Nathaniel Smith Jr. (1747 - 1798)

Born 1747 in Eastham, Barnstable Co., province of Massachusetts Bay, New England

Ancestors

Husband of Patience (Swaine) Smith — married 24 Apr 1766 in Barrington Twp., Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia (Canada)

Descendants

Died 2 Feb 1798 at about age 51 in Barrington, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Chet Snow [send private message]

Biography

Nathaniel Smith Jr. was born in 1747, most-likely in Eastham or Harwich, Cape Cod, Massachusetts Bay province. As his name indicates, Nathaniel Smith Jr. was the son of Nathaniel Smith Sr., b: 1718 and his wife Mary (Young) Smith, b: 1720. They were from Cape Cod (Barnstable Co.), originally part of England's Plymouth colony but incorporated into Massachusetts Bay province in 1692.^[1]

Several family genealogies say that Nathaniel Smith Jr. was born in Barrington, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia; however, the area was mostly under French administration until about 1750, when England won it militarily from France. British colonization of the area began about 1755 and civil records date from 1761. Nova Scotia documents from July 1, 1762 note that "Nathaniel Smith" and "Nathaniel [sic=Nathan] Snow" and families "from Plymouth" (meaning the former colony of Plymouth as opposed to those from the island of Nantucket) homesteaded Barrington that year. The Smith, Swain (aka Swaine), Horn and Snow families, who intermarried, were all from Massachusetts Bay province, and all settled in Barrington, NS before 1765. ^[2]

Nathaniel Smith Jr. grew up between Cape Cod and Nova Scotia. On April 24, 1766, in Barrington, he married Patience Swaine, b: Sept. 23, 1742 in Nantucket, Nantucket Co., Massachusetts Bay province. Her father, Chapman Swain(e), had homesteaded Barrington from Nantucket in 1762 - same lists.^[3] Nathaniel and Patience (Swaine) Smith had the following children, all born in Barrington, Shelburne Co., Nova Scotia. ^[4]

1. Abigail Smith b: 1766 in Barrington NS; m: James Bearse
2. Mary Smith b: 1767; m: James Rice
3. Martha Smith b: 1769; d: young
4. Sarah Smith b: 1772; m: Benjamin Snow
5. Mercy Smith b: ABT 1773, m: Nathan Snow
6. John Young Smith b: 15 MAY 1774; m: Hannah Smith
7. Elizabeth Smith b: 1776 in Barrington NS; m: Stephen Snow
8. Hannah Smith b: 14 DEC 1778: (twin); m: John Snow
9. Rebecca Smith b: 14 DEC 1778: (twin); m: Seth Snow
10. Nathaniel Smith b: 15 AUG 1782; m: Susan Spinney
11. Benjamin Smith b: 16 MAR 1784; m: Eunice Kendrick

Nathaniel Smith Jr., was a farmer and fisherman at Barrington, Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Like most men of the community, he also trapped for furs and food in the winter months. It was on one of his expeditions in the woods between Barrington and Port Latour in early February 1798 that he apparently caught a chill and died. His estate was probated just days later on 9 February 1798 and his son John Smith was named administrator. His wife, Patience (Swaine) Smith, from Nantucket MA, survived his passing. She died in Barrington, NS, in February 1822. They are buried together at the Middle Ohio Cemetery in Shelburne, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Canada.^[5]

Event: Description of life of the Smith family:^[6]

"It was said of Nathaniel Smith Junior that he would give as much to support the church as all the rest of the people together; and that his wife, a daughter of Chapman Swain, gr. would walk all the way to The Head, rain or shine, leading a child to attend worship every Sabbath. This may indicate the sort of life in the home of this patriarch of Port Latour..... John Smith, son of Nathaniel, Junior, settled on lot No. 105 Third Division, which had been laid out to his father. Benjamin brother of John, went to Cape Negro. Nathaniel, their oldest brother, remained at Smithville. Their five sisters m. sons of Nathan Snow and all lived at Port Latour..."

Sources

1. ↑ Cunninghams of SW Nova Scotia - Nathaniel Smith
2. ↑ "A history of Barrington township and vicinity, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, 1604-1870; with a biographical and genealogical appendix", pp. 99-101. Nathaniel Smith (Sr.) is the first name on the Plymouth men list.
3. ↑ See preceding Note.
4. ↑ Cunninghams of SW Nova Scotia - Nathaniel Smith with a few additions mainly from Find A Grave Memorial #92767293 - Nathaniel Smith Jr.
5. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 92767472 - Patience Swaine Smith
6. ↑ "A history of Barrington township and vicinity, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, 1604-1870; with a biographical and genealogical appendix", pp. 568-570. Has a list of Nathaniel's 11 children & his grandchildren.

See also:

• Rier_Secor Family Tree on RootsWeb - Nathaniel Smith

• My Family & the People Around Them (new edition) on RootsWeb - Patience Swaine Lists her parents as Chapman Swaine and Sarah (Meader) Swaine.