An American Family History

Major William Smith was born January 31, 1789. His father was Captain John Smith in Campbell County Virginia. Captain John Smith’s father was Solomon Smith who received 400 acres of land in a North Carolina land grant in 1784.

Major William Smith served as an officer in the Tennessee militia between 1813-1814 after which he returned home, married, and began his family.

He married Elizabeth Boy on March 14, 1816 in Sullivan County.

Joseph Smith (1817, married Mary Jane Latham and Esther Martha Booher daughter of Benjamin Booher.)

Ireson Smith (1819)
Jacob Smith (1821 married Margaret Anderson and Jane Rhea),
Louisa Smith (1823, married William R. Rhea)
Sarah Smith, (1825),
Mary Ann Smith (1827, married Capt. L. H. Denny),
William H. Smith (1829, married Elizabeth (Lizzie) Hodges),
Elbert S. Smith (1832, married Eliza F. Burke),
Robert M. Smith (1835, married Lavinia Akard),
George B. Smith (1838, married Lorena Dulaney), and
Elizabeth Smith (1841).

Major William died November 4, 1858 and Elizabeth died September 7, 1876. They are buried in the Boy Cemetery, Rockhold.

William’s headstone reads:

Maj. William Smith
Born Jan 31, 1789
Died November 4, 1858
He served two difficult and arduous campaigns
against the Creek Indians during the War of 1812.

Major William Smith was born in Campbell County Virginia on the 31st of January 1789. He move with his father to Tennessee in 1791 and

[He] died at the residence of Mr. Samuel Evans in Sullivan County, Tenn. on the 3rd day of November 1858. He had gone to Blountville, on the day of his death, and was returning home late in the evening; and when near the residence of Mr. Evans, his horse became suddenly affrighted, and threw him so violently upon the ground as to deprive him of reason and the use of speech. Mr. Evans whose kindness on that melancholy occasion will long be ? and held in grateful remembrance by the relatives and friends of the deceased, was near by when the fatal accident occurred and had him taken to his residence where every attention was bestowed, both by Physician and friends for his recovery, but all proved fruitless and unavailing, he died in about 10 hours.

Although his death was unexpected, and to us a very mysterious providence; yet the Great Disposer of events, in the exercise of His divinity, seeth not as man seeth; and what to us seems dark and mysterious now, will be explained in that ? world where death is never known.

Mr. Smith had faithfully served his country as a Militia Officer in two campaigns against the Creek Indians, in the years 1813-14;

after which, he returned to his home in East Tennessee, married, and settled in Sullivan County, where he lived esteemed and respected by his neighbors and acquaintances to the day of his death.

Mr. Smith was truly a just and good man of a generous, kind and benevolent disposition, courageous and affable in his demeanor, agreeable and pleasant in his conversation and strictly honest in his dealings with his fellow men. He was remarkable for his piety, love of troth, liberality to the poor, gentility of manner, mildness of temper and especially his devotedness to the welfare of his family.

He was at the time of his death, and had been for a number of years an ornament, as well as a member of the M.E. Church, in which he sustained the charter of the man of God, until his departure from the cares and toils of an earthy life to appear in the presence of Him, who never deceives or forsakes his people the meek and lovely Jesus in the ?_ whose?? fully trusted.

And I heard a voice from heaven, while blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from beneath yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.

In his death, his wife, sons and daughters have sustained an irreparable loss yet if they will live as he lived, it will not be long until they meet again in a ? clime than this, and where be ? never come
.L.H.D

The Deery Inn Blountville, Tennessee