SMITH to Stephen W MALONE for: The land he received from the estate of his father William SMITH in Franklin County, TN on 26 Sep, 1842.Page 384-Deed Book Q. It turns out that Stephen MALONE was actually Major Stephen W. MALONE who married Charles Eaton SMITH`s sister Elizabeth.
Charles Eaton SMITH was the son of one William B SMITH and Althea EATON and the grandson of Samuel Jr. SMITH and Mary WEBB.
Charles will continue to be a research project for me until I can find a document or something that definitively connects him to my Alexander Dock SMITH and his brother Timothy Caleb SMITH.
*Thanks to everyone on the SMITH County L List who helped me with some information on Charles SMITH, too many to mention by name but you know who you are!
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