H. SMITH
From the files of Stephen M. Lawson
Search for the Smith Ancestry
There have been suggestions that Rev. Henry SMITH was from
Leicestershire, England as part of the SMITH alias HERIZ family. No
substantive evidence has been seen that supports this claim, and the
sources thus far located are contradictory in details. Considerable
information on the SMITH alias HERIZ line
is available on
the
web site of Hugo
HERIZ-SMITH.
Documentation of the parents of Rev. Henry SMITH is desired.
A lenthy footnote appears in
The History of Ancient Wethersfield,
Connecticut, Volume II - Genealogies and Biographies,
by Dr. Henry R. Stiles (1904) with alternative conjectures about the
possible ancestry of Rev. Henry SMITH, including his education at
Sidney Sussex and Magdalene Colleges, Cambidge University. As an
alternative for Henry SMITH's education, Donald Lines Jacobus, in
Hale,
House
and
Related
Families,
(1978, Baltimore), page 730, writes that "The origin of Rev. Henry
Smith has not been ascertained. He may have been the Henry Smith who
matriculated from Kings College, Cambridge, A.B., 1619/20; Fellow of
Kings."
The Smith Family in America
Rev. Henry and Dorothy Smith
Henry SMITH - b. about 1600, England; d. 1648, Wethersfield,
CT; will dated May
8, 1648. His parents have not been
identified. Henry may have been educated for the
ministry at Sidney Sussex College (beginning 1617) and Magdalene
College, Cambridge University (BA 1621/2; MA 1625), or at King's
College, Cambridge University (BA 1619/20). A Rev. Henry SMITH
was ordained by the Bishop of Peterborough on Jun. 8, 1623. He
probably arrived in New England about 1636/7 with his second wife
and young children, and by 1637 he was at Wethersfield, Hartford
Co., CT as the first settled pastor. His first wife's name, by
whom he had 4 children is not known. Married second about 1635,
England. The following is a portion of a letter written by Henry's
son Samuel, and provides a portrait of the minister. However,
the statement about first settling at Watertown is not supported
by any contemporary evidence.
Hadley, Massacusetts Colony, Jan. ye Firste, 1698/99
My Dear & Dutiful Son:
I was of so tender an Age at the Death of my beloved Father, that I am
possessed of but little of the Information for which you seek. My
Revered Father was an ordained Minister of ye Gospelle, educate at
Cambridge in England, & came to yis Land by reason of Ye Great
Persecution by which ye infamous Archbiship Laud and ye Black Tom
Tyrante (as Mr. Russell was always wont to call ye Earl of Strafforde)
die cause ye reign of his Majestie, Charles ye First, to loose favor in
ye sight of ye people of England. My Father & Mother came over in
1636/37, firste to Watertown which is neare Boston, & after a yeare
or two to Weathersfield on ye great River, where he became ye firste
settled Pastor. Concerning of ye earlie days I can remember but little
save Hardship. My Parents had broughte both Men Servants & Maid
Servants from England, but ye Maids tarried not but till they got
married, ye wch was shortly, for there was great scarcity of Women in
ye Colonies. Ye men did abide better. Onne of em had married onne of my
Mother's Maids & they did come with us to Weathersfield, to our
grate Comforte for some years, untill they had manny littel onnes of
theire Owne. I do well remember ye Face & Figure of my Honoured
Father. He was 5 foote, 10 inches talle & spare of builde, tho not
leane. He was an Active as ye Red Skin Men & sinewy. His delighte
was in sportes of strengthe, & withe his owne Hands he did helpe to
reare bothe our owne House & ye Firste Meetinge House of
Weathersfield, wherein he preacht yeares too fewe. He was well Featured
& Fresh favoured with faire Skin & longe curling Hair (as neare
all of us have had) with a merrie eye & swete smilinge Mouthe, tho
he coulde frowne sternlie eno' when need was.
Dorothy - b. England; d. 1694, Hadley, MA; will dated
Feb. 16, 1681/2. Married second in 1649 John RUSSELL (b. Feb.
26, 1597, Suffolk, England; d. May 8, 1680, Hadley, MA), father
of Rev. John RUSSELL, successor to Rev. SMITH at Wethersfield,
CT, and first minister at Hadley, MA about 1659. Dorothy's surname
is sometimes given as COTTON, without substantive evidence (which
would be welcome). It may be that the COTTON surname is based
on a bequest in the 1652 will of Rev. John COTTON to "my
cousin Henery Smith." However, Rev. Henry SMITH was deceased
at the time of the will, and the bequest was for "diet, lodging
and apparel so long as he serve my wife, and £20" -
certainly not intended for Rev. Henry SMITH.
Children of Henry and his first wife
- Philippa - b. about 1622, England; d. by 1687. Married 1640
Deacon John BIRDSEY (d. Apr. 4, 1690, Stratford, CT). They were
admitted to church at Milford Aug. 23, 1640, and dismissed to church at
Stratford Mar. 19, 1649. John married second in 1688 Alice, widow of
Henry TOMLINSON. Children of Philippa and John: John married Phebe
WILCOXSON; and Johanna married Deacon Timothy WILCOXSON.
- Mary - b. about 1624, England. Married by 1643 Samuel HALE (bap.
Jul. 15, 1615, Watton at Stone, Hertfordshire, England; d. Jan. 13,
1710/1, Stratford, CT), son of John and Martha HALE . Children: Martha
died young; Samuel married first Ruth EDWARDS, and second Mary WELLES;
John married Hannah NOTT; Mary married first Caleb BENJAMIN, and second
Walter HARRIS; Rebecca married Nathaniel NUNN; Thomas married Naomi
KILBOURN; Ebenezer married first Mary, and second Mary (LOVELAND)
DICKINSON; and Dorothy married Jonathan HILLS.
- Peregrine - b. about 1628, England; d. before 1648, probably at
Wethersfield, CT. Did not marry.
- Rebecca - b. about 1631, England. Married first Samuel SMITH (b.
about 1625, England), son of Lt. Samuel and Elizabeth (SMITH) SMITH of
Wethersfield and Hadley. Divorced while Samuel was in VA. Rebecca
married second in 1669 Nathaniel BOWMAN (d. 1707, Wethersfield, CT). No
children.
Children of Henry and Dorothy Smith
- Dorothy - b. about 1636, England; d. 1706, Farmington, CT.
Married first John BLAKEMAN, son of Rev. Adam BLAKEMAN of Stratford,
CT. Children: John married Mary KIMBERLY; Ebenezer married first
Patience WILCOXSON, and second Abigail CURTIS; and Joseph married first
Hannah HALL, and second Esther WHEELER. Dorothy married second Oct. 21,
1665 Francis HALL (d. Mar. 5, 1689/90, Stratford, CT), third Mark ST.
JOHN (b. about 1634; d. Aug. 12, 1693, Norwalk, CT), and fourth Dea.
Isaac MOORE of Farmington.
- Samuel - b. Jan. 27, 1638/9, Wethersfield,
CT; d. Sep. 10, 1703, Hadley, MA.
- Joanna - b. Dec. 25, 1641, Wethersfield, Hartford Co., CT; d.
Dec. 28, 1664, Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA. Buried Dec. 29, 1664, Hadley,
Hampshire Co., MA with her infant daughter. Married Feb. 4, 1663/4,
Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA Philip RUSSELL (d. May 19, 1693), her
step-brother and son of Rev. John RUSSELL. Philip married second Jan.
10, 1665, Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA Elizabeth TERRY (bap. Jan. 4, 1642;
slain by Indians Sep. 19, 1677), daughter of Stephen TERRY; and third
Dec. 25, 1679, Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA Mary CHURCH (b. 1656; d. May
1, 1743), daughter of Edward CHURCH. Daughter of Joanna and Philip:
Joanna died as infant. Children of Philip and Elizabeth: John; Samuel
died young; Philip died young; and Stephen died young. Children of
Philip and Mary: Samuel; Thomas did not marry; Mary died as infant;
Mary married Joseph ROOT; Philip; and Daniel married Jerusha DICKINSON.
- Noah - b. Feb. 25, 1643/4, Wethersfield, CT. Died young.
- Elizabeth - b. Aug. 25, 1648, Wethersfield, CT. Died young.
Samuel and Mary (Ensign) Smith
Samuel SMITH - b. Jan. 27, 1639, Wethersfield, CT; d.
Sep. 10, 1703, Hadley, MA. Son of Henry SMITH
and Dorothy COTTON. Lived at Northampton, MA 1666-1680, then
moved to Hadley, MA to care for widowed mother. Included in the
letter referring to his father was the following reference to
his stepfather, John Russell: "he was sometimes a little
short of ye Charity which thinketh no Evil, at ye least I was
wont to think so when his Hand was too heavy on my Shoulders &
I remembered ye sweetnesse & ye Charity of my firste Father,
but on ye whole said he was a Goode Man & did well by my Mother
& her children & no doubt we did often try his wit &
temper." Married about 1662, probably at Hartford, CT.
Mary ENSIGN - bap. Aug. 1, 1649, Hartford, CT; d. Jul.
1, 1723, Suffield, CT. Daughter of James
ENSIGN and Sarah.
Children of Samuel and Mary Smith
- Samuel - b. about 1663, Wethersfield, CT; d. Sep. 1, 1723,
Suffield, CT. Married Nov. 18, 1685, Hadley, MA Joanna MCLATHLIN.
Children of Samuel and Joanna SMITH: Mary married John KENT; Samuel ;
Thankful married Jedidiah WINCHELL; Mindwell died young; Noah married
Mary JOHNSON; Experience died young; Ebenezer; Mindwell died young; and
Mercy.
- Sarah - b. about 1665, Wethersfield, CT. Married first Oct. 16,
1684 John LAWRENCE (slain by Indians 1694), and second Aug. 15, 1705
Ebenezer WELLS (b. Jul. 20, 1669), son of Thomas WELLS of Hatfield, MA,
as his second wife. Children of Sarah and John LAWRENCE: John died in
infancy; a daughter died in infancy; Mary married John ALLIS; a child
died in infancy; Deliverance married John BELDEN; and Sarah married
Samuel SMITH. Daughter of Sarah and Ebenezer WELLS: Mary married Aaron
GRAVES.
- Dorothy - bap. 1667, Northampton, MA. Married May 30, 1687
William ROOKER (or ROCKER), who d. about 1705. Children of Dorothy and
William ROOKER: A daughter died in infancy; William died in infancy;
Samuel; William; Sarah; Dorothy married Joseph TAYLOR.
- Ebenezer - bap. 1668, Northampton, MA; d.
Sep. 15, 1728, Suffield, CT.
- Ichabod - b. Jan. 24, 1670, Northampton, MA. Moved to Suffield,
CT about 1699. Married about 1692 Mary HUXLEY, daughter of Thomas
HUXLEY and Sarah SPENCER. Children of Ichabod and Mary SMITH: A child
died in infancy; Mary; Hannah; Samuel married Jerusha MATHER; Ichabod
married Elizabeth STEDMAN; James married; and Joseph.
- Mary - b. Jan. 18, 1673, Northampton, MA. Married in Aug. 20,
1696 William BARNES (or BARNS). Children of Mary and William BARNES:
Mary; Mercy; William possibly married Mary CONE; and John.
- James - b. Jun. 12, 1675, Northampton, MA. Married Oct. 26, 1698,
East Haddam, CT Elizabeth SMITH (b. Feb. 2, 1679, Hadley, MA), daughter
of Chileab SMITH and Hannah HITCHCOCK. Children of James and Elizabeth
SMITH: Elizabeth; James; Noah married Mary JOHNSON; Samuel; Chileab;
Hannah; Ebenezer; and Mindwell.
- Preserved - b. Aug. 1677, Northampton, MA; d. 1713. Married Dec.
15, 1697 Mary SMITH (b. Aug. 16, 1681, Hadley, MA), daughter of Chileab
SMITH and Hannah HITCHCOCK. Children of Preserved and Mary SMITH: Mary
died young; Ebenezer died young; Preserved; Ebenezer married Hannah
BOLTWOOD; Samuel; Chileab married first Sarah/Mary MOODY, and second
Rebecca BUTLER; James married Mary/Sarah SMITH; and Moses died young.
Ebenezer and Sarah (Huxley) Smith
Ebenezer SMITH - bap. 1668, Northampton, MA; d. Sep.
15, 1728, Suffield, CT. Son of Samuel SMITH
and Mary ENSIGN. Lived at Hadley, MA until about 1698 when
he moved to Suffield, CT. Married about 1694, Hadley, MA.
Sarah HUXLEY - Daughter of Thomas
HUXLEY and Sarah SPENCER. Married first Jan. 10, 1688 James
BARLOW (1659-1690), and third Oct. 5, 1732, as his third wife,
Martin KELLOGG, son of Lt. Joseph and Joanna KELLOGG.
Children of Ebenezer and Sarah Smith
- Sarah - b. Sep. 17, 1694, Northampton, MA. Married in 1714 John
BARBER (or BARKER) of Springfield, MA.
- Dorothy - b. Dec. 21, 1696, Hadley, Hampshire Co., MA. Married
Isaac KIBBE (1683-1766) of Enfield, CT, son of Elisha KIBBE and Rachel
COOK. Daughter: Rachel (ancestor of Tennessee WILLIAMS) probably
married Gideon MORGAN.
- Ebenezer - b. Apr. 4, 1699, Suffield, CT.
- Nathaniel - b. Mar. 3, 1701/2, Suffield, CT. Admitted to the
Suffield church Feb. 27, 1725.
- Joanna - b. Jun. 8, 1703, Suffield, CT.
- Jonathan - b. Aug. 1, 1705, Suffield, CT. Intentions to marry
Susanna JOHNSON published Dec. 28, 1727. Susanna (b. Jun. 9, 1706,
Roxbury, MA) was daughter of John JOHNSON and Mary RAMSEY. Children:
Martin; Charles; Abiah; Susanna; Elihu; Jonathan; and Elisha.
- Dorcas - b. Nov. 19, 1707, Suffield, CT. Married Joseph Hastings
in 1726.
- Mary - b. Mar. 26, 1710, Suffield, CT; d. Aug. 26, 1711,
Suffield, CT.
- Mary - b. Jul. 24, 1713, Suffield, CT; d. Apr. 10, 1716,
Suffield, CT.
Ebenezer and Christiana (Owen) Smith
Ebenezer SMITH - b. Apr. 1699, Suffield, Hartford Co., CT; d.
Sep. 15, 1748, Suffield, Hartford Co., CT. Son
of Ebenzer SMITH and Sarah HUXLEY. Various
publications have birth as the 2nd, 4th or 12th day of Apr. 1699.
Ebenezer was granted land at Suffield in 1709, 1713, 1716 and
1717. He served the town in a number of offices between 1700 and
1741, being selectman four times, constable three times, moderator of
the town meeting four times, and surveyor of highways once. Admitted to
the Suffield church on Feb. 27, 1725. Ebenezer's will was made on Aug. 22,
1748 and recorded Aug. 7, 1750. His estate at Suffield was inventoried
Feb. 2, 1748/9, and his land at Windsor was inventoried Jun. 30, 1749.
Married at Suffield, Hartford Co., CT in Nov. 1725.
Christiana OWEN - b. Jan. 10, 1702/3, Windsor, Hartford Co.,
CT; d. After Aug. 7, 1750. Named as Christian in her husband's will and
court records, she was chosen as guardian by sons Ebenezer and Eliakim,
and appointed guardian of her four youngest children on Aug. 7, 1750.
Daughter
of Obadiah OWEN and Christiana WINCHELL.
Children of Ebenezer and Christiana Smith
- Jedediah - b. Jan. 31, 1727, Suffield, Hartford Co., CT; bap.
there Feb. 5, 1726/7; d. Sep. 2, 1776, Natchez, MS. Graduated from Yale
(AB 1750, AM 1754), and became minister at Granville, MA Dec. 1, 1756.
His being a Loyalist at the beginning of the Revolution was no doubt a
prime motivation for leaving the ministry Apr. 16, 1776 and departing
for for Spanish West Florida (now Mississippi state) with his wife, 10
of his 11 surviving children, and his brother Elnathan's wife and 2
daughters, his brother having moved to West Florida two years prior.
Upon arrival at Natchez, he heard of his brother's death, and died 7
days later of a fever aggravated by stress, grief and climate.
Additional narrative about the journey appears in Stile's Genealogies...
of
Ancient
Wetherfield. Married at Granville, MA Sarah COOK. The
eldest child remained in MA. Children of Jedediah and Sarah SMITH:
Judge Jedediah, Jr. married Rhoda HUBBARD; Ebenezer died young; William
married Mrs. NETTLES; Sarah married Joshua ALEXANDER; Josephus married
Patience COBB (who married second John BAKER; daughter of Arthur and
Susanna COBB); Richard Philetus married Ms. THOMPSON; Israel married
first Sarah 'Sallie' COBB (daughter of Arthur and Susanna COBB), and
second Jane LORENZO DOAN; Philander married first Esther BRASHIER, and
second Susan MILLER SCOTT; Philomela married David MITCHELL; Calvin
married Priscilla COBB (daughter of Arthur and Susanna COBB); Luther L.
married first Martha Elizabeth 'Patsey' BAKER (sister of John BAKER),
and second Anna Eliza DAVIS (sister of CSA Pres. Jefferson DAVIS); and
Courtland married first Catherine COOPER (daughter Aurelia's first
husband was Dr. Ben DAVIS, youngest brother of CSA Pres. Jefferson
DAVIS), second Narcissa BOONE, and third Jane BOONE (sister of
Narcissa).
- Asa - b. Apr. 20, 1729, Suffield, Hartford Co., CT; bap. there
May 4, 1729; d. Sep. 27, 1798, Hartland, CT; bur Second Congregational
Church Cemetery, Hartland CT. His grave marker includes the title of
"Dr." Asa was probably living at Granville, MA until about 1770 to
1774, and then moved to Hartland, CT. A history of Hartland indicates
he was a private in the Revolution, and one of the original members of
the Second Congregational Church when it was created in 1780. Asa was
married at Westfield, MA to Experience DEWEY, with two dates appearing
in the records. It is likely that the first date, Mar. 30, 1760, was
the date the marriage intentions was published and the second date,
Apr. 17, 1760, was the actual marriage date. Children of Asa and
Experience SMITH: Abigail; Thodosia; Asenath; Asa married; and likely
other children.
- Christiana - b. Aug. 21, 1731, Suffield, CT; d. there Sep. 19,
1732.
- Ebenezer - b. Mar. 1, 1733, Suffield, CT. Married on Feb. 12,
1767 at Granville, MA to Abigail ROSE. Ebenezer served as a corporal of
Capt. Lebbeus BALL's Company, answering the Lexington alarm on Apr. 29,
1775. Children of Ebenezer and Abigail SMITH: Ebenezer; and Zebulon.
- Christian - b. Oct. 3, 1734, Suffield, CT; d. Mar. 9, 1757/8.
- Eliakim - b. Jan. 25, 1736, Suffield, Hartford Co., CT; d. Aug.
27, 1775, Watertown, Middlesex Co., MA. Married first on Jun. 17, 1760
to Mehitable SMITH (b. Mar. 24, 1740; d. Apr. 16, 1770), daughter of
Jonathan SMITH and Mehitable COOK, and second on Nov. 14, 1771 to
Jerusha KELLOGG (b. about 1739; d. Sep. 22, 1823), daughter of James
KELLOGG and Experience SMITH. Children of Eliakim and Mehitable SMITH:
Rebecca died young; Eliakim probably married Submit (DICKINSON)
GAYLORD; and Rebecca married Rev. Timothy HOPKINS.
- Elnathan - b. Jul. 9, 1737, Suffield, CT; bap. there Jul. 16,
1737; d. 1776, MS. Removed to Spanish West Florida (now Mississippi)
about 1774, his letters encouraging his brother Jedidiah to join him
there. Married on May 23, 1764 at Granville, MA to Hannah BATES. His
wife and daughters remained at Granville, MA when he moved south, and
he died before they could join him. Children of Elnathan and Hannah
SMITH: Elphalet perhaps died young; Eada (daughter); and Eunice.
- Zebulon - b. Dec. 16, 1739. Died as an infant on the 16th day of
a month in 1738 or 1739 (perhaps on date of birth), probably at
Suffield, CT.
- Elijah - b. Sep. 6, 1741, Suffield, CT.
- Dorcas - b. Jul. 3, 1743,
Suffield, CT; d. Jun. 8, 1833, Nassau, NY. Married Josiah HOLCOMB.