John Smith (abt. 1707 - bef. 1747)

Descendants

Died before 1747 before about age 40 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Biography

This biography was auto-generated by a GEDCOM import in 2013. Because it was disconnected on import and lacks sources, it was recycled according to the suggestion made on the profile page.

The John Smith described here was deceased before 1747. He was living in 1738, when he produced a certificate of removal from Goshen Monthly Meeting to Sadsbury Monthly Meeting in Lancaster County.^[1]

The marriage record of his son William Smith, who married Jane Underwood at Sadsbury Monthly Meeting in Lancaster County, PA 29th of 8th month 1747, states that William was the son of John Smith, deceased. The marriage record does not give the ages of the couple. Both bride and groom were residents of Warrington Monthly Meeting in Lancaster (later York) County. I have found only the Sadsbury Meeting records, not the marriage certificates.

Another son of John, Joseph Smith, married Rachel Beals at Huntington Monthly Meeting 7 Dec 1752 (after the calendar change). Joseph was born 8th of 8th month (i.e., October) 1728. The certificate reads: Joseph Smith of Warrington in the County of York and province of pencilvania son of John Smith deceased and Rachel Beals of huntington in the County and province aforesaid Daughter of Jacob Beals...at Huntington this seventh day of the twelfth month in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty two. William Smith and Jane Smith were other witnesses to the marriage, as were Jacob and Mary Beals (bride's parents), Jacob Beals Jr., and William Beals. ^[2]

"Rachel Beals was born about 1727. On December 7, 1752 she married Joseph Smith at the Huntington Meeting House in York County. Joseph was born August 4, 1728 and was a son of John Smith, a miller. In 1765 they moved to Maryland, and then in 1775, they moved to a farm in Frederick County, Virginia. Both died there near Winchester; Joseph on September 18, 1781 and Rachel sometime between 1807 and 1813." ^[3]

Research Notes

According to the Warrington minutes, Joseph, son of John, "came under care" of Warrington Meeting in 1750. It is not clear whether he converted to the Society of Friends at that time or rather received a visitation. This was communicated to me (Margaret Summitt) by Raymond Smith, who descends from Joseph Smith through his son Jacob and Jacob's grandson Isaac. There is a tradition in that branch of the Smith family, however, that William Penn had an indentured servant named William Smith who came over on the ship Welcome with Penn. This would have to have been in 1682, Penn's only visit to America. When Penn returned to England, he transferred the indenture to Richard Townsend who owned a mill on Darby Creek. Mr. Raymond Smith had not found any evidence that this William Smith married or left descendants (email received 28 Sept 2003 from Ray Smith).

Other John Smiths who have been offered as candidates include a John who married Ann, a daughter of prominent Quaker Caleb Pusey, on 5 March 1706/1707. In 1713 he moved to East Marlborough where the Society of Friends held meetings in his home, this later became the Londongrove Meeting. He married second, 6 August 1726 Dorothy Windle. by whom he had five children. He was an elder and a founder of Londongrove Meeting in Chester County. The John Smith of Chester County employed as servants orphans William Lowdin and his sister (?) Mary Lowdin 27th 3rd Month 1724; their father John Lowdin d. about 1718 was apprentice to William Smith of Marlborough. see Records of the Courts of Chester County, Pennsylvania, vol. 3 pp, 22-24

Another candidate is a John Smith who married the widow Elizabeth Bartram (possibly nee Smith) 9/15/1715 at Darby Monthly Meeting. This John had a son named William but no son named Joseph. Moreover, he was a cordwainer, not a miller.^[4] See also a sketch of the Bartram family at

Sources

1. ↑ Sadsbury MM men's minutes, Lancaster Co.: 3rd day, 5th mo., 1738: John Smith's certificate produced from Goshon [sic] Monthly Meeting. See Wright, Sadsbury MM records. Also see film #389403, in which Gilbert Cope (Quaker researcher) notes that the first Monthly Meeting at Sadsbury was held on the 6th day of the 12th mo. 1737/8. Thus Goshen is presumably an older meeting. Goshen was established in 12mo 1721/2 and its meeting records are held in the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College & Haverford College Quaker Collection. Records must be consulted at either of these colleges; they are not available for interlibrary loan.
2. ↑ Margaret B. Walmer, comp.: 100 Years at Warrington: York County, Pennsylvania Quakers Marriages, Removals, Births & Deaths (Newberry, Warrington, Menallen, Huntington and York Meetings). Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1989, p. 5-6.
3. ↑ from "The Beals Family History," billputnam.com/Beals.pdf
4. ↑ Will of William Smith, Darby Township, Chester Co., Pa. Written 9 April 1726. Proved 8 Jan 1727/8. Will Book A, p. 260

See Also

• Smith-44576 was created May 17, 2013 by Rachel Wilson through the import of 051713.GED