Smith Ferguson Paine (1837 - 1932)

Born 22 Apr 1837 in Buncombe, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Aug 1932 at age 95 in Sevier, Tennessee, United States

Biography

16. REV. SMITH FERGUSON PAINE, born 4-22-1837, youngest child. He was a Baptist preacher at Sevierville, Tennessee. Married Mary Emily Mclntire, born 11-2- 1846. She was the daughter of Zeb Mclntire ;and Mary Randles, from Buncombe County, N.C. Smith died at the home of his daughter, Lillie Bell Clark (Mrs. B.W. Clark) 8-20-1932 at 5:00, at the age of 95. He and his wife are buried at Zions Grove Baptist Church (Paine Cemetery) on Birds Creek at Sevierville, Tennessee. ^[1]

Smith wrote the following essay:

IMPERFECT ESSAY ON THE PAINE FAMILY

(Or - History of S. F. Paine (Smith Ferguson Paine) Written by Request of My Children)

BY SMITH FERGUSON PAINE

I have contemplated writing a history for sometime as I am the only living member of my family. (S. F. Paine died August 30, 1932 in Sevier Co., TN.)

I will first give what I can remember of what has been told by my ancestors.

My grandfather, Robert B. Paine*, was a Virginian. His wife, Rachel Lord, was also a Virginian. To them was born a large family of three sons and seven daughters.

Grandfather Robert B. Paine lived in Virginia until after the close of the Revolutionary War. He then moved to Burke County, N.C. (now Alexander County, N.C.) and settled on the upper Little River in March of 1789. He died there not many years later.

Robert B. Paine served three enlistment's in the Revolutionary War. He was in the trenches under the command of Lafayette when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown.

Daniel Paine, the eldest son, settled near Memphis, Tenn. He had an only son, named Mycager. Father and son were both soldiers in the War of 1812, and were at the Battle of New Orleans. Some years after this battle, he visited his old home in North Carolina. When he was asked how the Battle of New Orleans came out, he said; "All right, America got the beef and England got the lead".

John Paine, the second son of Robert B. Paine, was my father. He married Mary Bradburn (my mother). Mary Bradburn was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Bradburn. Elizabeth Bradburn's maiden name was Elizabeth Elledge. Thomas and Elizabeth Bradburn lived on and owned property known as Bradburn's Cross roads, and was located three miles west of where Taylorsville now stands.

I suppose that they were married in Virginia as they moved from Virginia to North Carolina.

Robert Paine, the youngest son of Robert B. Paine, settled on Battle Creek in Tenn. He reared a family of eighteen children, mostly boys.

Frances Paine, the eldest daughter of Robert B. Paine, married William Fox. Betty Paine*, another daughter of Robert B. Paine, married Edward Teague.

Rachel Paine, another daughter of Robert B. Paine, married James Paine (son of Thomas Paine, a Revolutionary War Veteran).

Mary Paine, another daughter of Robert B. Paine, never married. She died on Sandy Mush Creek, Madison County, North Carolina in 1844.

There are three more daughters of Robert B. Paine but their names are not known at this time. One married Mose Teague, another married Ben Austin, and the third married Elijah Teague. These three families settled in Greene County, Missouri, near Springfield.

The Paines were of English descent.

John Paine (husband of Mary Bradburn), my father, died on the 28~ day of March, 1866 at the age of seventy-seven years, one month, and seventeen days. He was laid to rest in the Turkey Creek Cemetery near Leicester in present Buncombe County, N.C.

My mother, Mary (Bradburn) Paine, was born August 6, 1796. In Grandfather Bradburn's family were three sons and three daughters.

Elizabeth married Ephrim Shuford.

Mary (my mother) married John Paine (my father).

Isaac was the eldest son.

Jane married John Grant.

Joseph married Jane Hughey

Thomas (no wife listed for him)

Thomas Bradburn, my grandfather, was a merchant farmer. He owned sixteen slaves and a considerable land. The Bradburns were of English descent. My grandfather gave my mother a slave but my father did not like negroes and returned the slave to Grandfather Bradburn.

Mary (Bradburn) Paine, my mother, was rather above medium size, tall, erect. And well built, very stout, weighing from 130 to 135 lbs. She had dark complexion, long straight black hair, black eyes, deep and thoughtful. She was kind, tender and affectionate. She was of Swiss descent. Her great grandmother emigrated from Switzerland during he early settlement of this country. She was a flax spinner by trade.

Mother loved her home and her family. She was always interested in her children and was always doing something for their comfort. She was happiest when working for them or helping my father. She inherited her industrious nature from her ancestors. She was always busy, never idle. She worked much at night, carding, spinning, sewing, or knitting. She was a good cook and delighted in cooking a good meal and having a full table.

Mother was not very talkative, abominated laziness, was of good moral character, very high toned, adverse to vice or low society. She was very religious, humble, sincere and devoted to her Christian duty. She was a member of the Baptist Church which she attended regularly.

Mother was never ill very much, had some billiousness and sick headaches. Those were her greatest troubles. She had a good appetite and enjoyed her meals. She outlived my father six years and five months. During the summer of 1872 she gave away, grew more feeble each day, and some days she could hardly go.

On August 21 8t the Doctor came and said the end was near, her system was worn out. That night she was restless and I sent for the children that were within reach. Rachel came at once. On the 22nd she sat up part of the day, carded some cotton rolls, ate as usual, but on lying down she suddenly took bad again and about 10 o'clock she passed away. Next morning her sons, Anderson and Daniel, came for the burial. They started at dark one day and arrived there about 10 o'clock the next day. Turkey Creek is in Buncombe County, N.C. Her coffin was made by Martin White. We laid her to rest by her companion in life.

John Paine, father of our family, was born in Fairfax County, Va., 2-11 - 1789. He was the second son and married Mary Bradburn, born 8-6-1796. She was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Bradburn.* Elizabeth Bradburn's maiden name was Elizabeth Elledge. The Bradburns lived and owned property known as Bradburn's Cross Roads, three miles west of where Taylorsville now stands. I suppose they were married in Virginia as they move to North Carolina from Virginia.

John Paine was a medium sized man, rather low of stature, 5 feet 10 or 11 inches tall, weighing 165 lbs. A divided or hair lip, other wise a very handsome man. He had brown hair and almost blue eyes.

John Paine was a blacksmith by trade, and made bells in abundance. He was a very stout and active man, was hard to handle. He was very lively and loved sports and the chase, was honest and strict in his dealings with man, wore a smile rather than a frown. A true friend, one who never forgot a favor. He was very sympathetic, ordinarily mild and gentle, but when insulted or injured was revengeful, fearless and determined. John Paine loved his family and friends with a devotion unsurpassed. No sacrifice was too great or toil too hard for him, if necessity demanded it. While working in his shop one day a sliver or scale of hot metal flew in his left eye, causing him to loose it. Some years later he lost the sight of his right eye. He was blind ten years before is death.

John Paine served in the War of 1812 from North Carolina (John Paine W.O # 7480). He volunteered in Burke County, N.C. and served from Feb. 1, 1814 to Sept. 4, 1814 as a private in Captain James Martin's Company of North Carolina Militia against the Creek Indians. He was discharged at Salisbury, N.C.

At the age of 63 while living in Madison County, N.C., he applied for a bounty of land on April 24, 1850. He was allowed 80 acres of land on Warrant #47101, under the act of Sept.28, 1850. At the age of 65, he applied for an additional bounty of land and was given another 80 acres #33504. He was at Horse Shoe Bend reaching there just as the battle was over. He helped build a Fort there.

During the Winter of 1852, he became very much interested with regard to his future welfare and professed faith in Christ, joined the Church and was baptized the first Sunday in May 1853. I have often thought that I saw proof of the work of Grace manifested in his life afterwards. Before this time, he showed little interest in spiritual things. He loved romance and fun, and often indulged in drinking more than was prudent. After this, such things to him were at least hateful. He loved his Church and his pew was never absent with it was possible for him to go. His was a religion to live in duty for his Master. His last days were those of humility and trust.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ http://www.ncgenweb.us/burke/ncbpayne.htm
2. ↑ A copy of this essay furnished to Jane Knox Chapter, DAR, by Mr. Roy S. Ingle, Locust St., Columbia, Tenn.)

• Find A Grave: Memorial #15893794

"Tennessee Death Records, 1914-1963," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NS9D-9MX : 25 May 2014), Mary Bradburn in entry for Smith F. Paine, 20 Aug 1932; citing Cemetery, Sevier County, Tennessee, cn 21677, State Library and Archives, Nashville; FHL microfilm 1,876,793.