Born 1659 in Calvert, Maryland

Husband of Elizabeth (Brooke) Smith — married 1676 (to 1685) in Calvert County, Maryland

Husband of Barbara (Morgan) Smith — married 13 Jul 1686 (to about 1697) in Calvert County, Maryland

Husband of Maria Johanna (Somerset) Smith — married 1697 in Christ Church, Calvert, Maryland

Descendants

Died 1714 at about age 55 in Saint Leonard, Calvert, Maryland

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Anne Agee [send private message], Barry Meadows [send private message], and Chris Harter [send private message]

Biography

Richard Smith, Jr., the son of Richard Smith and Eleanor Somerset, was born about 1654 in Calvert County MD. He died in Calvert County MD in March 1714, ^[1]

Richard was married three times:

(1) Elizabeth Brooke, who he had 3 children by

(2) Barbara, they had 4 children

(3) Maria. They lived near St. Leonard's Creek in Calvert Co., Md. on a 350 acre tract called St. Leonard.

Sources

1. ↑ Will of Richard Smith. Probated 19 March 1714. See Below.

• "Royal Ancestry" 2013, D. Richardson Vol. IV. p. 664

• Browning, Charles H: Americans of Royal Descent, 7th edn. (1911), page 382.

• Grundy, Martha J.P: webpage.

"Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum"

Europeans began to settle along the Patuxent River in the late 1630s. The first person to own the property that became JPPM was Governor William Stone, who patented the parcel he called “St. Leonard” sometime between 1648 and 1652. The famous “Act Concerning Religion,” which attempted to legislate religious toleration, was passed during Stone’s tenure as colonial governor. In 1652, St. Leonard was acquired by Stone’s son, Thomas. While it is not clear if the Stones resided on the property, there must have been buildings here, since during the 1650s the Maryland General Assembly, Lord Baltimore’s Council of Maryland, and the Provincial Court all met at St. Leonard on occasion.

In 1663, Stone sold the plantation to Richard Smith Sr., who had been the first person appointed to the newly-created office of Attorney General for Maryland in 1657. St. Leonard stayed in the possession of the Smith family for almost 150 years. It was a large farm during that period, dependant on the labor of many enslaved Africans for economic success. Richard Smith Sr. built a house in the vicinity of where the JPPM administrative offices and the Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory are today. After he died around 1689, his son Richard Jr. inherited the property, and built a new house a short distance to the north. JPPM archaeologists excavated the site of this house in the 1980s. It is known today as King’s Reach, and is an outdoor interpretive site for visitors.

Richard Smith Jr. was a supporter of Gov. Charles Calvert, the Third Lord Baltimore. A militia captain, he was one of the few Protestant leaders to remain loyal to the Catholic Calvert during the 1689 revolution that overthrew his government. Being on the wrong side of the rebellion, Smith was arrested and incarcerated. It was only through the efforts of his wife, Barbara, who traveled to England to appeal to the Crown for his release, that Smith regained his freedom. He was later appointed Surveyor General for Maryland. In 1711, he built a new house at the south end of his plantation, on a point overlooking the mouth of St. Leonard Creek. Archaeologists excavating this site named it “Smith’s St. Leonard.” Richard Jr. lived there until he passed away in 1714.

Walter Smith inherited the property after his father’s death. He was a major in the militia and a longtime member of the General Assembly. He stayed at Smith’s St. Leonard until his death in 1748. By 1754, the plantation was in the hands of his eight year old grandson, also named Walter Smith, who continued to own it until his death in 1804. However, Walter’s father had lived a few miles away on Parker’s Creek, and there is no evidence to suggest that young Walter ever moved to St. Leonard. As an absentee landlord, Walter did probably arrange for tenants or slaves to live and work on the property. Walter also produced perhaps the most well-known family member, his daughter Margaret Mackall Smith, who married Zachary Taylor and became First Lady of the United States. In 1809, St. Leonard passed out of Smith family ownership.

• "Smith, Richard, St. Leonard's St. Mary's County, 31st July, 1710; 19th Mch., 1714".

"Mention is made of lands conveyed to son Richard by deed of gift, viz., 500 A., "Smith's Fort," 2000 A, "Smith's Forrest," as also personalty already given him.

To dau. Elizabeth, wife of William Tom, and hrs., plantation, "Locust Thicket," being testator's part of Brook Ridge"; and to dau. Ann, wife of Wm. Dawkins, and hrs., 2500 A., jointly, "Valley of Jehosophat," also to sd. dau. Ann, 500 A., "The Addition to the Valley of Jehosophat."

"To son Walter at 21 yrs., dwelling-house and plantation, bought by father, ___, from Mr. Stone, and land adjoining which was Robt. Taylor's; also, tract "Hogg Pen," between dwelling-house and the mill at head of St. Leonard's Creek, 300 A., "Blinkhorne" on sd. creek, and 300 A., "Wolfe's Quarter," adjoining thereto, 800 A., "Stedmore" in Talbot County, also, Stone Island in Patuxent R., at mouth of Island Creek.

To Thos. Johnson and Mary, his wife, certain plantation ___, on which they live; to pass to their son Thomas and hrs., and he dying without issue, to revert to son Walter and hrs. [p.38]

To dau. Barbary Smith and hrs., residue of "Brook Partition," after portion sold to John Sollers and to John Sunderlin, deceased, shall have been made over to them or their hrs.; also, to sd. Barbary, "Upper Cock Town," commonly called "Vines Neck," 150 A., "Cock's Comb," 50 A., "Cock's Head," and 185 A., "Smith's Conveniency," also, 2000 A., "The First part of Free Gift," in the forest behind Sassafrax and Chester Rs."

"To son Charles Somerset Smith and hrs., 2 tracts, 1000 A., and 4000 A., to entered as 1 tract, "Beaver Dam," at head of Chester R., and 725 A., part of "Calverton manor"; he dying without issue, to revert to son Walter and hrs., and both sd. sons dying without issue, all lands devised them to be equally divided amongst three daus., Elizabeth, Anne and Barbary, and hrs.; also, to son Charles Somerset, punchbowl bearing coat-of-arms of Somerset."

"To 5 child. last named, residue of personalty."

Testator mentions son Rousby in certain business transactions.

Ex.: Brother Walter Smith

Test: Wm. Creed, John Stennet, Jno. Easterling, Thos. Tucker, James Mackall, Wm. Gray, Jno. Brome. 14.83

=

Richard Smith, Esq. 36C.1 I CA £1906.17,6 Jul 25 1715 Appraisers: William Smith, John Brome. List of debts: Mr. Cruckshank, Capt. Hyde, Colemore, Jackson.

=

Capt. Richard Smith 38A.70 A CA £1906.17.6 £109.4.10 May 4 1717 Payments to: Robert Day, James Dawkins, Archibald Miller, Edward Mobberly, Margrett Seager, Anthoney Conwell, Christ. Dungerman, Charles Brook, Samuel chew, Jr., Aaron Rawlings, Ricard Barie, Mr. Macnemara attorney for Mr. Birchfeild, Francis Piles, Jr., John Crooke, John Bowles, Mr. Thomas Bordely, Maj. Willson, Richard Lewillen, Robert Spickenall, W. Bladen, Esq. Administrator: Mr. Walter Smith

=

"Maryland Genealogies", "Smith Family of Calvert County" by Christopher Johnston

=

Under date of 2 December 1679, Christopher Baines and Anne his wife, and Richard Smith and Elizabeth his wife, obtain a warrant of resurvey for a tract called Brooke Ridge, devised to the said Anne and Elizabeth by the will of their brother Charles Brooke, late of Calvert County, Gent., (Land Office, Lib. 20, fol. 285). An abstract of the will of Charles Brooke is given in Baldwin's Calendar, i, 64.

=

According to "Maryland Genealogies", "Smith Family of Calvert County" by Christopher Johnston, "Capt. Richard Smith of St. Leonard's, Calvert County, died in 1714, and his will (dated 31 July 1710, proved 23 Feb'y 1714) affords proof of his parentage. In it he appoints "my loving brother Walter Smith" sole executor and, among other dispositions, leaves to his son Walter "my dwelling house with all the lands belonging to it as my father bought of Mr. Stone." This was a tract of 350 acres, called St. Leonards, at the mouth of St. Leonard's Creek. 9 September 1663, Thomas Stone of Charles County and Mary his wife convey to Richard Smith of Calvert County a tract of 350 acres at the mouth of St. Leonard's Creek (Lib. BB). In the Calvert County Rent Roll it is entered as follows" "St. Leonards, 350 acres-surveyed 15 July 1651 for Thomas Stone, Gent., near St. Leonard's Creek. Possessor (1707) Richard Smith." In November 1683, Richard Smith Junior was appointed one of the Commissioners for laying out towns and ports in Calvert County (MD. Arch., vii, 611). In the revolution of 1689 he sided with Lord Baltimore's government and took an active part against the revolutionists. Being captain of a company of foot, he gathered his men and marched with them, under orders from the Council, to Mattapany, where the government was then seated. But the revolutionists appeared in overwhelming force and the garrison of Mattapany was compelled to capitulate. Later, the revolutionary party issued writs for an election of Burgesses, but Captain Smith strongly urged the people of Calvert to hold no election, alleging that the writs were not issued under proper authority, and that the new Assembly was merely intended to approve the illegal acts of Goode and his associates. Michael Taney, High Sheriff of the County, and Capt. Thomas Clagett, the coroner, both refused to hold any election. Richard Smith, Michael Taney, and Cecilius Butler, who had also taken an active part against the revolutionary proceedings, were all imprisoned (MD Arch., viii, 147-149). Richard Smith made a strong protest against his illegal arrest (ibid., 149-151), and his wife Barbara went to England where she presented, 30 December 1689, a petition to the Commissioners for Trade and Plantation, with a narrative of the troubles in Maryland (ibid., 153-155). Under the new government Capt. Smith was deprived of his commission as Captain in the Calvert County Militia, and Thomas Tasker was appointed in his place (MD. Arch., xii, 242). Capt. Smith was Surveyor General of Maryland 1693-94 (MD. Arch. xix, 58; xx, 34, 37)."