William Smiley (abt. 1727 - 1813)

Born about Mar 1727 in Ireland [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 24 Mar 1813 at about age 86 in Springfield, Vermont, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Carole Taylor [send private message]

Research

1. We have documentation attached that is dated 1777-1780.
2. This William Smiley was in fact a was a "Member of New Hampshire House of Representatives" in 1777 and a "Selectman" 1779 and the December 1783 Oath of Allegiance.
3. Which means his year of birth, calculated that he had to be at least 18 years of age and OLDER to be a Representative, makes him born 1757 or earlier................................

Biography

Honorable William Smiley performed Patriotic Service in New Hampshire in the American Revolution.

William Smiley is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A105716.

William Smiley was born in Ireland.

William Smiley migrated from County Unk. Ireland to New Hampshire.

From the google book History of the Town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, from the Date of the Masonian Charter to the Present Time, 1749-1880.

Page 32/41/43/45/46 of [1] History of the Town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire, from the Date of the Masonian Charter to the Present Time, 1749-1880: With a Genealogical Register of the Jaffrey Families, and an Appendix Containing the Proceedings of the Centennial Celebration in 1873

List of the Pioneers of Jaffrey, per report of Gilmore. Grout, and Hale

John Borland, Joseph Caldwell, James Caldwell, James Caldwell, Jr., Thomas Caldwell, Chrysty, Daniel Davis, •Joseph Dunlap, •John Davidson, Thomas Davidson, Thomas Emery, Fitch, •Roger Gilmore, •John Gilmore, •John Grout, Glover, Enoch Hale, Hale, •John Harper, Wid. Henderson, •Joseph Hogg, •William Hogg, Robert Holmes, Jona. Hopkinson, David Hunter, Ephraim Hunt, John Little, Andrew McAlister, Alex' McNiel, William Mitchel, Munroe, James Nichols, Organ, Jona. Parker, Russel,

•William Smiley, John Swan, •Joseph Turner, •William Turner, Thomas Turner, Solomon Turner, Taggot, George Wallace, Thomas Walker, Robert Wier, •Mathew Wright, Leranus Wright.

GENEALOGICAL REGISTER: PAGES 462-464

"SMILEY FAMILY. William Smiley (Dea.) was b. in Ireland, in 1727, of Scotch-Irish origin.

"He was one of the earliest settlers.

His family was one of the nine reported by Grout and Gilmore to the proprietors of the township.

He settled on lot 13, range 8, on the eastern borders of the Gilmore pond, and resided there till he left town, about the year 1810.

This pond was first known as the Smiley pond. The place is now uninhabited. Dea. Smiley was one of the prominent men. When the town was organized he was chosen

Town-Clerk and one of the

board of Selectmen.

He was the first town Treasurer, and the

first Representative chosen under the State Constitution, in 1784.

He was also a delegate to the State Convention in 1781, for the formation of a Constitution.

He appears to have held almost every office in the gift of the town.

He was one of the first members of the church, and Deacon of the same.

Two of his sons, David and Robinson, were the first college graduates from the town of Jaffrey. David graduated at Harvard and Robinson at Dartmouth. David was a lawyer, the first one who opened an office for that business in Jaffrey.

In 1810 Dea. Smiley removed, with his son Robinson, to Springfield, Vt., and d. March 4, 1813, a. 86.

He m. Sarah Robinson, of Boston, who d. Nov. 14, 1815, a. 86.

Children

1. John, b. Aug. 21, 1754 ; d. in the state of New York at a great age. 11.
2. Aggnes, b. Dec. 8, 1755; m. Robert Smith, of Peterborough; d. Oct. 10, 1791. Two ch., William and Fanny.
3. William, b. July 12, 1751 ; d. in the service of his country at Ticonderoga, Oct. 14, 1776.
4. Francis, b. Feb. 21, 1759; re. to Elba, New York, and d. March 23, 1844. He was a physician.
5. David, b. Nov. 16, 1761 ; d. Feb. 27, 1763.
6. Sarah, b. Oct. 5, 1763: m. Josiah Belknap. They re. to Springfield about 1818; d. Feb. 20, 1846. He d. April 27, 1845, a. 85. He owned a fulling-mill near the Davidson mill, south of the centre of the town, now owned by Heath and Gilmore.
7. James, b. May 7, 1766; re. to Buford, Canada West; d. Sept. 27, 1845. He m. Hannah Hathorn. One ch., — James, b. in Jaffrey, April 15, 1795.
8. David, b. March 16, 1769 ; graduated Harvard ; studied law ; practiced in Jaffrey till 1807, when he re. to Grafton, N. H., and d. May 19, 1845. He m. Mary ; had one ch., b. in Jaffrey, — Mary, b. and d. June, 1804.
9. Robinson, b. April 12, 1771 ; grad. Dartmouth college, 1798; studied divinity; settled in Springfield, Vt., and d. there June 26, 1856, a. 85.
10. Hugh, b. March 29, 1793; m. Elizabeth, dau. of Lieut. John and Elizabeth (Proctor) Harper; a farmer ; settled on the home stead in or about 1810; he re. to Pennsylvania and d. there.

Elias Smiley, son of Dr. David Smiley, of Peter borough, N. H., b. July 10, 1783; m. Betsey Bowers, ofltindge. He d. Dec. 2, 1865, a. 82. Shed. Dec. 14, 1865, a. 82. No children.

HISTORY OF JAFFREY, CHESHIRE COUNTY, NEW HAMPSHIRE [2]

Information located at http://www.nh.searchroots.com

On a web site about

GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE and its counties

TRANSCRIBED BY JANICE BROWN Please see the web site for my email contact.

TOWN OFFICERS [only a partial list from original document shown

below]

TOWN CLERKS:

William Smiley 1773, 1774, 1777, 1783

Robert Weir 1776//Roger Gilmore, 1778, 1779, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801

Adonijah Howe, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1791, 1792, 1793, 1794, 1802, 1804, 1806, 1807, 1808/ :Jedediah Sanger 1785/Abel Parker 1789/Alexander Milliken 1790

David Smiley 1803 1804

David Page 1805/Samuel Dakin 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815/Oliver Prescott 1816/William Ainsworth 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1821/Henry Payson 1822, 1823, 1824/Thomas Adams, 1825-1832/Benjamin Cutter, 1823-1829, 1842-1847/John Fox, 1848-1863

REPRESENTATIVES(partial) (* marked were born in Jaffrey)

Henry Coffeen, May 11, 1775 to third Provincial Congress at Exeter

William Smiley 1784

This HAS TO BE A DIFFERENT William Smiley who died in the war 1776..................

From rootsweb.com TREE Ancestors of Zo� Townsend & Walker Dix

Owner: Walker

ID: I9866

Name: William Smiley

Change Date: 25 AUG 2003

Birth: 12 JUL 1757 in Windham, Rockingham Co., NH

'Death: 14 OCT 1776 in Killed at Ticonderoga, NY

Father: William Smiley, Dea. b: MAR 1726--Londonderry, Ulster, Ireland (# 137291608)

Mother: Sarah Robinson b: 1731 in Boston, Suffolk Co., MA (# 137291647)

There were no known battles in New York in Oct 1776. the "Battle of Brooklyn" was over in August 1776." So if William as "Killed at Ticonderoga NY." it was not in a battle.

Sources: Title: "A Brief Record of the John Smiley and Isaac Jennings Families"-- Publication: William Otis Smiley, 13 March 1915.

Title: Daughters of the American Revolution Index, Rev. Soldiers.

His father- William Smiley Service: NEW HAMPSHIRE Rank(s): CIVIL SERVICE, PATRIOTIC SERVICE--Birth: 1725 LONDONDERRY IRELAND--Death: 3-4-1813 SPRINGFIELD VERMONT--Service Description:

1) MODERATOR;TOWN CLERK;SELECTMAN;TREASURER

2) MEM OF COMM TO SECURE CONT.SOLDIERS

Death

Vermont Vital Records

Name William Smiley (Deacon)

Event Type Death

Event Date 24 Mar 1813

Event Place Springfield, Vermont, United States

Age 86

Birth Year (Estimated) 1727

Citing this Record

Sources

1. Find A Grave: Memorial #137291608
2. New Hampshire Revolution...ry War Records, 1675-1835Oaths Oaths of Allegiance, 1695-1816 [3]
3. "New Hampshire Birth Records, Early to 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL59-9R6 : 10 March 2018), William Smiley, 12 Jul 1757; citing Windham, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 1,001,040.
4. New Hampshire House of Representatives Oath of Allegiance [4]
5. "New Hampshire Birth Records, Early to 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL59-9TL : 10 March 2018), Frances Smiley, 21 Feb 1759; citing Windham, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 1,001,040.
6. "New Hampshire Birth Records, Early to 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL59-9RP : 10 March 2018), William Smiley in entry for David Smiley, 16 Nov 1761; citing Windham, Rockingham, New Hampshire, United States, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics, Concord; FHL microfilm 1,001,040.
7. "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V89M-QRR : 5 November 2017), William Smiley, 24 Mar 1813, Death; State Capitol Building, Montpelier; FHL microfilm 27,687.