The Smoots of Maryland and Virginia
Author: Harry Wright Newman

Call Number: R929.2 S6662
Pages 141-148



141

GEORGE SMOOT5
AND
HIS DESCENDANTS

George Smoot, son of John and Sarah Smoot, was born about 1742 in St. Mary's County, Maryland.1 He married Anne, daughter of John and Mary Magdaline Beale, of St. Mary's County.

John Beale dated his will May 1, 1792, it being proved on August 7, same year, by John Horn Abel, Richard Fenwick, and Robert Hendley. He bequeathed his grandsons John and George Smoot, a tract of land in Culpeper County, Virginia, but "my dear daughter Anne Smoot to have use of it during her natural life". He devised William Beale (named as grandson in distribution) land purchased from Joseph Arthis but in the event of his death without issues then to Josiah Beale, and in case of the latter's death without issues then to the testator's grandson William Read Smoot. Other heirs were his grandson Josiah Beale who received the dwelling-plantation in St. Mary's County, son Josiah Beale, and grandchildren Sarah Beale, Mary Smoot, and Sarah Smoot. The estate was distributed to the heirs on January 16, 1794, by Mary Magdaline Beale, the executrix.


Children of George and Anne (Beale) Smoot

1. John Smoot married twice. q.v.
2. George Smoot married Anne Rowlett. q.v.
3. Sarah Smoot.
4. Mary Smoot married James McCawley. License Madison Co., Va., Aug. 15, 1795.
5. William Read Smoot married Frances Clark. q.v.

George Smoot died intestate perhaps prior to the year 1778. The fact that the administration accounts of St. Mary's County are missing between 1777-1806 prevents the obtainment of the approximate date of his death. His name does not appear with his father and brothers as taking the Oath of Fidelity in 1778 nor is his name among the militiamen of the county in 1780. These facts tend to indicate that he died before these dates.

________________
1 Abraham Smoot, the Mormon, stated that his paternal grandfather was John Smoot, but the records of St. M. Co. dispute this assertion. The Jenifer-Smoots of Madison Co., Va., who kept in closer contact with their Maryland kinsmen recorded among their private papers that they were descended from George Smoot and Anne Beale his wife. Furthermore, the Beale traditions carried by them are substantiated by source records in St. M. Co.







142


John Smoot6
(1765 - 1842)

John Smoot, son of George and Anne (Beale) Smoot, was born about 1765 in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He married first according to tradition Elizabeth Jenifer, the union occurring about 1791, and then settled in the southern portion of Culpeper County, Virginia.


Children of John and Elizabeth (Jenifer) Smoot

1. Daniel Jenifer Smoot married Harriet Medley. q.v.

On January 1, 1793, as residents of Brumfield Parish, Culpeper County, John Smoot and Elizabeth his wife, and George Smoot conveyed to Thomas Canady 84 acres of land lying in Culpeper County, which had been inherited by them from their maternal grandfather. Inasmuch as their mother Anne Smoot was to enjoy the use of it during her lifetime and she was not a party to the conveyance, it was therefore probable that she was deceased by that date. All three Smoots made their mark. The witnesses to the transfer were Wharton Canady, Charles Young, and Salla Young.

In 1796 Brumfield Parish of Culpeper County was organized into Madison County, consequently John Smoot became a resident ipso facto of the newly organized county. The records of St. Mark's Parish, Culpeper County, show the marriage of a John Smoot and Anne Canady in 1798. It is known that his wife Elizabeth died early, and inasmuch as the Canadys were his neighbors, it is probable that this marriage can be credited to him. If so, the union was of short duration. It is known, however, that he married Lucy Buckner, born March 3, 1786, daughter of George and Margaret (Stanley) Thornton, of Orange (now Greene) County, Virginia. The bond was secured in Orange County on June 9, 1806, stating that the prospective bride was the daughter of George Thornton. William Buckner and Charles Thornton were the witnesses, with the latter as bondsman. The ceremony by the Rev. Isham Tatum, was reported in Madison County as occurring on June 12, 1806.

The census record of Madison County for 1830 shows that there were at least four sons and two daughters in his household--one son born between 1804-1810; two sons born between 1810-1820; two daughters born 1810-1820; and a son born 1825-1830. The following therefore is not a complete list of the children.







143

Children of John and Lucy (Thornton) Smoot

2. George Thornton Smoot, born 1809. Issues: Robert; James; George; etc.
3. John B. Smoot, born 1811.
4. Mary Elizabeth Smoot, born Apr. 4, 1816, married Apr. 12, 1845, Joseph Pettus Graves, born about 1803, in Louisa Co., Va. Among their children was John Otho Graves, born Jan. 17, 1846, died June 11, 1902, married Margaret Anna Cummins, born Mar. 8, 1850, died Dec. 6, 1932.
5. William G. Smoot married Susan C. Bennett. q.v.
On November 13, 1835, John Smoot and Lucy his wife conveyed land lying on the south side of Haphazard Mill Road to Landon Bates, and on the same day they deeded 180 acres of land to Daniel Jenifer Smoot for a consideration of $600. About this time he migrated to Christian County, Kentucky, taking his younger children with him. He died July 15, 1842, and was buried on his farm about 12 miles from Hopkinsville.


George Smoot6
(176-- - 1823)

George Smoot, son of George and Anne (Beale) Smoot, was born in St. Mary's County, Maryland, before the year 1765, according to subsequent census records. By the will of his maternal grandfather he received jointly with his brother John, land in Culpeper County, Virginia. On January 19, 1793, both recorded as residents of Culpeper, they sold this land to Thomas Canady which was described as 84 acres lying in Brumfield Parish.

Sometime after this date George Smoot migrated to Kentucky and settled in that part of Franklin County which in 1819 became Owen County. Here about 1806 he married Anne, the daughter of William and Jemina (Owen) Rowlett, born May 2, 1787, and as tradition has it in Virginia. It is said that George Smoot died in Owen County during 1823. His widow remarried and died March 16, 1871.


Children of George and Anne (Rowlett) Smoot

1. Nancy Beale Smoot, born Feb. 24, 1807, Franklin Co., Ky., died July 6, 1891, married Feb. 9, 1826, John Freeman, born Sept. 6, 1804, died July 23, 1871, Millard Co., Utah, son of Arthur and Nancy Anne Freeman. Issues: Adeline; Elizabeth Caroline; Nancy; William Hamblin; Martishia; John Woodruff; Columbus Reed; Margaret Phoebe; Levi; Jemina; Rosaline; Martha.
2. William Rowlett Smoot, born Sept. 1808, Franklin Co., Ky., died 1831.







144

3. Reed Smoot, married Eliza Thomas. q.v.
4. Martishia Smoot, born Oct. 28, 1812, Henry Co., Ky., died Nov. 3, 1886, married Samuel Smith, born June 11, 1807, Montgomery Co., Tenn., son of Thomas and Sarah (Harvey) Smith. Issues: Emma; Joseph; Sarah Anne; Abraham Owen; Martishia Rosalia.
5. Abraham Owen Smoot married five times. q.v.
6. Jemina Smoot, born Apr. 24, 1818, Franklin Co., Ky., died 1908, married Hezekiah, born Mar. 12, 1820, Bainbridge, N. Y., son of Benjamin and Phoebe (Crosby) Peck. Issues: Phoebe Anne; Margaret; Benjamin; Ida; Hezekiah; George; Melvina.

William Read Smoot6

William Read Smoot, son of George and Anne (Beale) Smoot, was born about 1767 in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He migrated to Virginia with his brothers and on May 31, 1796, in Madison County he secured license to marry Fannie, the daughter of Mary Clark.

The first available census for Kentucky, that is 1810, shows William Read Smoot as the head of a family in Franklin County, with six young children, a wife, and five slaves. In 1820 he had ten children at home, was engaged in agriculture, but had no slaves. In 1840 he was listed for the first time as Reed Smoot--but his name does not appear in the 1850 census for Owen County. The following list of children is probably incomplete.


Children of William Read and Frances (Clark) Smoot

1. George Smoot, married Dorothy Dennis. q.v.
2. Letitia Smoot, born 1805, married John Clements. License Nov. 16, 1821, Owen Co.
3. William Smoot married Martha Marston. q.v.
4. Mary Smoot married Ebenezer Wallace. License Aug. 12, 1824 (7).
5. Druzilla Smoot married Pleasant Bush. License May 29, 1839, Owen Co.
6. Thomas Smoot, married twice. q.v.

Daniel Jenifer Smoot7
(1792 - 1865)

Daniel Jenifer Smoot, son of John and Elizabeth (Jenifer) Smoot, was born January 29, 1792, in Brumfield Parish, which in 1793 formed the nucelus for Madison County, Virginia. On July 30, 1814, Daniel Smoot enlisted in Madison County for six months' service as a private







145

in Captain Joseph Brock's company of Cavalry, Eighty-second Virginia Regiment, War of 1812. He was discharged on January 25, 1815, most of his service being spent at Camp Holly, Virginia.
On April 12, 1821, Daniel Jenifer Smoot married Harriet, born November 7, 1797, in Virginia, the daughter of Ambrose and Frances Medley. The estate of Ambrose Medley was settled in Madison County during 1810, showing a widow and fourteen heirs, eight of whom were minors. On June 9, 1821, Daniel Jenifer Smoot and his wife Harriott conveyed to Mary B. Medley 89 acres of land in Madison County for $1,000 that had been "assigned to Harriott Smoot as one of the heirs of Ambrose Medley, deceased".


Children of Daniel Jenifer and Harriet (Medley) Smoot

1. Theophilus Smoot married twice. q.v.
2. Elizabeth Jenifer Smoot married Dec. 23, 1844, Albert Payne, and secondly ---- Sibert.
3. Andrew Jackson Smoot, born 1829.
4. Horace Smoot, born 1831, M. D., surgeon, General Staff, C. S. A.
5. Frances Burton Smoot, born Sept. 22, 1833, married Nov. 22, 1854, Jacob Howard Plecker, born Oct. 13, 1829, in Augusta Co., Va., son of Jacob. Issues: Emma, etc.
6. Hester A. Smoot, born 1837.
7. Catherine Medley Smoot, born 1841, married F. C. Gibson, born 1828, Culp. Co., son of T. G. and P. Gibson.

Daniel Jenifer Smoot acquired a considerable estate, his realty being assessed at $9,000 in 1850, and his plantation being stocked with more than 25 negro slaves. In 1860 his personal estate was appraised at $28,030, and his post office address was Madison Court House. His wife died April 16, 1860; he died August 8, 1865.

The will of Daniel Jenifer Smoot was dated August 5, 1865, and proved in Madison County, Virginia, August 24, 1865, by Andrew Carpenter and Benjamin H. Sparks. He bequeathed to his daughter Catherine M. Gibson the land near Good Hope Meeting House adjoining the land of Reuben Tucker and the Poor House, containing 210 acres, and also personal property. To his grandson Jenifer Smoot, he devised his riding mare. The residue of his lands was to be divided among his children-- Theophilus Smoot, Horace Smoot, Elizabeth J. Sibert, Frances B. Plecker, and Catherine M. Gibson. He named his friend and neighbor William A. Hill as executor.







146

William G. Smoot7
(1826 - ----)

William G. Smoot, son of John and Lucy (Thornton) Smoot, was born 1826 in Madison County, Virginia. He accompanied his parents to Christian County, Kentucky, but after 1850 he settled in Calloway County, same state, where he was the head of a family at the 1880 census. He stated in that year that his father was born in Maryland. His wife was Susan C. Bennett, born 1828 in Kentucky. His household in 1880 consisted of, besides himself and wife, his son Jefferson D., born 1861; daughter Lucy E., born 1864; and his sister-in-law Elizabeth J. Bennett.


Living in Calloway County in 1880 was also C. M. Smoot, born 1852 in Kentucky, with a wife Maggie born 1856, and an unnamed infant aged two months.


Reed Smoot7
(1810 - 1879)

Reed Smoot, son of George and Anne (Rowlett) Smoot, was born November 23, 1810, in Franklin County, Kentucky. He married Eliza Thomas, born 1817, in Sumner County, Tennessee, daughter of Henry and Sarah (Mongrel) Thomas. He became a member of the Mormon Church in Calloway County, Kentucky, the home of his wife's parents. He joined the colony in Illinois but remained there and did not migrate to Utah with the other members of the Church. He died January 22, 1879.


Children of Reed and Eliza (Thomas) Smoot

1. Benjamin Franklin Smoot married Amanda Barley. q.v.
2. Warren Owen Smoot, born Oct. 28, 1843, Johnson Co., Ill., died Oct. 20, 1863; pvt. Co. K, 14 Regt. Ill. Inf., Civil War.
3. Cinderella Melvina Smoot, born Sept. 16, 1856, Johnson Co., Ill., died Apr. 13, 1881.
4. Martha Jane Smoot, born Oct. 12, 1857, Johnson Co., Ill., died Sept. 22, 1881.
5. Levi Smoot, settled in Sumner Co., Tenn.
6. H. A. Smoot.

George Smoot7
(1801 - 1883)

George Smoot, son of William Read and Frances (Clark) Smoot, was born February 8, 1801, in Franklin County, Kentucky. On July 29, 1828, he secured license in Owen County to marry Dorothy Dennis, with Batson Dennis as the bondsman. The below-named children composed







147

their father's household in 1850, when he was a resident of Owen County, with realty assessed at $3,000. In 1828 he left Kentucky and lived for a time in Indiana, but returned to Owen County in 1835. He died about 1883.

Children of George and Dorothy (Dennis) Smoot

1. Noel Smoot, born 1830.
2. Henry Smoot, born 1832.
3. Nancy Smoot, born 1833.
4. John C. Smoot, born Feb. 4, 1835, in Clinton Co., Ind., married Susan Marston.
5. Letitia Smoot, born 1837, died 1853.
6. Frances Smoot, born 1839.
7. William Smoot, born 1840.
8. Lucy Smoot, born 1841.
9. Martha Smoot, born 1843.
10. Pleasant Smoot, born 1846.

William Smoot7
(1800 - 1843)

William Smoot, son of William Reed and Frances (Clark) Smoot, was born perhaps about 1800 in Franklin County, Kentucky. He married Martha, born 1808 in Kentucky, the daughter of William Marston, the license being secured in Owen County on June 23, 1826. He resided at Owenton, the county seat, where he died during the summer of 1843. His will, dated July 14, 1843, was proved on September 1, following. He became the father of six children--James, born 1828; Fielding, born 1833; Frances, born 1835; John, born 1837; Hiram, born 1840; and William, born 1842.


Thomas Smoot7
(1822 - 18--)

Thomas Smoot, son of William Read and Frances (Clark) Smoot, was born February 28, 1822, in Owen County, Kentucky. His first wife was Mary, daughter of William and Vianna (Moore) Smoot, of Henry County, Kentucky, whom he married in 1845. The following children were born to this union--Vianna; William; Elbert; Mary; and Edmond.

His first wife died in 1861, and after a widowerhood of six years he married Lucy ----, widow of Dr. F. Jones, of Shelby County, Kentucky. Of this marriage six children were born--Lettitia; Nancy; Mattie; Reuben; George; and Sarah.







148

Lieut. Theophilus Smoot, C. S. A.8
(1823 - 1891)

Theophilus Smoot, son of Daniel Jenifer and Harriet (Medley) Smoot, was born about 1823 in Madison County, Virginia. On May 8, 1845, he secured license in Madison County to marry Lucy Anne E., born about 1823, the daughter of Joseph Hume.


Children of Theophilus and Lucy (Hume) Smoot

1. Joseph M. Smoot, born 1846.
2. George A. Smoot, born 1847.
3. Jenifer G. Smoot, born 1853.

During the War Between the States, Theophilus Smoot served as First Lieutenant of Company C, Fourth Virginia Cavalry. He resigned his commission in May 1862. On June 15, 1875, he secured license to marry Martha C. Garrett, widow, born in Albemarle County, Virginia, daughter of Garth and Elizabeth (Graves) Brightberry. No issues resulted from this union.

He died intestate in Madison County during 1891. His estate was appraised on September 29, 1891, showing a "watch sent to J. M. Smoot". The estate was ultimately distributed among the three representatives. Some of his descendants settled in Texas. Recently, patriotic citizens of Madison County placed at his unmarked grave a tablet commemorating his services to the Confederacy.


Benjamin Franklin Smoot8

Benjamin Franklin Smoot, son of Reed and Eliza (Thomas) Smoot, was born December 30, 1848, in Simpson Township, Johnson County, Illinois. On November 20, 1873, he married Elizabeth Amanda Barley, born in Hardin County, Illinois, daughter of Samuel and Jane Barley. Three children were born: Thomas R.; James A.; and Eliza L.





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"The Smoots of Maryland and Virginia" by Harry Wright Newman, originally published privately in Washington D.C. in 1936. This edition edited and published by Frederick K. Smoot and the Smoot Family Association, copyright 2001.


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