Amelia (Slaton) Smith (abt. 1773 - aft. 1853)

Born about 12 Jun 1773 in North Carolina [uncertain]

Wife of Basil Smith — married [date unknown] in Anderson, South Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died after 1853 after about age 79 in South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Donnie Blackstone [send private message] and Thomas Smith [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Slaton Name Study.

Amelia "Millie" was probably born June 12 1773, from a bible that is unclear in reference to "Milly Smith" as either a daughter of Joseph Smith, or as his daughter-in-law Millie (Slaton) Smith, see Joseph Smith Sr.. The August 30 1850 census reports her age as 76 (1774?) and birthplace as South Carolina. ^[1]

But the location of her birth was probably in Rowan County, North Carolina, in a section that became Surry Co and later became Stokes Co in North Carolina. This is where her father was deeded land and paid his taxes about 1786. Her childhood was probably in Pendleton/Anderson County, South Carolina.

Amelia "Millie" Slaton married Basil Smith (sometimes seem as Basdell, Bazzell, etc.) and at least twelve children are reported by various descendants and bible records: Mary, Job, Elizabeth, Wm. Robert, Dorcus, Phillip Porter, George S, Sarah, Micha (female), Thomas G, Joseph and Millie Smith.

Unfortunately, their marriage date is not recorded in the Joseph/Bazzel Smith family bible ^[2]

Millie passed away after 1853.

Research Notes

Some uncited trees show her marriage as a Clark because of a land record with Micajah Clark, a misinterpretation.Note that this couple named a daughter Micha. Millie apparently had a sister whose records read as Mickey, who was probably herself named Micha, the Hebrew root of Micha-el. This is a possible "naming in honor," but conjectural. Son Phillip Porter Smith was almost certainly named for Methodist minister Phillip Porter.

2 Sept.1837 , Anderson County SC, Amelia (x) Smith relinquishes dower rights in sale of land from Basil Smith to William Harper. ^[3]

Millie's husband Basil is a legatee in George Slaton's estate settlements by virtue of Basil's marriage into the Slaton family.

She is named a sister in the estate of her brother Wade:
Excerpted - Wade Slaton of Jackson co GA ... do therefore make this my last will and testament...
4th, I desire after the death of my wife, Mary Slaten that my friend W W Hinton shall have my negro boy Peter and the remainder of my negroes, land and stock.. .be sold at the highest bidder by my executors hereafter appointed and the money equally divided among the following named persons: Sister Milly Smith, Brother, William Slaten, Littleberry Slaten, Elizabeth Posey, Usley Key, Mary Elrod, Mickey Slaton, Philip Elrod, Samuel Elrod, George G Elrod, Elizabeth Elrod, Susan Lewis, and Frances Moore... Signed, sealed, and published by Wade Slaton …this 11th of March 1861 Recorded the 7th of February 1865 ^[4]

In a copy of an Anderson County South Carolina Court record mss: "Mrs Millie Smith deposition being by consent, She says that Francis Glaspy, wife of jeremiah Glaspy & daughter of P.P. Smith was born on the 2nd of August and if she lives till the 2nd day of August she will be twenty-six years old. Taken before J. S. Cartee 12th Feby 1853."^[5]

Questionable interpretations

A bible record (or records, unclear) trace the issue of Joseph Smith Sr. and wife Elizabeth, and in one bible, the order of birth of their children lists Basil Smith (various spellings) as a third child born 1772 or 1773, and then on a following page shows Basil again followed by Milly Smith born 12 June 1773. Milly does not appear in the list of children on the first page, suggesting that she is not the daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth, but the daughter-in-law Amelia Slaton who married Basil. Although her maiden name is not recorded in these records, the lists following her name appear to be the issue of Basil and Milly Smith. The Will of Joseph Smith of Pendleton District leaves a legacy to "daughter Milly," which confuses this issue: did he have a daughter Millie, or does this refer to his daughter-in-law? If so, why does he leave no legacy to her husband Basil, his son? Was Basil already dead by 1814? The testator controls the inheritance in a Will, where an intestate death would be administered to divide the estate to each surviving child or grandchild. A puzzle.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8Q8-2RS : 23 December 2020), Milly Smith in household of Basdal Smith, Anderson, Anderson, South Carolina, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ Family bible of Bazzel Smith transcribed in Upper South Carolina Genealogy & History, November 2010, Vol. XXIV, No. 4, and copies of pages from the bible in scattered hands
3. ↑ Anderson County deed Book V, page 400
4. ↑ Jackson Co GA Will Book B, page 100
5. ↑ Flawed citation, copy from Anderson County South Carolina Court of Ordinary, page not showing, identified as South Carolina, Anderson District, jeremiah Glaspy vs P. P. Smith re: complaint against Smith, guardian of Glaspy's wife Francis, that Smith had not passed on payments from the estate of Wiliam Slaton by William's son John Slaton (in Georgia in 1852) to his Glaspy's wife Francis (Smith).