Are you looking for info about Roberts Hill Knight Smiley families in Amherst, Virginia?

Question

If you are researching the Roberts, Hill, Knight or Smiley families in Amherst County, Virginia (and later Nelson County), I have a copy of an unpublished family genealogy created for a reunion in 2001. It is a treasure trove of information, since it was compiled from family researchers who obviously used wills, land records, marriage records and military records as well as family bibles and stories.

Let me know if you are looking for any specific information. I have already found the will for Thomas Bibb, Stephen Ham, and Joseph Roberts, and will add one for James Hill shortly. Other common surnames are Arthur, Brown, Hardy, Higginbotham, Sandidge, Turner, Watts, Whiter

Comments

Elizable Smiley (Simely) is one of my brick walls: Elizabeth (Smiley) Billingslea, born 1807 in Georgia; married 1823 in Alabama; died 1878 in Mississippi.

Thanks for offering & fingers crossed the Smileys mentioned in your document might be related!

Cheers, Liz

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Liz,

It's a long shot, since most of the Smiley in the book are in Amherst and Nelson counties in Virginia. Details begin with James Smiley b 1768 in Nelson County d. 1833 m. Martha Kiturah Watson 26 May 1805 Amherst County. It does say that Martha was the daughter of James Watson and Patty Burrows. Their children were born in Nelson county.

There are no sources for his father James Smiley b. 1745 d. 1819 m. Jane Watson who was born in North Carolina. It does cite the marriage bond for his son James b. 1768 which might be the source for parents.

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Thanks Kay! I appreciate the leads.

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Hi Kay,

I am descended from James Smiley, who married Martha Kiturah Watson in Amherst VA in 1805.  James and Martha Kiturah were my third great grandparents.  I have never been able to ascertain who James's parents were.  Does the document in your possession provide any clues?

Thanks,

Don Smiley

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Hi,

I was also at the reunion, and really enjoyed learning more about my relatives. I am related through Paul Marshall Knight.   Since then I have learned more about William Knight's father and his service in the Revolutionary War.   If you would like to connect with me to share what I have found, please contact me. Thank you.

Barbara Knight Miner

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Hi Barbara,

I believe Paul Marshall Knight was the brother of my great grandmother Althea Thomas Knight, who married James Watson Smiley.  Was William Osson Knight your 2nd great grandfather?  If so, I guess that makes us 3rd cousins.

Donaldson Knight Smiley

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Hi, Donaldson Knight Smiley,

I think Paul Marshall Knight and Althea Knight Smiley were brother and sister.  Are you related to Brad Smiley?  

Always happy to find a new cousin. .  Have you read about Austin Knight ,aka Osson, aka Orstin Knight in Lenora Sweeney's book about Amherst County and the revolution?  It appears he was William Knight's father.  A lot of the Revolutionary War records show inconsistency in his name but records show William to be his son . I imagine it was due to a strong Southern accent in army field notes.  .  

We apparently share 3 Revolutionary War patriots, Austin/Osson Knight, Joseph Roberts, Susanna's father , and Stephen Ham, the father of Elizabeth Ham, William's mother.

I live in Texas now.  

Barbara

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Hi Cousin Barbara,

Yes, I am related to Brad Smiley.  He was my 2nd cousin (grandson of my grandfather James Watson Smiley's brother Samuel).  Correction - Althea married Elisha Peters Smiley and was James and Samuel's mother.  I have Brad's book and was in touch for a while with him and his wife Barb.

I have not read Lenora Sweeney's book but will look for it.

I live in Bellingham, Washington.

How again are you related to Paul Marshall Knight?

Feel free to email me at dksmiley at yahoo.com if you wish.

Cousin Don

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I would love to see the info on the Hill line in VA. I am stuck at Polly Hill, wife of Thomas Stilwell, married in berkeley County VA 1811. I have been unable to get any further info on who she is.

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I don't have any info on Polly.  My connection to the Hill line is that my 2nd great grandmother Susannah Brown Roberts was married to Thomas Deleware Hill in 1818 and had 5 children.  Thomas died in 1832 and Susannah married William Osson Knight in 1834 and they had 9 children.  I am descended from Susannah and William's daughter Althea Thomas Knight.

Answer 1

I am interested in Joseph Roberts.  Ydna test has connected my family to the Roberts in Amherst County and I have DNA matches with several in the Joseph Roberts family but I cannot connect anyone in the Ogden family from south Georgia (near Savannah) with the Roberts in Virginia around the year 1810.  If we have the brithyears correct Thomas, Henry Dawson or James Roberts could have been my ancestor

Comments

I haven't seen any mention of Georgia, most are Amherst, Nelson and Albemarle counties in Virginia. You might try some of Joseph's siblings (Elliott b. 22 Sep 1723 Caroline county, d. Aug 1788, Capt Zacharia b. abt 1768 m. Sarah Netherland Harris) or father John Alexander Roberts m. Virginia Horseley lived in Albemarle and Caroline counties). Some clues to find sources for them are on Joseph's profile.

What timeframe are you looking in Georgia? Do you have profiles for your ancestors on WikiTree?

Answer 2

Hi Kay,

I am descended from James Smiley, who married Martha Kiturah Watson in Amherst VA in 1805.  James and Martha Kiturah were my third great grandparents.  I have never been able to ascertain who James's parents were.  Does the document in your possession provide any clues?

Thanks,

Don Smiley

Answer 3

Hi Kay,

I am descended from James Smiley, who married Martha Kiturah Watson in Amherst VA in 1805.  James and Martha Kiturah were my third great grandparents.  I have never been able to ascertain who James's parents were.  Does the document in your possession provide any clues?

Thanks,

Don Smiley

Comments

I am descended from Susannah Roberts Hill whose parents were William Joseph and a Hardy. I would like any information.

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I am also descended from Susannah (Brown) Roberts - she was my 2nd great grandmother.  I have her parents as Joseph Alexander Roberts and Sarah Brown Hardy.  I have that she was married twice - first to Thomas Deleware Hill, by whom she had 5 children, and then to William Osson Knight (my 2nd great grandfather) by whom she had 9 more children, including my great grandmother Althea Thomas Knight.  Althea married Elisha Peters Smiley, great grandfather and grandson of James Smiley.

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That's interesting Don. I descended from her oldest son John Albert Hill. He was on his 2nd marriage to Lucy Blaydes Hill when my gr grandfather Samuel James Hill was born. At that time it was 1864, their last child was in 1867 when Lucy was in her 45th year and John in his 46th. Later when my grandmother was born, her father Samuel James Hill, was 50.

Answer 4

My Smiley ancestry goes back to Jesse Webb Smiley, b. 1783 in Dinwiddie, VA.  (He's my fifth great grandfather.)  He moved to Swain County, NC, and all my relations (that I know of) are there.  The line, however, is a straight line: father -- son -- son, with no branches -- no brothers or sisters, etc.  Is there a Jesse Smiley related (as brother or cousin) to James, whom you mention was born in 1768?

Thank you for sharing from this awesome resource!

Tabor Fisher