David Editon Smith (abt. 1789)

Born about 1789 in Tennessee, USA

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Ginger Smith [send private message]

Biography

Cherokee Nation Citizenship Application of Sarah Smith Grider, 1896:

David Smith's daughter, Sarah Ann (Smith) Grider, and several of her children and grand-children, applied for citizenship in the Cherokee Nation in 1896. In her application, she listed her parents as David Smith and Sarah Gallymore. She listed her grandparents as James Smith (paternal) and Jennie (Lee) Gallymore (maternal). A sworn affidavit from John R. Gourd was also included in the application. Gourd testified that he knew James Smith as "Cherokee Jim Smith" from the old nation "east of the Mississippi River." He said he also knew David Smith as the son of James Smith, also of Cherokee blood. David Smith married a young Cherokee girl named Sarah Gallymore, daughter of Jennie Gallymore nee Lee. David Smith had boys and girls; his daughter Sarah "Sally" "Since I came to this country, heard...she had married white man named Grider."

Trail of Tears (Indian Removal):

John Rattlingourd further testified that he saw James in Chattanooga, TN and in AL, but that he did not see him later in the Indian Territory (OK). Chattanooga, TN was the starting point for the Trail of Tears and Indian Removal from the south in 1838-39. The 1900 Indian Territory census report of John Rattling Gourd listed his birthplace as GA. James Smith and his family could have been from GA as well since John Gourd said he knew James prior to the removal to TN and AL. However, David Smith's 1850 Johnson Co., AR census report listed his place of birth as TN in 1789. No later census reports have been found for David Smith that could be evaluated for place of birth for his parents. Sarah's application was denied, so either the information was incorrect; or it was correct, but they were unable to provide enough proof.
James Smith's grandson, Richard Smith (son of David and Sarah Gallymore Smith) was born 18 Dec 1838 in Blue Cove Springs, Jackson County, Alabama. This was the same time that the Cherokee Indians (the last tribe) were removed from the southern states into OK. James Smith's family might have been traveling on this Trail of Tears when Richard was born. Jackson Co., AL was formed 1819 from Cherokee lands located in the north east corner of the state of Alabama, the part that borders TN.

Land Patents:

David's middle name of “Editon” came from a land patent issued to him in 1855 from the Clarksville Land office in Johnson Co., Arkansas - “David Editon Smith of Johnson County, Arkansas” - Land patent issued 1 Mar 1855 for the NW quarter of the south SE of section 23 in Township 9 N of range 24 W in the district of lands subject to sale at Clarksville, AR containing 40 acres located in the county of Johnson, AR; under the authority of April 24 1820. ^[1]

Census Reports:

1850 Census, Johnson Co., Arkansas: ^[2]
Horsehead Township, Taken 11 Nov 1850 Dwelling 98, family 100
David Smith, 61 yo (b. abt 1789), TN
Sarah Smith, 60 yo (b. abt 1790), TN
William Smith, 18 yo (b. abt 1832), AL
Richard Smith, 13 yo (b. abt 1837), AL
NARA Film M432, Roll 27, Page 139

Next door to Clayborn Smith, 28 yo (b. abt 1822) TN
Sarah Smith, 19 yo (b. abt 1831), IL
John C Smith, 2 yo (b. abt 1848), AR
[Clayborn is supposedly a brother of Richard Smith - Darrel Smith]

Sources

1. ↑ Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/PatentSearch), Patent document no. 1953, Accession/Serial no. AR1810_.376.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M67Z-KH1 : Mon Jul 03 13:22:24 UTC 2023), Entry for David Smith and Sarah Smith, 1850.

1850 Johnson County, Arkansas Census Report for David Smith.