Olive (Foster) Smith (abt. 1653 - aft. 1690)

Born about 1653 in Burton, Monk Bretton, West Riding, Yorkshire, England [uncertain]

Wife of Andrew Smith — married 13 Sep 1674 in St John The Baptist church, Royston Parish, Royston, West Riding, Yorkshire, England

Descendants

Died after 1690 after about age 37 in Burlington, West New Jersey Province

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Melinda Pitts [send private message], Allice Reynolds [send private message], David Hluch [send private message], Michael Sanderson [send private message], and Kath Gonzales [send private message]

Biography

Previous conjecture about Andrew's wife 'Olive', and the putative surname "Pitt" given her by an early researcher are found to be no longer of consideration; the true 'Olive' connection has been found in West Riding, Yorkshire, England Parish Church Records.

We now know that Andrew married an Olive Foster, as found in the Royston St John The Baptist's (West Riding) parish records, to wit, "Andrew Smith & Olive ffoster both of Burton were married Septembr ye 13th" [1674], and, "Sarah ye daughter of Andrew Smith of Burton was baptized December ye 12th" [1675]. --- Any suggested ancestry for immigrant Andrew was part of an earnest conjecture by an early family researcher (without the benefit of today's Internet), seeming indicative at the time, but not supported by currently examined parish records for Andrew. --- The previous construction by an earnest but mistaken researcher who created an unverified "Olive" Pitt has found no support in verified research, nor the postulated Olive Pitt's postulated parents, "George' and "Olive". --- We have yet to find a verifiable connection between the Smiths and Pitts, other than names scrawled in our family bible, "George Pitt", "John Pitt", the town name "Grymthorpe" (Grimethorpe), and the interesting "Sarah Foster" and "John Foster", but, we continue the digging. --- Cheers, Gary Smith, family genealogist, http://tinyurl.com/8k95t9l

Research on Olive Pitt and her name

We now have parish record confirmation that immigrant Andrew married an Olive Foster in 1674 and that daughter Sarah was born a year later, 28 Nov 1675 in Burton, Monk Bretton, West Riding, Yorkshire, England. The family of three immigrated in 1677 and births of five children followed. A daughter Elizabeth was born 11 Apr 1680 at Chesterfield MM, Chesterfield Twp, Burlington, West New Jersey Province, when her mother's given name 'Olive' only, is mentioned for the first and last time in the New World (in so far as the 1608 family bible and our research have disclosed). The last child was Andrew, Jr. born 8 Feb 1689 in Chesterfield Twp. So, in my files I show Olive Foster's death as 'after 1689'. A few unexplained Pitt family names are found scrawled randomly here and there on open areas of the bible's pages, and a couple of free-floating 'Fosters' spelled without the "ff" for capital "F" common to that age (as in the record for "Olive ffoster"). Hmm...

So, any connection our Smith line has with that Pitt family remains yet to be discovered, for there is no paper-trail connection. Source; Gary Smith

Children

From Olive Foster 'Smith DNA One Name Study' ^[1]

Andrew and Olive had the following children:

1. SARAH SMITH, b. November 28, 1675 [28th day, 9th month, 1675] perhaps West Riding, Yorkshire, England, d. about 1759 Hampshire County, Virginia [now West Virginia]; md. before January 16, 1703/04 (date of father’s will), JOHN PARKE, b. about 1676-1680 probably Northumberland, England, d. about 1757 Hampshire County, Virginia [now West Virginia], son of ROGER PARKE and ANN PATTISON. In 1731, John Parke together with his brother-in-law Thomas Smith became litigants in a land lawsuit with Colonel Daniel Coxe effecting the residents of Hopewell Township, popularly known by historians as the "Coxe Affair.” As a result of this suit, many Hopewell residents were dispossessed of their land. On the evening of July 7, 1735, a group of twelve unknown men entered the homes of Duncan O’Guillon and John Collier (formerly in the possession of John Parks and Thomas Smith) and assaulted the inhabitants. The August 21-28, 1735 edition of The American Weekly Mercury contained a proclamation issued by New Jersey Governor William Cosby calling for the arrest and punishment of the offenders and their accomplices. Parke and Smith fled Hopewell following this incident. Researcher Ethel Stroupe gives an excellent and detailed overview of these events in her article entitled “Jersey Settlement Origins” [Rowan County Register, February, 1996, Volume 11, No. 1, pp. 2413-2434]. It is believed that both John Parke and Thomas Smith migrated with their families to Frederick County, Virginia (present day Hampshire County, West Virginia), settling near the Cacapon River. In 1747, a Frederick County, Virginia road order contains mention of both John Parke and Thomas Smith serving on a jury to build a road from “Park’s Grave Yard near the Capon Water over Dillings Run into the Waggon Road” [Frederick County, VA Court Order Book 2, 1745-1748, p. 208]. The survey book of George Washington contains an entry for a survey made for John Parke, Sr. on April 11, 1750 for 400 acres on the Cacapehon River in Frederick County, Virginia [George Washington Survey Book, 1749-1750, p. 53]. His son John Parke, Jr. also received a survey for 250 acres on a branch of the Cacapehon River dated March 31, 1750 [George Washington Survey Book, 1749-1750, p. 38]. An entry in Washington’s survey book of 1752 shows that John Parke, Jr. and his father John Parke, Sr. requested survey for 200 acres each on April 1, 1752 [George Washington Survey Book [List of Entries], 1752]. It is believed that early members of John Parke’s family may be buried in Kale Cemetery on the northern end of Parke’s 400 acres tract near Capon Bridge, Hampshire County, West Virginia. Some early Parke family members are also buried in Parks Hollow (Lovett) Cemetery near Capon Bridge, West Virginia. [Research of William Douglas Park].
2. THOMAS SMITH, b. November 20, 1677 perhaps West Riding, Yorkshire, England or Burlington County, New Jersey. He received two tracts of land totaling 300 acres “above the Falls of Delaware” from the West Jersey Society on February 25, 1698/99, the surveys for which were procured for him by his father Andrew in April, 1697 [West Jersey Deeds, Liber A (Revel’s Book of Surveys, Reversed Side), 1680-1704, p. 15; Liber B, Part 2, 1687-1703, p. 640]. Like his brother-in-law John Parke, he was embroiled in the land controversies with Coxe, and fled to Frederick County, Virginia [now Hampshire County, West Virginia]. A Thomas Smith and John Parke are mentioned in a 1747 road order for the construction of a road near the Cacepon River [Frederick County, VA Court Order Book 2, 1745-1748, p. 208]. Researcher Gloria Padach in her August, 1994 article “The Pitt/Smith Bible” [Rowan County Register, Volume 9, No. 3, pp. 2049-2056] asserts that Thomas Smith married REBECCA ANDERSON (b. January 6, 1699/1700 Dutch Kills, NY, d. August 12, 1785 aged 86 years Rowan County, NC, daughter of CORNELIUS ANDERSON and ANNETJE OPDYCK) and migrated to Anson (later Rowan and now Davidson) County, North Carolina. On September 21, 1753, John Smith, Andrew Smith, and James Smith recorded their cattle marks, along with Jonathan Hunt (the husband of Mary Smith, daughter of Andrew Smith and Sarah Stout) [Rowan County, NC Court Minutes, Volume 1, p. 20]. The Rowan County, North Carolina Court Minutes further show the presence of a John Smith with wife Rebecca. He died intestate in Rowan County, NC by January 13, 1763, for on that date Rebecca Smith, wife and relict of John Smith, was granted letters of administration on the estate of her husband with Francis Johnson and James Carson as securities in the sum of 300 Pounds [Rowan County, NC Court Minutes, Volume 2, p. 442]. On April 13, 1763, a true and lawful inventory of sale of John Smith Dec'd was returned into open Court by Rebecca Smith, Administratrix [Rowan County, NC Court Minutes, Volume 2, p. 453]. Three days later on April 16, 1763, an order that the goods and chattels of John Smith, deceased, be sold at public vendue was issued [Rowan County, NC Court Minutes, Volume 2, p. 461]. Then on July 14, 1763, an inventory of the sale of John Smith deceased was returned to court [Rowan County, NC Court Minutes, Volume 2, p. 473]. Finally, on April 11, 1765, the estate of John Smith dec'd was settled by Rebecca Smith [Rowan County, NC Court Minutes, Volume 2, p. 583]. On September 4, 1763, Anderson Smith, Vincent Williams, and Andrew Smith posted bond for the marriage of Anderson Smith to Priscilla Williams. John Frohock served as a witness. Accompanying the bond is a note signed by Rebeckah Smith and James Smith as follows: Sir, These may and Do Certifie that you may Grant my Brother Anderson a license as he has mothers leave and mine as Andrew Smith Can inform yo(u) to which wee subscribe our Names this 2nd Day of October 1763. Rebeckah Smith, James Smith. This note suggests both that Anderson Smith was underage and that his father was most likely already deceased. In correspondence with this researcher, Mrs. Padach maintains that the Rebecca Smith who served as administrator of John Smith in 1763 is not Rebecca (Anderson) Smith of the Jersey Settlement, but rather the wife of John Smith of Crains (Cranes) Creek in present day Rowan County, North Carolina. She believes that the couple were a John Smith, Jr. and wife Rebecca Blackbourn, whose marriage was authorized by the Philadelphia Monthly Meeting of the Society of Friends on March 30, 1722 [1 mo, 30 d, 1722]. John Smith had acquired 640 acres on the east side of Crain's Creek from Peter and Catherine Arrandt on October 19 & 20, 1756 [Proven October 23, 1756; Rowan County, NC Deed Book 3, pp. 431-434]. A John Smith subsequently conveyed 322 acres of the same tract to Malcolm Blue on January 8 & 9, 1765 [Proven January Court, 1765; Rowan County, NC Deed Book 6, pp. 97-98]. The remaining 322 acres of John Smith's 1756 tract was sold by a Samuel Smith and his wife Sarah to John Bird in November, 1773 [Proven May 6, 1774; Rowan County, NC Deed Book 10, p. 148]. The issue of whether the wife of John Smith (d. 1763) was Rebecca Anderson or Rebecca Blackbourn seems inconclusive to this author at present. Mrs. Padach's 1994 article in the Rowan County Register asserts that Thomas Smith (b. 1677) is mentioned in a land grant to Robert Heaton. Heaton obtained a grant from Earl Granville on March 25, 1752 for 640 acres in Anson County adjoining the lands of Thomas Smith. The survey for this land was made on November 5, 1748, and shows that the land was on Swearing Creek (current day Davidson County). The chain bearers for the survey were John Titus and Jonathan Hunt, both of whom had married daughters of Andrew Smith and Sarah Stout of Hopewell, New Jersey. While Mrs. Padach believes that the man mentioned in Heaton’s survey was Thomas Smith (b. 1677), this researcher feels that the individual mentioned was a Thomas Smith who had devised his will in Anson County on August 12, 1751, mentioning wife Sarah and children Ann J. [Andrew?], Elizabeth, and Charles. Smith’s will provided that "the two orphan boys should have their dues from my Estate as their Indenture specifys,” and that his wife Sarah was "to give the children good learning out of it but when she marries again she is to deliver up the Estate to the use of the children." The will clearly shows that Thomas Smith’s children were young and probably under age, and it further implies that Thomas was probably not a man of advanced age. Thomas Smith appointed his wife and Jonathan Hunt his executors, and the will was witnessed by Robert Heaton, Aaron Vandover, and Martha (X) Heaton. There is no probate date, and only a recorded copy of the will survives [Anson County, NC Will Book 1, p. 1]. Robert Heaton undoubtedly witnessed the will because he owned land adjoining Smith, and Jonathan Hunt served as co-executor because he was probably Smith's relative. Based upon this author’s own research and analysis, it seems inconclusive whether the elder Thomas Smith (b. 1677) ever actually migrated to North Carolina.
3. ELIZABETH SMITH, b. April, 1680 [2nd mo, 1680; April 7, 1680 per records of the Burlington Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends] probably Burlington County, NJ, d. May 4, 1765 Hunterdon (Mercer) County, NJ [Hunt Farm Burial Ground, Hopewell Township, Mercer County, NJ] ; md. after January 16, 1703/04 (date of father's will), JOHN REED, b. about 1675, d. between July 29-October 27, 1731 [Ege, Pioneers of Old Hopewell, p. 66] (Hunterdon County, NJ will devised July 29, 1731, proven October 27, 1731; New Jersey Wills, Liber 3, 1728-1734, p. 162; File # 69J). Elizabeth (Smith) Reed and her husband are buried at the Hunt Farm Burial Ground, Harbourton-Woodsville Road, Hopewell Township, Mercer County, NJ.
4. MARY SMITH, b. September, 1682 [7th mo, 1682] Burlington County, NJ, d. before January 17, 1713/14 Hunterdon (Mercer) County, NJ [Date of marriage between William Schooley and second wife Priscilla Hixson]; md. before January 16, 1703/04 (date of father’s will), WILLIAM SCHOOLEY, b. October 2, 1679 Bucks County, PA [2nd d, 8th mo, 1679 per records of the Chesterfield Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends], d. about 1722 Maidenhead (Pennington), Hunterdon (Mercer) County, NJ, son of ROBERT SCHOOLEY and wife SARAH BINGHAM. "William Scholey, son of Robert Scholey," was baptized by Rev. John Talbot on February 28, 1702/03, and his baptism was recorded in the register of St. Ann’s Church (now St. Mary’s Church), Burlington County, NJ [Stillwell, John E., Historical and Genealogical Miscellany of New York and New Jersey, Volume 2, 1906, p. 49].
5. HANNAH SMITH, b. March, 1685 [1st mo, 1685] Burlington County, NJ, d. April 19, 1727 Hunterdon (Mercer) County, NJ; md. after January 16, 1703/04 (date of father’s will), JOHN FIDLER, d. between October 8-25, 1759 Hunterdon (Mercer) County, NJ (New Jersey Wills, Liber 10, p. 115; File # 462J]. The identity of Andrew Smith’s daughter Hannah Smith has never been accurately revealed in previous publications. Alice Blackwell Lewis in her 1973 history Hopewell Valley Heritage (p. 87-88) incorrectly stated that John Fidler had married Sarah Smith (b. 1675), eldest daughter of Andrew Smith. This error was also published in George W. Hart’s 1972 genealogy The Descendants of Andrew Smith (p. 1), as well as Rosalie C. Smith’s 1990 genealogy Smith Gentes (Volume 2, p. 62). Mrs. Smith also writes that Hannah Smith married James Willson on October 7, 1697/98 in West Jersey. This statement is incorrect, as the marriage between James Wilson and Hannah Smith is recorded in the First Town Book of Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey (p. 77). This Hannah may be identical with the Hanna Smith born November 18, 1673, daughter of John Smith of Middletown, whose birth is recorded in the Town Book (p. 71). A transcription of the First Town Book of Middletown, New Jersey is contained in John E. Stillwell’s Historical and Genealogical Miscellany of New York and New Jersey, Volume 2, 1906 (republished 1970), pp. 149-198). Hannah Smith who married James Wilson in Middletown, New Jersey is clearly not the daughter of Andrew Smith of Hopewell. In the Hunt Farm Burial Ground in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, there is buried a Hannah Fidler who died April 19, 1727. She is mostly likely identical with Hannah Smith (b. 1685). The will of John Fidler was devised in Hunterdon County, New Jersey on October 8, 1759 (Proven October 25, 1759), witnessed by Andrew Smith Junr., Richard Reed, and John Titus Junr. The will mentioned his wife named Sarah, as well as daughter Sarah Fidler, son John Fidler, daughter Mary Rose, daughter Elizabeth Stilwell, son Nathan Fidler, and son Thomas Fidler. John Fidler is buried at the Hunt Farm Burial Ground as well. His grave indicates that he was 62 years of age (thus born about 1697), although this may be a possible error in interpretation of the inscription. Hannah Smith was probably Fidler’s first wife, and Sarah named in his 1759 will was likely a second wife. While this thesis is not proven, it seems the most likely explanation of Fidler’s connection to the Andrew Smith family and the true identity of Hannah Smith.
6. ANDREW SMITH, b. February 8, 1689/90 [8th day, 12 mo, 1689] Burlington County, NJ, d. March 21, 1767 Hunterdon (Mercer) County, NJ [Samuel Stout Bible, Hopewell Museum] (Hunterdon County, NJ will devised November 2, 1763, proven April 24, 1767; New Jersey Wills, Liber 13, 1766-1769. p. 220; File # 719J); md. before September 4, 1709 (birth of first child), SARAH STOUT, b. September 10, 1689 Middletown, Monmouth County, NJ [First Town Book of Middletown, New Jersey, p. 71], d. July 12, 1761 Hopewell, Hunterdon (Mercer) County, NJ [Samuel Stout Bible, Hopewell Museum], daughter of JONATHAN STOUT and ANNA BOLLEN. Andrew Smith and his wife Sarah are buried at the Hunt Farm Burial Ground, Harbourton-Woodsville Road, Hopewell Township, Mercer County, NJ. The identity of Andrew Smith’s wife or wives has been the subject of considerable debate by researchers. The records of the Burlington Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (called “Quakers”) contain a birth entry for Elizabeth, the daughter of Andrew Smith and wife Olive, on April 7, 1680 [7th d, 2nd mo, 1680]. This birth entry coincides with that found for daughter Elizabeth in the Smith family bible. Thus, this record establishes the first name of Andrew Smith’s wife. Rosalie C. Smith in Volume Two of her genealogy Smith Gentes (1990) suggested that Andrew’s wife may have been OLIVE PITT, based upon the appearance of that surname in the Smith bible. While on a research trip to England in 1982, Mrs. Smith located a reference to the 1630 marriage of GEORGE PITT, tanner, age 23 [1607] to OLIVE WALKER, age 20 [1610] in the parish of Felkirk, Yorkshire [Paver’s Marriage License Index, 1630-1644, p. 140]. Interestingly, the village of Grimethorpe mentioned in the Smith bible is located in the parish of Felkirk, Yorkshire, thus lending some credence to the theory that Smith’s wife might have been a daughter of the aforementioned couple. However, it should be emphasized that no documentary proof has yet been uncovered to further substantiate Mrs. Smith’s hypothesis, and more research is needed. In her 1994 article in the Rowan County Register, researcher Gloria Padach put forth the proposed theory that Andrew Smith’s first wife may have been SARAH FOSTER. Mrs. Padach based her hypothesis upon the appearance of that name in the Smith bible, as well as handwriting similarities she noted in the birth entry for Andrew Smith’s eldest daughter Sarah. A careful handwriting analysis of the original bible entries by this author has not yielded the same opinion, as all the bible entries appear to be written in the same hand. Although the capital “S” in Sarah’s birth entry is unique and does resemble the writing of Sarah Foster found elsewhere in the bible, all other letters in the Sarah Smith birth entry are clearly in the same hand as the subsequent entries. Indeed, it would appear that the style of capital “S” found in Sarah Smith’s birth entry is actually an overwrite or some type of handwriting experimentation on the part of the individual who wrote the entries. It may have been intended to make interpretation of the letter clearer to the reader. It is impossible to say with certainty whether the letter "S" was written by Sarah Foster. While Mrs. Padach’s theory has gained popular acceptance among some researchers of the Smith family, it seems entirely inconclusive whether Andrew’s first wife was Sarah Foster based solely on the evidence of handwriting found in the Smith bible. What relationship, if any, Sarah Foster had to the Andrew Smith family is presently unknown. Issue:

Sources

1. ↑ Smith Official DNA & One Name Study at FamilyTree DNA for Olive Foster

Acknowledgement

• Unsourced family tree handed down to Leslie Williamson.