Heinrich (Schmid) Smith (1741 - 1835)

Born 25 Dec 1741 in Muddy Creek, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Maria Barbara (Loesch) Smith — married about 1765 in Tulpehocken Township, Berks, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 28 Aug 1835 at age 93 in Cabarrus, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Major Henry (Schmid) Smith served with Surry County Regiment, North Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

Heinrich Schmid was born in 1741, Tulpehocken Township, Lancaster County Pennsylvania. He was a son of Johann Heinrich Schmidt (1688-1765) and Anna Maria Stocker, who came from a German-speaking area of Europe.

In 1745, when Heinrich was about 4 years old, his parents joined the Bretheren/Moravian faith.

In 1748, when his future wife Maria Barbara Loesch was about 4 years old, her parents also joined the Bretheren/Moravian faith.

In 1769, Heinrich Schmid and moved from Pennsylvania to the new Moravian settlement in North Carolina with his wife and 2 children. On Heinrich's Family Search profile in the collaborate section, one can read detailed excerpts about his life, taken from the daily dairies stored at the Moravian Archives. Some of these are also shown below. The full searchable Moravian Archive in North Carolina is free online.

He was a blacksmith.

After arriving in Wachovia, and buying land, Heinrich also started a militia, just prior to the breakout of the Revolutionary War. Moravians are pacifists, and they attempted to appear neutral in the conflict (although they favored the Americans). Henrich Schmid became Captain Henry Smith and functioned as a sort of "protector" and mediator among the Moravians, English, and Americans.

After the war the Schmid/Smith family re-settled in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, where they were members of Saint Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church and sponsored baptisms there.

15 Oct 1769: Heinrich Schmid, his wife and two children arrived from Pennsylvania. He is a brother-in-law of Brother Jacob Loesch also of Jacob Van der Merk and Bloom. On 19 Oct, he decided to buy a piece of land on the Grassy Fork, aside of - the Bethania land.^[1]

9 Apr 1770: Heinrich Schmid has boght 500 acres, in the 8th Deed, bordering on the east line of the Bethania Lot; is to pay £150: Penns. or £160: N.C.^[2]

3 Nov 1771: This fall again several families have come from Pennsylvania; one of them, a Communicant Brother from Manakasy, named Binkele, has bought 300 acres near Heinrich Schmidt; another, Williard by name, has taken 200 acres which we had bought on tfie borders of Wachovia; and Heinrich Schmidt, having paid in full, has received a Deed to his land.^[3]

28 Jun 1774: Bethania Diary. A rather large company of men rode by, with flag and trumpet, on their way to Muster, Their Captain was Heinrich Schmidt.^[4]

3 Nov 1775: Salem Diary. Br. Bagge visited in Bethahara, and spoke with Heinrich Schmidt, who has returned from Pennsylvania. We hear that George Hauser is also hack, but letters will come a little later in Kettner’s wagon. By word of mouth, and from the newspapers, we learn that peace can not be expected, but that war appears to be coming in earnest.

12 Mar 1776: Salem Diary. In the afternoon Capt. Heinrich Schmid and his Company passed on their way home from Cross Creek, as did the other Companies of Militia; from their continued enlistment, and other preparations, it may be inferred that they expect to be called out again.

30 Mar 1776: near Bethabara, in the wild meadow below the mill, Capt. schmid mustered his Company, and called for volunteers to march again to Cross Creek; he himself will not go. (p. 1058)

8 Jan 1778: Bethania Diary. As Capt. Schmid came yesterday and asked for the baptism of a daughter born on the 5th of this month, I went there this morning [note: this child would be Maria Barbara (1778-1850)].

Military Record

Each district in each County elected its Captain. In Dobbs Parish, or Wachovia, the blacksmith Heinrich Schmidt was chosen. Many of the young men of the neighborhood attended the Election out of curiosity, and gave in their votes, which made them liable to Muster, drill, and military service, to which they were called times without number, and were much annoyed thereby. _ ^[5]

Although they did not fight, the Moravians of Wachovia provided provisions and shelter for both armies. Sometimes the Brethren were paid for these provisions, but more often they were not. In 1780, Bethabara’s 69 men, women, and children witnessed more than 2,000 soldiers from both sides sweep through, demanding food and shelter. On October 15, following the Battle of Kings Mountain, Bethabara residents provided for several companies of soldiers. The following day, “…nearly six hundred men were asking bread and meat from us, and there was also stealing or demanding a tithe of swine, chickens, sheep, ducks, and geese, and the spring-house was emptied of all the milk and the small amount of butter.” Tory prisoners of war and their Whig guards also descended upon the town, stressing resources.^[6]

1776 March 1st. Raised a company in Stokes County and was appointed Captain. Marched men to Cross Creek near Fayetteville under Col. Armstrong, Col. Williams, and Major Winston?.}

April 1st. At Cross Creek where dismissed by officers and returned home. Served as captain for 4 weeks.

July Around last of month or first of August In Surry Co. again received orders from Col. Armstrong to gather company again. Marched under Col. Armstrong to Cubs ? Creek where orders were received for 300 men to march against the Cherokees. Selected as captain by the men and marched under Col. Williams along with Captains Mosby and Dobson, each with 100 men, through the mountains to the "long islands of River" where they were all placed under General Christie. Then went to the "Indian Town" and then to the "Beloved Town" where the officers and the indians concluded a treaty. They were then dismissed and marched back home under Col. Williams..)

August

November Again entered the service under Col. Armstrong's orders, from whom he received a commission as Captain. Under authority of the commission he "drafted a full company in the County of Surry" and was marched at the head of his company from Town in Surry to Charlotte, N.C. where they were joined by Col. Brevard at the head of the drafts from Rowan and Mecklenburgh. The officers having gone on and Henry/Heinrich having been directed to bring on the late drafts they marched on together to on the Savannah River. Met with Genl. Rutherford's brigade and was placed under the command of "proper officers again". At Parisburgh detached and placed under the command of Genl and Major of the Continental Army. Under the command of Genl. "called and acted as light infantry". Placed in this service as a captain at the head of a company under these officers.

1777 March Marched under them up the river opposite Augusta, crossed the river there and went down the Georgia to Briar Creek where they had an engagement and were defeated.

April "Marched from Briar Creek to the Black Swamp in S.C. where we were all discharged on the 10th of April, 1777." Lost commission swimming the "River" after the Battle of Briar. Discharged by Genl. Rutherford, Col. Lytle having given up the light infantry after crossing the River.

1781 January 5th or 6th. Placed at the head of a company having received a commission from.

16th - 17th Marched to and met Col. Morgan at the Cowpens on the 16th of January. In Battle of Cowpens the next morning on the 17th. Returned with prisoners taken there to Salisbury, N.C. where he was discharged.

Two weeks after the Battle of Cowpens Received a commission as Major in Col. Armstrong's regiment in the North Carolina Line from Gov. Caswell. "and I acted in that capacity during the war."

1787 "While Major I was frequently ordered to march against the Tories, which I did."

October "At the Shallow ford on the Yadkin we had an engagement in the month of October 1787 - against the Tories, under Col., who was there killed and men."

21 Oct 1833: Appeared before Justice of the Court of pleas and quarter sessions for Cabarrus County to make declaration to obtain pensions benefits for Revolutionary War service pursuant to act of Congress of June 7th, 1832. Age 91 at this time. An excerpt:

It is impossible for one at this day to remember all the incidents of my service while Major, as I was continually on the march scouting the country against the Tories. I was not out of service in five years three months in all. I was Captain in various services from March 1776 to January 1787 when I was appointed a Major and served in that capacity from January 1776 to the end of the war. I cannot now recollect from advanced age, the exact terms of my service, but I served at least four years and ten months as a Captain and nine months as a Major.

A portion of that time I was in what was called minute or scouting service.

Henry Smith's Special Bond

In order to prevent any of the Wachovia land from falling into the hands of undesirable settlers each man who took a Deed from the Moravians for land within the Tract was required to give a bond that if he wished to sell he would give the Moravian office the refusal, at such price as he could get from another purchaser. These were called "Special Bond". They all have similar wording except for the amounts and witnesses.

13 Dec 1771: That I Henry Smith of Wachovia in Rowan County in the Province of North Carolina Black Smith am held and firmly bound unto James Hutton of Chelsea in the Kingdom of Great Britain Gentl. and Frederic Marshall of Wachovia aforesaid Gentl. Attorney of the said James Hut- ton in the Sum of One hundred Pounds Sterling lawful Money of Great Britain to be paid to the said James Hutton & Frederic Marshall or unto their certain Attorney, Executors, Administrate or Assigns. To which Payment well and truly to be made I do bind myself my heirs, Executors and Administrators and every of them firmly by these Presents. Sealed with my Seal.

About 1784, after the War ended, Henry Smith's land in Wachovia had been largely destroyed by English soldiers. He sold his property to George Hauser (Houser)

Did he then migrate to Cabarrus County, North Carolina?

Heinrich and Maria Barbara attended the Dutch Buffalo Creek Meeting House in what is now Cabarrus County. It was a German Reformed Church and had a primarily German-speaking congregation. Baptisms they sponsored are recorded in the records from Saint John's Lutheran Church, which was originally the Dutch Buffalo Creek Meeting House.

Marriage & Family

About 1765, he married Mary Barbara Loesch in Pennsylvania, and their first two children were born there. The next five born in North Carolina are recorded in the Moravian Archives. They had the following children:

1. George (~1764- ~1868) m1 Catherine Rader?, m2 Mary Bost (1776-1837)
2. Unknown child (born in Pennsylvania)
3. Elizabeth (1770-1846) m Valentine Faggart (1770-1846)
4. Henry (1773-1835)
5. William (1774-1852) m Christina Bernhardt (1773-1842)
6. Philipina (1775-1852)
7. Maria Barbara (1778-1850)
8. Petrus (1780-1850)
9. Jacob (1785-1870) m Barberia Ann Smith

Research Notes

A number of secondary sources say he married Barbara Hison, not Anna Maria Loesch. Unable to find any primary sources to support his.

Five children baptized by the Moravians and their dates of birth:

• Elisabeth, Nov.13, 1770
• Heinrich, born April 14, 1773
• Philippina, May 30, 1775
• Maria Barbara, Jan. 5, 1778
• Petrus, June 11, 1780.

Sources

1. ↑ Records of the Moravians of North Carolina, Vol. 1, p. 392 Link toArchive
2. ↑ Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, by Adelaide L. Fries, vol 2 (1922), p. 613
3. ↑ Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, by Adelaide L. Fries, vol 2 (1922), p. 621
4. ↑ Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, by Adelaide L. Fries, vol 2 (1922), p. 836
5. ↑ From the Bagge MS. 1776, p. 1025
6. ↑ https://historicbethabara.org/moravians-at-war/

• Moravian records in North Carolina
• https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/j/o/h/Katie-Johnston-Alabama/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-1263.html
• Baptismal Records, 1797-1847, Saint John's Lutheran Church, Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina" transcribes by Adam Nicholas Marcard, and Adelaide and Eugenia Lore.
• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed September 27, 2016), "Record of Maj. Henry Smith", Ancestor # A105475.
  
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Pedigree Resource File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:34Q6-K5S : accessed 2016-09-27), entry for Heinrich /Schmidt/.
• Find-A-Grave Virtual Cemetery memorial #38002870 in Saint Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery, Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, USA
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/collaborate/LHGS-196personID=I54404&tree=tree1

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Kitty Smith for contributions to this profile.