Final Rest Disturbed: 52 Ancestors 2023 Prompt “At the Cemetery”

 

Exhumed and Reburied After Cemetery Desecration

George Calvert: 1832-1855 (Second Cousin 3x Removed)

George Calvert seems to have been born under an unlucky star. He suffered an unspeakable tragedy as a child, then died shockingly young, and a century and a half later suffered the indignity of having his grave desecrated.

George was born March 24, 1832 to parents Robert Patrick Calvert and Lydia Jane Smith Calvert. He was the third of their five children. In a previous blog post, I related how George’s father, Robert Calvert, beat his mother, Lydia Jane Smith Calvert, to death, and yet was somehow was exonerated at trial. George and his four siblings were taken in and raised by Robert Calvert’s father Patrick.

George died October 2, 1855, while still living with his grandfather. I have found no death records so have no idea what caused the death of a 23 year old man. George was buried in a family cemetery on his grandfather’s farm. The headstone was beautiful. At the top, framed by carved drapery and a Bible, is a Bible verse reading, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.” The center panel includes George’s name and his birth and death dates, while a panel at the bottom includes a lovely line of poetry: “So fades the lovely blooming flower” attributed to C. Cross. It appears George was well-loved.

Photo from Findagrave. Ken Colbert, photographer,

But over the passage of time the tiny Calvert Farm Cemetery, along with Patrick Calvert’s farm, passed out of family ownership, and the story of the Calverts faded from memory. The Findagrave entry on the cemetery, written by Calvert descendant Ken Colbert, tells part of the little cemetery’s sad story:

 “The Calvert Farm Cemetery was located at the intersection of Hwy 65 and Nesbitt Station Road, on the Westside of the intersection. The gravesite included 15 bodies buried from Aug 10, 1827 to Feb 14, 1861. Two of the removals included the analysis of DNA samples taken. The graves were exhumed on April 2019 and relocated to Calvert Chapel Cemetery, approximately 2 miles North of the Calvert Farm Cemetery. Both Calvert cemeteries are located in Armstrong Township, Vanderburgh County, Indiana. The patriarch of the family, Patrick Calvert born, Feb 6, 1784 in Boutetort, VA was the last burial occuring on Feb 14, 1861, laid to rest beside his wife, Sarah Martin Calvert, born Dec 11, 1781 and died Aug 11, 1840. Subsequent family members have since been interrned at Calvert Chapel. A detailed 101 page report is available on my Ancestry.com account. The report identifies the process of exhumation, analysis, and reinternment of the Patrick Calvert family. The details of why the removal may be found in my ancestry account or by emailing: seekandfind@att.net I am the 5th Greath Grandson of Patrick and Sarah Calvert.”

Cemetery had been on left side of road near intersection. Photo from Findagrave.

An article in the local newspaper, the Princeton Daily Clarion on July 27, 2019, provides more details, as does a GoFundMe page Mr. Colbert set up to help fund the exhumation and reburial of his ancestors. The farm, including the cemetery, was put up for auction in 2006. In the years following the sale, the headstones were desecrated—they were knocked down, broken, and moved from the graves. The entire site was then plowed over and farmed. The callousness of this farmer is shocking, especially since he was aware of the cemetery when he purchased the land. He would have known exactly how many acres of farmable land he was buying and the price would have reflected that a parcel of the land was not farmable.

When the desecration became known, the county prosecutor’s office became involved. According to the news article by Daily Clarion editor Andrea Howe, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor eventually brokered an agreement between the landowner and the Calvert descendants to “have the location and exhumation of the Calverts” funded. “An Indianapolis firm was commissioned to perform an archeological dig at the property. Colbert said cadaver search dogs were used to help identify the location of the bodies since there was no visible sign of any grave.”

Mr. Colbert’s photos of the archeologists’ work are both heartbreaking and fascinating. Mr. Colbert also prepared a diagram showing the location of the graves and where the broken headstones ended up. George was Burial No. 8. Mr. Colbert wrote: “The Calvert Family Farm Cemetery plotting map of the exhumed 15 bodies. The green circles represent the fence boundaries. The Blue represents the location of the unearthed desecrated tombstones. The Red represents the burial site of each person.”

The following photo shows some of the stones as they were reassembled from the shattered pieces.

Photo by Ken Colbert, from Findagrave. 

The archeologists were able to recover George’s body. Although this photo may seem a bit grisly, I think it is important to include it. George was a person who was loved by his family. His remains deserved more respect than they were given by a farmer eager for an extra acre. George’s profile on Findagrave also includes a page from the archeology report describing his gravesite, noting that nails, bricks, coffin screws and buttons were found along with his remains.  

According to the news article, the archeology team was able to extract DNA samples from some of the exhumed remains, with the hope that the DNA profiles will be uploaded to GEDMatch. Since George’s body was fairly intact, perhaps his DNA will eventually help other genealogists trace their family lineage.

While Calvert Farm Cemetery no longer exists, George Calvert, his grandparents, and the other twelve people long interred on the Calvert farm now have a new resting place in Calvert Chapel Cemetery, named for another Calvert ancestor. Ken Colbert and other Calvert descendants are owed thanks for their dedication and hard work that led to the recovery of the remains and the headstones. Thanks is also owed to the firm that handled the exhumation—they showed the remains of these Indiana pioneers the respect they deserved.

Sources:

Findagrave entries on the Calvert Farm Cemetery and on George Calvert, all written by Ken Colbert. Photos of archeologists’ exhumation by Ken Colbert. https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2705359/calvert-farm-cemetery

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/209620211/george-calvert

GoFundMe page on reburial effort, prepared by Ken Colbert. https://www.gofundme.com/f/calvert-chapel-cemetery

“New Resting Place: Pioneer family remains to be reburied after cemetery destroyed”, by Andrea Howe, Editor. Princeton Daily Clarion, 27 July 2019.

Something Alive in There: 52 Ancestors 2023 Prompt “Bearded”

The Beard that Housed A Squirrel?

William H. “Captain Billy” Smith: 1841-1925 (Second Cousin 3x Removed)

 

When I saw this month’s prompt was “Bearded”, I remembered reading this charming story about my husband’s 2^nd cousin 3x removed, “Captain Billy” Smith, that mentioned his amazing beard. The story was originally posted on Ancestr,y on 10 Apr 2010 by Barbara Westrich:

Westrich writes:

“William H. Smith was known in our family as Captain Billy. My mother, Mary Elizabeth O'Neal (Sakal) used to tell stories about how surley Captain Billy was. He walked with a stick/cane after his injury in the Civil War and my mother tells about how he used to hit the small children with his stick. She also tells the story of how he kept a pet squirrel in his very long, thick beard.”

After reading about the squirrel, I had to search for photos of Captain Billy and his amazing beard. Luckily, his descendants had posted some amazing photos of him, both pre- and post-beard.

William Henderson Smith was born in Ohio County, Kentucky on September 30, 1841 to parents Leonard Smith and his wife Mary Elizabeth. He was their only son. His father Leonard Smith was the son of Aaron Fairfax Smith, brother of my husband’s third great-grandfather Elias Guess Smith.

William was twenty years old when the Civil War started, and he quickly enlisted in the Union Army, serving in the 11^th Regiment of the Kentucky Infantry. He began his military career as a 2^nd Sergeant in G Company in October 1861. He was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh on April 7, 1862, and was sent to Simmonds General Hospital in Mound City, Illinois to recover from his wound. This injury was probably the reason for his use of a walking stick as mentioned in the Westrich story. The photos below, taken in 1862, show just how young William was to be an officer. These are the only photos I have found that show him clean-shaven.

Following his recovery, William returned to his unit and was promoted to 1^st Sergeant June 19, 1863. In March of 1864, he was sent to back to his home county of Muhlenberg, Kentucky to recruit more soldiers in the Paradise area. He then returned to battle, and was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant on June 17, 1864 in Georgia. William was discharged from the Union Army in December 1864 at Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Despite never rising above the rank of Lieutenant, when he returned home to Muhlenberg County, he became known as “Captain Billy”. He married Marieta Isadora “Dora” Mason on February 12, 1865. 

William and Dora Smith

They settled on a farm near Paradise, Kentucky and had twelve children. Photos of the family can be seen below. William’s beard was already long, thick and very dark.

William's mother at far left, William and Dora near center, surrounded by ten of their twelve children

William and Dora with three of their daughters in front of their home

William took pride in his military service, and was active in Union Army veteran groups. He organized and hosted a reunion of 15 Civil War veterans on his farm on May 11, 1912. Some of his fellow veterans had even more impressive beards than William did, although their beards had now turned white.

William is the first person in the back row--1912 Civil War Veterans' Reunion at Smith farm

William and Dora had a huge extended family—not all that surprising since they had twelve children. They are posed in front of the family home, now showing its age.

Another interesting photo shows five generations of the Smith family—William’s mother, daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter.

Dora died in September of 1916. William lived until 1925, dying on July 6 at the age of 83. He was still living on his farm in Paradise with one of his sons, Carlos, and his youngest daughter Rosa Bell “Rosey” at the time of the 1925 census. William was buried in the Smith-Yonts-Nourse Cemetery in Paradise, where many of his family members are also buried.

While I have found no evidence to support the story of William keeping a pet squirrel, much less one that liked to hide in his beard, photos do verify that he had a long, thick beard for the latter half of his life. It is fun to imagine the face of a little squirrel peeking out.

 

Sources:

Story by Posted 10 Apr 2010 by Barbara Westrich. https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/81812584/person/262470443623/hints

Photos posted on Ancestry.com courtesy of Barbara Westrich and Chocochip_the_third.

Details of William H Smith’s military service was taken from a biography posted on Findagrave by Dorann Lam. Service and rank at muster out confirmed by Fold3, the National Park Service (https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-soldiers.htm ) and http://files.usgwarchives.net/ky/military/rosters/union/11rega-k.txt

An Easter Story: 52 Ancestors 2023 Prompt “Begins with a Vowel”

A Girl Called Easter: Unusual Name for a Spring Baby

Easter Brumley Vanlandingham Kimbley: 1782-1847 (Maternal Third Great-Grandaunt)

 

Easter Brumley Vanlandingham was given a striking, unusual first name—a name that was often misspelled and misrecorded as “Esther” on documents and records. Her name begins with two vowels (corresponding with this week’s prompt), and evokes positive energy that seems to promise new beginnings.

Easter Vanlandingham was born April 30, 1782 in St. Stephen South Parish in Northumberland, Virginia. According to my research, the holiday of Easter fell on March 31 that year. Did her parents, Ezekiel Vanlandingham and Elisabeth Oliver Brumley, name her Easter due to her spring birth date, just 4 weeks after Easter Sunday? Had they perhaps expected her to be born on Easter, and were surprised that she didn’t arrive when expected? Did they choose the name as a reminder of the Easter story’s message of rebirth and renewal? We will never know.

Easter appears to be the oldest of their three children. I have found no primary source materials that provide Ezekiel and Elizabeth’s wedding date; some secondary sources gave a marriage date for the fall following Easter’s birth, which is incorrect. The record of her birth is contained in Virginia Colonial Abstracts, and lists her parents as husband and wife. Easter’s siblings, Oliver Cromwell and Elizabeth Vanlandingham, were born in 1785 and 1788.

In 1796, the Vanlandinghams joined a group of pioneers headed for the newly opened Kentucky territory. Ezekiel died during the journey, leaving his wife and three children to continue to Kentucky without him. A history of  Muhlenberg County, Kentucky reported that:

“After burying her husband Mrs. Vanlandingham and the other members of the party resumed their trip and finally arrived near Paradise where she procured some land. There she and her…children worked hard and soon placed themselves in comfortable circumstances. She was a well-educated woman, and up to about the time her children were married devoted practically all her evenings to their education.”

Easter was 14 when she arrived in Kentucky. Her youngest sister was only 8, so Easter probably helped to care for her. In addition, her mother remarried and had other children. Easter was probably a vital member of the household, providing support for her mother.

This probably explains Easter’s late marriage. She was 30 years old when she married Francis Kimbley on February 14, 1813.  He was only twenty at the time of the marriage, so she was a full decade older than him! Some later documents shave a few years off her age—she probably didn’t want to admit how much older she was! Her younger sister, Elizabeth, married the same year.

Francis Kimbley was a farmer and slaveowner. His property was mostly in Ohio County, Kentucky, but Easter and Francis’s children were born both in Ohio County and neighboring Muhlenberg County, so I expect the Kimbleys had property in both counties.

Easter gave birth to their first son, Oliver Christopher Vanlandingham Kimbley (named for Easter’s brother) on December 23, 1813—ten months after their marriage. Daughter Elizabeth was born two years later, followed by sons Ezekiel Vanlandingham Kimbley in 1817, Andrew Jackson Kimbley in 1819, Francis Edward Kimbley in 1822, and John Franklin Kimbley in 1823.

Easter died on Christmas Day, 1847 at the age 65. She was buried in Nellie Davis Cemetery in Ohio County, Kentucky. Her husband Francis lived another fourteen years, dying in 1861 at age 70.

Easter’s children went on to raise families of their own in the Ohio and Muhlenberg County area. The 1860 census shows son Ezekiel, his wife and three children living next to Francis, and son Andrew Jackson Kimbley, his wife and three children farming on the other side of Francis’ property. 

Son Francis Kimbley a few farms from brother and father--1860 Census

Ezekiel Kimbley family, and father Francis on the 1860 census

Two properties away was the farm of Oliver Kimbley’s widow Elizabeth and their four children.  A few farms away, son Francis lived with his wife and children.

Andrew Kimbley family at top, Oliver's widow Elizabeth Kimbley and family below

Interestingly, Easter’s only daughter, Elizabeth, married John Everett Vaught Smith, brother of second-great-grandfather Elijah Smith, so the two ancestral lines crossed. Elizabeth and John had several children and lived in neighboring Mclean County, Kentucky.

Easter’s final child was the most well-known, and the only one who didn’t go into farming. John Franklin Kimbley became a doctor, and he served as a Union physician during the Civil War. He returned to Owensboro, Kentucky following the war to practice medicine. He married Sarah Lucetta Ray, the daughter of Indiana Governor James Ray. The couple had two children.

Easter’s name was carried on to the next generation. Easter’s daughter named one of her children Easter, but the name was often misspelled as Esther—even her headstone reads “Esther Smith Kirtley”. 

Easter Smith Kirtley misspelled as Esther

Son Ezekiel gave his daughter Susan the middle name Easter. Son Francis Kimbley named his eldest daughter Easter Ann in honor of his mother.

I wonder how these women felt about sharing a name with a religious holiday. I love the name, and enjoyed writing about Easter Vanlandingham Kimbley just in time for Easter 2023. Easter is a name rich both in vowels and in meaning.

Sources:

Abstract of Birth Record from “Virginia Colonial Abstracts. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/340765:48429?tid=81812584&pid=262448858851&hid=1037581386036&_phsrc=Jng22546&_phstart=default

A History of Muhlenberg County by Otto A. Rothert. John P. Morton & Company. Louisville, KY 1913. Accessed through Google Books

Findagrave photo by Anita Austill. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/109614346/esther-elizabeth-kirtley?_gl=1*27c0ny*_ga*MTQ5MDkwODUzMi4xNjI2MjI0NDE0*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*MzY4MzVkNTItZThlYy00MDE3LWE0M2MtNDY3ZDFiNzg2MzJmLjQ3NC4xLjE2ODAzMDU3NTIuMjQuMC4w

Murdered By Her Husband: 52 Ancestors 2023 Prompt “Light a Candle”

 

A Vicious Crime Destroys a Family: The Murder of Lydia Smith Calvert

Lydia Jane Smith Calvert: 1807-1840 (Maternal First Cousin 4x Removed)

Late in June of 1840, George Rudolphus Smith (Third Great Granduncle) was near death. He was almost seventy years old—not a great age, but he may have been feeling ill for some time since he had made his will some months previously. He was confident that his children would be provided for once he had died. One of the heirs named in his will was his daughter Lydia. George probably had no idea that Lydia, a mother of five who was only 33 years old, would be murdered by her own husband just weeks after George’s death. Not only were her five little children suddenly left without their mother, but they also lost their maternal grandfather, and their paternal grandmother, who died right after Lydia did. And they also lost their father after he was indicted for Lydia’s murder.

So what led up to this tragedy? Lydia Jane Smith was born January 6, 1807, the fourth child of George Rudolphus Smith and his first wife Lydia “Jenney” Tait Smith. Lydia’s life began with tragedy as well—her mother died giving birth to her. George R Smith remarried three years later, and little Lydia soon had eight half siblings.

Lydia married Robert Patrick Calvert on May 3, 1827. They were both twenty years old. Robert had a farm in Posey County, Indiana where they lived. Their first child, Eudoxy, (also known as Emily) was born in 1829. Two little boys, Patrick and George, were born in 1830 and 1832. Daughter Elizabeth was born in 1835, and their final son, Jordan, was born in 1838.  

Lydia’s death was brutal. A descendant has posted the handwritten murder indictment the Posey County Grand Jury brought against Robert. The indictment stated that on August 10, 1840, Robert Calvert:

“with force and onus in and upon one Lydia Cavett wife of said Robert Cavett feloniously, willfully and with malice aforethought did make an assault and that said Robert Cavett then and there felonious, willfully and of his malice aforethought did strike, beat and kick the said Lydia Cavett with his hands and feet in an upon the belly, breast, sides and other parts of the body of the said Lydia Cavett and did then and therefore feloniously willfully and his malice aforethought cast and threw the said Lydia Cavett down with great force and violence…”

This attack caused “several mortal strokes wounds and bruises in and upon the belly, breast, sides and other parts of the body of her said Lydia Cavett to wit one mortal bruise and wound on the belly of her the said Lydia Cavett between the left nipple and navel…”

First page of Grand Jury Indictment

It took her a day to die of her injuries. I have to guess that at least some of Lydia’s children witnessed the assault, as the details about him kicking her and throwing her forcefully onto the ground sound like eye-witness testimony. Given the brutality, it is likely that this attack was but one of many she suffered over their thirteen years of marriage. Men generally don’t commit murder the first time they beat their wives. He seems to have been a violent person from childhood, as another descendant posted a story about young Robert attacking a child his father was caring for with an axe, cutting off the boy’s foot. I shudder to think of the horrors Lydia suffered over those long years, and the terror her children experienced.

Calvert was arrested in August of 1840 and was fortunate that his father, Patrick Calvert, chose to post the huge sum of $5000 bond to get him released.

Father Patrick Calvert puts up bond for son

Robert came to trial in March of 1841. Despite the Grand Jury report and the efforts of the prosecutor,

“twelve good and lawful men who being elected tried and sworn upon their oaths do say ‘We the Jury find the Defendant not guilty.”

Not guilty verdict document

Of course the jury was composed only of men, since women had no rights in the 1840s. Apparently those supposedly good and lawful men believed Robert Calvert was perfectly justified to beat his wife to death.

Luckily for Lydia’s five traumatized children, they were not sent to live with their father, the murderer. Instead, Robert’s father Patrick took them in and raised them. Robert seems to have disappeared from records following his acquittal. I believe he left Posey County and may have died in the 1850s, but I have no records to verify this.

Robert’s father Patrick died in 1861. Four of Lydia’s children—Eudoxy, Patrick, Elizabeth and Jordan survived at that time and were beneficiaries in Patrick’s will, each receiving $244.57. The remaining child, George, died at age 23 in 1855, and was buried near his grandfather Patrick on Patrick Calvert’s farm. I will write about George and Patrick’s graves in a future post.

Section of Patrick Calvert's will dealing with Lydia's surviving children

As for poor Lydia, she was laid to rest in the Smith Cemetery in Posey County where her parents and other relatives are buried. Sadly, the cemetery is on private property and is inaccessible. Her grave is unmarked.

Smith Cemetery in Posey County--courtesy of Findagrave

Lydia never received justice. Her killer, her own husband who had taken--and broken--vows to protect and honor her, went free despite strong evidence that he beat her to death. She deserves to have candles lit in her memory, and to have prayers offered up that she can somehow rest in peace.

 

Sources:

Posey County documents posted on Ancestry.com.

Learning About Marriage Bonds: 52 Ancestors 2023 “Education”

 

Something Old, Something New: The Use of Marriage Bonds in 1800s America

George Rudophus Smith: 1771-1840
Lydia “Jenny” Tait: 1770-1807

 

While researching Elias Guess Smith’s siblings, I ran across a new type of record I had never seen before: a “marriage bond”. The marriage bond index available on Ancestry provided only the names and dates of the people involved. No transcription was provided, or information on what the document meant. The 1800 North Carolina record involved Elias Smith’s brother, George Rudophus Smith, and the woman he married, Jenney Tait, and Jenney’s father Zacheus Tait. I knew who and when, but I needed to learn what the document was and why it was required.

Luckily I discovered that another family historian had posted a scan of the actual bond record on Ancestry. Rather than a standardized, printed form, the bond was a hand-written legal document dated December 20, 1800. The scan below shows the original.

Here is my transcription of the document:

“Know all men by these presents that we George Smith & Zacheus Tait are held afirmly bound to Benj. Williams reg. Governor,  the Just and full sum of five Hundred pounds to be paid to the Lord Benjamin Williams and his succession in office and assigns, to which payment is well and truly to be made we bind ourselves one hun. Each and admit Jointly adversely afirmly by these presents sealed with our seals and dated the 20^th day of Dec. 1800.

“The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above bondsman George Smith hath obtained a license to be joyned in Holy Matrimony, with Jenney Tait, if therefore there shall be no Lawful Impediment why the said George Smith & Jenney Tait should be joyned together then the above Obligation shall be void, otherwise to remain in full force & effect.”

The document was signed by both Zacheus Tait and George Smith, as well as the Governor’s representative.  

I was shocked by the huge amount of the bond requested—500 pounds in 1800 would be the equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars in today’s money. I thought if people had to put up a bond of this amount today to get married, everyone would probably choose to live in sin!

I did some research on marriage bonds, to find out exactly what they were and why they were required. The Family Locket website (see 1 below) explained:

“In 1741, “An Act Concerning Marriages” was created in North Carolina by the General Assembly, in order to curtail unlawful marriages. This law required couples desiring to be married obtain a license or publish the banns in church for three Sundays. To obtain a license, the groom was required to post a bond of fifty pounds with the condition “that there is no lawful Cause to obstruct the Marriage for which the License shall be desired.”1 The penal sum on the bond was collected from the groom or bondsman if the marriage was found to be illegal. The bondsman was sometimes called a surety – he shared the groom’s obligation. This money was a protection for the future children of the marriage.2

Marriage bonds were used in North Carolina until 1868.3 For most of this time, they were the only record of marriages, until in 1851. A law that year required justices and ministers to return the licenses with certificates showing they had performed the marriage.4

Ancestry provides a shorter explanation: (see 2 below)

“When planning to marry, the prospective groom took out a bond from the clerk of the court in the county where the bride had her usual residence as surety that there was no legal obstacle to the proposed marriage.”

The bond essentially protected the woman in case the wedding failed to occur. The money could be used to support her, or to support any out-of-wedlock offspring that might result. Impediments that might lead to a broken marriage contract would include bigamy, if one of the parties was too young to be wed, or if one of the parties was some sort of criminal.

An article by Tamie Dehler published in an Indiana newspaper provided further information (see 3 below):

“Think of a marriage bond as an intention to marry – a reflection of an official “engagement.” A man who had proposed to a woman went to the courthouse with a bondsman (often the father or brother of the prospective bride), and posted a bond indicating his intention to marry the woman. The bond was an amount of money that the prospective groom would have to pay as a penalty if an impediment to the marriage was found. No money literally changed hands at the time of posting the bond. But if the groom was discovered, for instance, already to have a wife whom he had abandoned, the marriage could not go through and the man would have to pay.

George and Jenney had no impediments to their marriage, so George and his father-in-law Zacheus Tait never had to pay the 500 pounds. George and Jenney married and after several years in Caswell County, North Carolina, they eventually moved to Posey County Indiana. They had at least four children before Jenney’s death during childbirth in 1807.

Old map of Caswell County, NC

I am so glad I ran across this document, as it gave me an education in the use and purpose of marriage bonds. It is interesting that they were still charging the bond fees in British pounds as late as 1800, despite America’s independence decades earlier. I will have to further educate myself on when the dollar was adopted as American currency.

 

Sources:

1.      The Family Locket.com website: https://familylocket.com/back-to-the-basics-with-marriage-records-part-1-marriage-bonds/#:~:text=Marriage%20bonds%20were%20used%20in%20North%20Carolina%20until,practice%20of%20marriage%20bonds%20with%20them%20from%20England.

2.      https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/4802/

3.      “Genealogy: Think of a marriage bond as an intention to marry”, By Tamie Dehler Aug 11, 2007. https://www.tribstar.com/news/lifestyles/genealogy-think-of-a-marriage-bond-as-an-intention-to-marry/article_0d4c0f38-f3a7-5e83-a556-e75bbaca2bd4.html

A Slave Singled Out: 52 Ancestors 2023 Prompt “Lucky”

Not Lucky Enough: A Slave Receives Special Treatment in the Will of Peter Smith

Peter Smith: 1736-1797 (Maternal 4^th Great-Grandfather)

 

Willis Smith’s great-grandfather Peter Taylor Smith died in Caswell County, North Carolina in 1797, leaving a detailed will dividing his estate among his twelve children. Unfortunately, Peter Smith was a slave owner, and his will included numerous human beings amongst his property, human beings who were distributed among his children along with saddles and household furnishings. However, one enslaved man had a slightly different fate than Smith’s other slaves—a life with a few limited choices. But how fortunate was this “lucky” slave in reality? What can we learn from his fate?

Peter Smith’s will basically divides his enslaved humans into three categories. First were individual slaves given to one specific child. Peter’s two daughters were each given a female slave. Elizabeth received an adult named Jane, while Martha received a child named Bess. In addition, his son Jesse was given a “boy name Lewis” and son Moses was given a “boy name Edmond”. Aron (also Aaron) received a “Negro girl name Fanney.”

The will states that all Peter Smith’s remaining property, including the rest of his slaves, be divided amongst his six remaining sons. However, there was one notable exception:

“Except my Negro man Anthony who tho not absolutely free I will that he have liberty to have his own free choice from time to time to serve which of my children he shall chose and not to be confined to one-particular but if ill treated by one to have free liberty to go to another as he shall think fit & not to be sold to any other person.”

This is a fascinating passage. What can we learn from this?

Passage from Peter's will about Anthony

First, Anthony is described as “my Negro man”, which sounds like he was a personal servant, perhaps the equivalent of a valet. In addition, Anthony was an adult—Peter made a distinction between young slaves, referring to them as boys and girls, and adult slaves, referring to them as men or women.

Peter obviously felt a friendly attachment to Anthony and cared about his welfare. However, he did not see Anthony as a true friend or equal, for he kept him in bondage when he might have chosen to set him free in the will. He obviously saw Anthony as a valuable part of his estate, too valuable to be given away.

It is also obvious that Peter did not trust his children to treat slaves with decency or humanity. He obviously felt it likely that some of his children might abuse Anthony. Where would they have learned such callousness toward other human beings if not from him? Were his other slaves mistreated? Was this commonplace on his property and was Anthony’s “liberty” to be free from abuse a contrast from the manner in which other enslaved people were treated on Smith’s land?

Caswell County NC mid-1800s map

I wonder which of Smith’s children Anthony chose as his owner. And did he stay with that family, or did he exercise his right to switch households?

Many of Peter Smith’s children ended up moving to Kentucky. Did they take their slaves with them, or did they sell their slaves before they left North Carolina? Did Anthony end up in Kentucky, or did he spend his life in North Carolina?

And what of Anthony’s family? Did he have a wife? Children? Only Anthony was protected from being sold out of the extended family—any family members he might have had could have been sold away from him. Even for this “lucky” slave, his life was filled with uncertainty, misery, disrespect and terror.

Since Anthony was already an adult in 1797 when Peter Smith died, it is unlikely he lived long enough to benefit from the Emancipation Proclamation. I hope that his children achieved the freedom that Anthony was denied.

Sources:

Will Records, With Some Inventories, Estates and Settlements, 1777- 1963; Author: North Carolina. Superior Court (Caswell County); Probate Place: Caswell, North Carolina. Accessed via Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9061/images/004779974_00187?pId=2191221

Blog Post Leads to New Insights: 52 Ancestors 2023 Prompt “Social Media”

Kentucky Genealogy Blogger Gives Me a Critical Hint to New Branch of Family Tree

Peter Smith: 1736-1797 (Maternal 4^th Great-Grandfather)
Elias Guess Smith: 1775-1830 (Maternal 3^rd Great-Grandfather)

While researching a different blog topic, I tried the following Google search: “Muhlenberg County, Civil War”. I was trying to find out information about two Smith brothers, Samuel and Elias Guess Smith II, who served on opposite sides of the war. I wanted to learn about army units that were formed in their home county in Kentucky. The first search result was a post on “Kentucky Kindred Genealogy”, a blog by genealogist Phyliss Brown. The January 2019 post was titled “Muhlenberg County’s Civil War Soldiers” and profiled four soldiers who were included in a county history written by Otto A. Rothert. One of those four soldiers was William H. Smith. A Smith from Muhlenberg County—surely he was related somehow to my two Smith soldiers. But how? I decided to investigate—an investigation that led to a whole new set of family tree branches. That social media post led me to some amazing discoveries!

Ms. Brown’s post said that William Smith was the son of Leonard Smith and the grandson of “pioneer Aaron Smith.” That caught my attention, as my two soldier’s grandfather, Elias Guess Smith Sr., had also been described in materials I’d read as a county “pioneer”. Could Aaron and Elias Guess Smith be brothers or cousins?

I began researching Aaron Smith, and looked at other trees on Ancestry that included him. I discovered that his father appeared to be a Peter Smith, who was born in Virginia and died in North Carolina. Attached to those Ancestry trees was Peter Smith’s probated will, which was dated 1793 but was probated in October 1797 following his death at the age of 61.

Peter T Smith will dated 1793, probated 1797, part 1

The images of this will proved to be a treasure trove of information, including, most importantly, the names of Peter’s surviving children. And this list of progeny included Elias Guess Smith and Aaron Smith.

The children and their inheritances were listed as follows:

Elizabeth: a slave named Jane, a horse saddle and bridle, and a feather bed.

Martha: a slave girl named Bess, a horse saddle and bridle, and a feather bed and furniture.

Jesse: a slave boy named Lewis.

Moses: a slave boy named Edmond

Aron: a slave girl named Fanney

Peter Smith Will probated 1797, part 2

The remaining “property & Estate consisting of land, Negroes, Stock, Household furniture” was to be “equally divided between the rest of my sons to witt James, William, Presley W. George, John B., Elias & Elijah”. One slave was not included in the property division, but had detailed instructions as to his fate which I will write about in a separate post.

I was thrilled by the information in this original document! Elias Guess Smith not only had a confirmed set of parents at last, but he also had two sisters and nine brothers! The tree was expanding at a phenomenal rate!

So due to a single social media post, I was able to not only confirm that the William H. Smith featured in the Kentucky Kindred blog post was truly related to Elias Guess Smith and his descendants, but I was also able to add Elias’ eleven siblings to the tree and start trying to verify accounts in other trees that possibly seven of Peter Smith’s children ended up moving to Kentucky. I am grateful to the work of other genealogy bloggers like Ms. Brown. Their posts not only help to answer questions I already have, but they can also identify entirely new paths of inquiry. I hope my own blog will prove helpful to other researchers in the future.

 

Sources:

https://kentuckykindredgenealogy.com/2019/01/13/muhlenberg-countys-civil-war-soldiers/

https://archive.org/details/historyofmuhlenb00roth/page/74/mode/2up

Will Records, With Some Inventories, Estates and Settlements, 1777- 1963; Author: North Carolina. Superior Court (Caswell County); Probate Place: Caswell, North Carolina. Accessed via Ancestry.com. https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/9061/images/004779974_00187?pId=2191221