Jürg Nickolaus (Smither) Smothers (abt. 1742 - aft. 1824)

Born about 1742 in Allemangle, Berks, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Anna Lovisa (Nothstein) Smothers — married Jan 1765 in PA

Husband of Catherine (Walters) Smothers — married 9 Apr 1816 in Fairfield, Ohio, United States

Descendants

Died after 24 Jun 1824 after about age 82 in Walnut, Fairfield, Ohio, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Michael Stills [send private message], Roxanne Baird [send private message], and Susan Saul [send private message]

Biography

Captain George (Smither) Smothers served with 6th Battalion, Northampton County Militia, Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolution.

George (Smither) Smothers is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A202356.

George Nicholas Smither/Smather/Smethers/Smithers served as a captain in the Revolutionary War in the 7th Company, 6th Battalion of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, Militia. His surname was spelled in various ways in different records. His DAR record is in the "Smither" surname.^[1]

Research Notes

Dr. Wilson Jones Smathers, "The History of the Smathers Family in America," published 1920, argued strongly but without proof that the Smathers surname was English or Welsh rather than German. All available evidence, however, indicates that the Smathers family is of German origin.

From Steve <removed disallowed email>
"I think the name Jeakey was mispelled on the marriage license in NJ. Scribes misspelled all the time. When I looked thru the Official Pa German Society volumes on the 5th floor of the Denver, CO, library years ago they list all names and variations of PA Germans settlers that came to the USA back then. The book is there.

"They list Jackal and Jaekel with Jackle. I believe her name actually was Jackle as I also found a Jackle family living near the 3 Smither families in early PA: George, Jacob, and Jacob jr.

"As for the surnames Smothers, Smetters, Schmethers, Smuthers, Smathers, Smither, Smeathers, Smethers, Schmetters none of these names are shown as variants to any PA German settlers' name in the books. They all came from Smither and how different people made an attempt to write or pronounce it carried into each line today. The male DNA says it too. Yet it seems over and over there is always some argument as to who was what. The families married heavy into PA German settlers, some lines more than others."

The children of George Nicholas and Anna Loisa (Nothstein) Smothers were:

1. Henry
2. Margaret Earl
3. George William
4. Philip^[2]
5. John
6. Daniel
7. Christina Mongul
8. Christian
9. Catherine ? Not mentioned in will?

Time Line

Note: A profile will be identified as Genealogically Defined when Birth, Marriage, Children Birth and Death have been sourced and bolded in timeline.

• BIRTH (1742), (LOCATION)
• Residence (15 Mar 1772) Berks Co., PA
• Military Service^[3][4]
• 7 Aug 1777, Northampton, Pennsylvannia. Signs Oath of Allegence.
• MARRIAGE (Jan 1765), (Penn): Anna Loisa Nothstein
• CHILD BORN (DATE), (LOCATION)
• Residence (1790) Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States^[5]
• Residence (1798) Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States
• Residence (1800) Salem, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, USA^[6]
• Residence (1810) Possibly Ohio. Ohio was first enumerated in 1810, however, these records were lost.
• MARRIAGE (9 April 1816), (Ohio) Catherine Walters^[7]
• Residence (1820) Redbank, Armstrong, Pennsylvania, United States^[8]
• DEATH (aft June1824), (LOCATION)
• BURIAL (aft June1824), (LOCATION)

Research Notes

Note: Research notes should identify evidence needed to make profile Genealogically Defined

• Obtain Birth Evidence and Record (evidence of birth possibly found in the Record Book of Daniel Schumacher, 1754-1773 Weiser, F S.)

• Obtain Marriage Evidence and Record
• Document Birth of Children
• Obtain Death Evidence and Record
• Obtain Burial Evidence

• Review 1820 Census Penn vs Ohio?
• Establish proof of military service.
• Research. George Smither complaint against James Nesbitt, et.al. and continued here

• The Book of Daniel Schumacher records the parents of Henrich as Jürg Nickolaus Schmedder and Lovisa. Sponsors were Heinrich Nothstein and Catarina Grünewaldten, p.177.

DNA

Military Service

• George Smithers on Fold3.com

may need further evaluation to establish if correct service is indicated.

Pennsylvania Archives Index on Fold3.com

Sixth Battalion Northampton County Militia

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.452

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.466

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.469

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.472

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.474

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.478

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.481

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.513

Seventh Battalion Northampton County Militia

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.525

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.528

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.560

Associators and Militia Series 5, Volume 7, p.567

Notes

George Nicolas Smethers was born abt 1742 in Pennsylvania, probably Ber. County, son of William Smither and Maria Catherine Jackel. He married Anna. Loisa Nothstein in January, 1765, and sometime before 1770, moved to Carbon. County, PA. By 1772, he had settled in Salem Twp., Luzerne County, PA. He served in the American Revolution for Northampton County under Captain Christian Slosser of the 7th Pennsylvania Battalion, along with his son Henry. In 1801, he accompanied his sons John, and Henry into Fairfield. County, OH settling in the Walnut Twp. community of Ewings Run. His wife, Anna, died some time after 1792, and he remarries to a Barbara (maiden name unknown).

By 1816, he is seen marrying yet again to Catherine Walters.

His will written Jun 4, 1824 and filed in Fairfield County 1825 names Daniel Smothers and Benjamin Musselman executors, wills land in Sec. 20 Liberty Twp to wife Catherine. Heirs named as Philip, George, Jr., John, Daniel, Christian, Christena Mongul (Mongold), and Margaret Earl.

Sources

1. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed January 25, 2015), "Record of George Smithers", Ancestor # A202356.
2. ↑ "Pennsylvania Births and Christenings, 1709-1950," database, FamilySearch accessed 11 February 2018, George Schmetter in entry for Philip Schmetter, 15 Mar 1772; Christening, citing Berks, Pennsylvania; FHL microfilm 20,345.
3. ↑ "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGK1-1528 : 16 March 2018), George Smethers, 18 May 1781; citing Military Service, , Citing various published state rosters, United States; FHL microfilm 102229250.
4. ↑ "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG29-9K8H : 16 March 2018), Smethers, 16 Jul 1781; citing Military Service, , Citing various published state rosters, United States; FHL microfilm 102229250.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKJ-D8X : accessed 25 June 2019), George Smithers, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 153, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 8; FHL microfilm 568,148.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHR6-DK6 : accessed 25 June 2019), George Smither, Salem, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 354,355, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 39; FHL microfilm 363,342.
7. ↑ "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2013," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZ5Q-FPT : 10 December 2017), George Smothers and Catharine Walters, 09 Apr 1816; citing Marriage, Fairfield, Ohio, United States, , Franklin County Genealogical & Historical Society, Columbus; FHL microfilm.
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGQ-5MN : accessed 25 June 2019), George Smethers, Redbank, Armstrong, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 284, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 97; FHL microfilm 181,403.

• Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993: Wills, 1752-1860 ; Index to Wills, 1752-1915; Author: Berks County (Pennsylvania). Register of Wills; Probate Place: Berks, Pennsylvania Name: William Smither Probate Date: 25 Mar 1760 Probate Place: Berks, Pennsylvania, USA Inferred Death Year: Abt 1760 Inferred Death Place: Pennsylvania, USA

• Pennsylvania State Archives, Revolutionary War Military Abstract Card File, Pennsylvania State Archives - http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/, Smather, George - Capt. - Northampton County - 6th Bn - 7th Company - June 1, 1780.

• Pennsylvania State Archives, Militia Officers Index Cards, 1775-1800, Pennsylvania State Archives - http://www.digitalarchives.state.pa.us/, Smethers (Smathers), George. Northampton. Captain, 7th Co., 6th Bn. 1780-1783.

• "Public Member Trees", database, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/7973103/person/-550039851/facts : accessed 15 June 2019), profile for George Nicholas Smithers Captain.
• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 25 June 2019, 04:34), entry for George Nicolas Smethers(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LCV5-2VX); contributed by various users.

• Will of George SMOTHERS and family tree http://trees.ancestry.com/rd?f=document&guid=d828c010-c995-409a-bab2-b413359336d0&tid=7973103&pid=-550039851
• Jean Collier, compiler, Fairfield County Wills and Estate Abstracts Cases 1-500, Fairfield County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, Lancaster, Ohio, 1996 (reprinted 2016), P. 46, Case #435; recorded in Will Book 2 (possibly 11 or II), p. 170, written June 4, 1824, filed 1825. also in will bk 11(II?) or perhaps 2 page 170. The will of George Smothers Sr. of Fairfield Co., Ohio Case #435. Will 4 June1824 Walnut Twp., Fairfield Co., Ohio. Executors wer son Daniel Smothers and Benjamin Mussellman. Willed land in section 20 of Liberty Township to wife Catherine. Heirs listed, Philip, George, Jr., John, Daniel and Christian Smothers; Christena Mongul; the heirs of his daughter, Margaret Earl (Catherine Rader, Henry Burman, and George Rader, St.). Surname also written as Smethers.

• OATH OF ALLEGIANCE 7 AUG 1777