John Smith (abt. 1626 - abt. 1694)

Born about 1626 in Lancashire, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 1694 at about age 68 in Hempstead, Nassau County, Long Island, New York colony

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Biography

John "Nan" Smith

Origins

His presumed father John Smith of Stamford, whose widow Is said to have married Richard Gildersleeve, apparently had three children:

1. James Smith was probably born in or just before 1621, since he was old enough to rent land and livestock near what is now Long Island City in 1642. He lived in Hempstead from about 1644 to 1652, when he helped found Newtown, and contributed to the purchase of Indian Land Rights in 1656. His widow Martha married before March 1661/2 Richard Owen (d.1694).

. 11. James Smith (c.1650)

. 12. Jeremiah Smith (c1652)

2. Elizabeth Smith (c.1622) married c.1641 Jeremiah Wood, Sr. (bp.Jan 1619/20 Halifax, England)

3. John Smith of Hempstead, (1625?-1694) known as John Nan or Little John, implying that "Nan" came from an old English word for "small" which derived from the same Latin root as "nano," meaning small. Some people claim that "Nan" came from "Nantucket" where this John Smith may have been born. One of the first 20 purchasers of land on Nantucket was a John Smith, and that was in 1671.^[1][2] But on 3 June 1659, "Anna the wife of John Smith nants of Hemsteede" testified concerning a deed signed "at ye house of her father Mr. Richard Gildersleve."^[3] So clearly, the nickname "Nan" precedes the settlement of Nantucket.

John's parentage is unclear. Hart gives relevant information and analysis without drawing a particular conclusion. He does conclude that John was brother to James Smith of Newtown.

Life

John was born circa 1626.^[4] He came from Stamford, Connecticut to settle Hempstead, NewYork Colony in 1644. His name appears, as "John Smith Jun.," on a list of the original proprietors, along with his father, "John Smith Sen.," dated 1647.^[5] There is also a William Smith on the 1647 list, relationship, if any, not known.^[5]

John Smith married Anna Gildersleeve, daughter of Richard Gildersleeve^[6]

‘Nantucket’ Smiths, James (___-d.1661 LI, NY WILL) m. Martha ... and his brother John (___-d.1694 LI, NY) m. Gildersleeve & Wickes/Townsend

John Smith "son in-law of Mr. Gildersleeve, deceased" made his will on 2 July 1694; it was proved on 6 September 1694. He mentions:^[7]

his son Jonathan, his son's sister Meriam, his son Jeremy, "except what I have given to my son-in-law Richard Townsend," daughters Elizabeth Smith and Hannah Merwin [sic, Marvin] and grandson Samuel Denton.

John Smith of Hempstead, New York, will dated 2 July 1694 says he is son-in-law of Mr Gildersleeve, Life estate to wife Elizabeth. Son Jonathan land at Merrick's creek. Daughter Merriam 20 pounds. Son Jeremy to have rights at Washburn creek except that portion given to son in law Richard Townsend. Bequests to daughters Elizabeth Smith and Hannah Morgan and to grandson Samuel Denton. Named wife Elizabeth as executrix. Overseers Simon Searing and John Jackson. Wit George Fowler, William Lee, and Nathaniel Pearsall. Probate 6 Sep 1694. ^[8]

Research Notes

2nd wife Eliz Wickes, dau of John and Mary Wickes of Warwick, RI, widow of Richard Townsend. ^[9]

Will of another John Smith of the Ferry, Kings County, Island of Nassau, New York names his wife Ann. Estate to Ann and her heirs. Ann as sole executor. Will dated 6 June 1694.; probate on 12 February 1697/8.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ Liptrap, Jim. John "Nan" Smith, in "My Genealogy" section of Jim Liptrap personal website, citing The Andros Papers 1674-1676, Christoph, 1989, p.25
2. ↑ Smith, David. The wife of John Rock Smith. Posted on Facebook on Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 2:35 PM.
3. ↑ Liptrap, Jim. John "Nan" Smith, in "My Genealogy" section of Jim Liptrap personal website, citing The Andros Papers 1674-1676, Christoph, 1989, p.25 an The Records of the Towns of North and South Hempstead, Long Island, NY, v.1 p.111, citing volume A page 161.
4. ↑ Bonnie Hamilton website on Rootsweb. Dead URL: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=tibart&id=I56827 . Cited content is indexed, but is no longer present on the current version of this website. - Investigated by Smith-62120, 10 January 2021.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Moore, Charles B. "The Early History of Hempstead (Long Island)," New York: Trow's Printing and Bookbinding Company, 1879; database with images, (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 22 July 2023), Reprinted from The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. X., No. 1, January, 1879; Page Count: 48; Owning Institution: Internet Archive; Publisher Digital: Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center; Access Level: Public; pg. 7-12 [image 21 of 46].
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Torrey, Clarence A. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Baltimore, MD, USA: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2004.
7. ↑ Hart, p.173; citing Queens Co. Deeds/Wills, A [wills section]:87–88, original Liber used.
8. ↑ Page 132 Abstracts of Early Wills Queens Co. NY. Wills within Long Island Sources https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/48331/LongIslandSrcRec-001982-127/295726
9. ↑ http://www.jliptrap.us/gen/nsmith.htm
10. ↑ Record of Wills, 1665-1916; Index to Wills, 1662-1923 (New York County); Author: New York. Surrogate's Court (New York County); Probate Place: New York, New York. Wills, Vol 0005-0006, 1693-1707. Accessed on Ancestry.com by subscription at: https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8800/images/005518045_00146 (images 146-147).

• Flint, Martha Bockee The Smiths of Nassau -- Smith, John Rock, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, v. 30 (Oct., 1899), pp. 200-203
• Frecerick C. Hart Jr., "James Smith of Newtown, Long Island, his Descendants in Huntington, and his Brother John Smith of Hempstead" The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 134 no. 3 (2003) pp.163-174 and no. 4 (2003) pp.289–299; John "Nan" Smith is person 3, primarily covered on pp.167–174.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : updated 27 August 2021, originally accessed 21 August 2020), memorial page for John “Nat” Smith (1620–1694), Find A Grave: Memorial #190794454; Maintained by CMC (contributor 47117651) Unknown.