East Tennessee is part of Appalachia. At the end of the French and Indian War, colonists began drifting into the area. In 1769, they first settled along the Watauga River. During the Revolution, the Overmountain Men defeated British loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The State of Franklin was formed in the 1780s, but never admitted to the Union.
The Holston River flows from Kingsport to Knoxville.
map by Kmusser
Magdalene Smith was born about 1790 in Tennessee. Her parents were Henry and Mary Smith.
She married Godfrey . He was also born about 1790. They were probably married by
April 19, 1820, [when] a deed for 60 acres lying in the forks of the Watauga and Holston Rivers, was made by John Smith to Godfrey , consideration $252.00. . .
From census records, it appears they had at least 3 children.
Godfrey was a private in Bayle's 4th Regiment of the East Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812. This regiment defended the Mississippi Territory near Mobile. They protected the region from possible Indian incursions and any British invasion. Sickness was rampant in this regiment and the desertion rate was high. The regiment mustered in at Knoxville and was dismissed at Mobile.
According to her father's will, after her mother died or remarried, she was to inherit
one hundred dollars ... in money and the other half in good trade, also such a part of the household furniture as their mother in her lifetime may think proper to give them.
In 1830 the Godfrey household appeared in Sullivan County, Tennessee. They were living next to Magdalene's sister, Catharine Smith. The household consisted of
a woman between 60 and 69, - Mary Smith, her mother
a woman between 40 and 49 - Magdalen
a man between 30 and 39- Godfrey,
a woman between 20 and 29, b. between 1800 and 1809.
a boy between 15 and 19, between 1810-1815
and a boy between 10 and 14. bet 1816-1820
Mary was to have been cared for by her son, John, but
0n Nov. 19, 1827, an agreement was made by the widow Mary Smith and the son-in-law, Godrey , of the one part, and the son, John Smith, of the other part, that this obligation should pass to Godfrey for a certain consideration.
Sullivan County is in far northeast corner of Tennessee between North Carolina and Virginia and was originally part of those states. It was formed in 1779 when it was divided from Washington County.
In the War of 1812 (1812-1815) the United States declared war on England because of trade restrictions, impressment, and British support for Indian attacks. They signed the Treaty of Ghent on December 24, 1814 after reaching a stalemate.
Tennessee was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796. It was initially part of North Carolina.
