James Webb Smith (1770 - abt. 1856)

Born 10 May 1770 in Granville, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Waugh (Downey) Smith — married 3 Dec 1791 in Granville County, North Carolina, United States

Husband of Mary (Webb) Smith — married 16 Mar 1839 in Granville, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died about 22 May 1856 at about age 86 in Jackson, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Carol Wilkerson [send private message]

Biography

When James Webb Smith was born on May 18, 1770, in Granville, North Carolina, his father, Samuel, was 40 and his mother, Mary, was 29.

He married Mary "Polly" Waugh Downey on 15 December 1791 and they moved to Tennessee in 1810, according to Polly's gravestone. Polly died in 1836. Mary was mentioned on a memorial in Saint John's Church Cemetery, Ashwood, Maury County, Tennessee, United States with a death date of 7 June 1836.^[1]

James married his first cousin Mary Webb on March 16, 1839, in Granville, North Carolina.^[2]

James died on May 22, 1856, at his Beech Hill plantation in Jackson County, Tennessee, having lived a long life of 81 years, as mentioned in (Thomas) his son's biography. ^[3]

Grandson of Samuel Smith. Tom Smith's father was James Webb Smith (May 18, 1770 - May 22,1856) who is buried at a family cemetery in Beech Hill (Franklin Co, Tn).

James Webb Smith (May 18, 1770 - May 22,1856). An affable, public-spirited gentleman, quite tolerant in religious matters but highly partisan in politics. In 1790, he served as deputy sheriff for his father; was elected to the Granville County court in March of 1795 in which he served for some time and was county treasurer, 1792-1808. He moved his family to a plantation on Hollemon's Bend of the Cumberland River in Jackson County, Tennessee, some time in the autumn of 1810. Colonel James W. Smith held several responsible public offices and served as a delegate to the Tennessee Constitutional Convention, 1834. Well known and a respected figure to many persons in Tennessee in his day; he was a faithful Old Hickory Democrat. He was a consistent, sincere Christian, who wrote,"God calls, mercy entreats and Christ knocks for admittance. . . . I am a Calvinist . . . still there is not a shadow of a doubt on my mind but that the atonement made by Jesus Christ is sufficient for the sins of the whole world , , , Let others do as they will, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Colonel Smith was married to Mary Downey (1771 - June 7,1836), December 15, 1791; after her death, and while he was on a trip to Granville County, he married his first cousin, Mary Webb (1789-1859), March 16, 1839.

Located about sixty-five miles east of Nashville, capital of Tennessee, is located the site of the former plantation, Beech Hill, owned by Colonel James Webb Smith, on Holleman's Bend along the east bank of the Cumberland River and about a mile and north of Granville, a village portion of the Cumberland a half on the river. In the mid-1970s a was dammed, creating Cordell Hull Lake, along which the former Smith place is located. In 1808, Colonel Smith and several of his slaves, some of whom were skilled craftsmen, came to this location, where he had erected at that time a two-story brick house, seat of an about 1600 acre plantation, and being thus an improved acreage, brought his family from Granville County, North Carolina, settling there permanently in 1810. (Almost up until later in that year his activities in Granville County were noted in the county court minutes.)

Buried in the family cemetery at Beech Hill, Tennessee:

Colonel James Webb Smith (1770-1856), his second wife, Mary (Webb) Smith (1789-1859); his son, James Downey Smith (1799-1859) and his wife, Elizabeth (Hamilton) Smith (1810-1841), and their children, a stillborn son (1841) and Frederick Alexander Smith (1761-1832), Colonel Smith's sister, whose box vault tombstone stood intact for generations, seen there in 1960 and 1985 by the present writer, Jonathan Smith; only the top side of the stone remains, the vault sides having been purloined sometime between 1985 and the spring of 2007, when Smith last saw the grave enclosure. Nearby is the rectangular tombstone, still standing (2007), of Elizabeth Lewis Ridley (1819-1830), Colonel Smith's granddaughter, who died at Beech Hill during a visit there.

Source: Smith of Abram's Plains, Jonathan Kennon Thompson Smith (1988).

On 25 September 1856, his son Thomas Smith held an executor's sale at the Beech Hill plantation:^[4]

EXECUTOR'S SALE.

On the 25th day of September, 1856, I will sell at public sale, on the premises of the late Col. James W. Smith, of Beech Hill, in Jackson county, Tennessee, all the stock of horses, mules, jennets, cattle, sheep and hogs, not devised away in his last will and testament; the crop of tobacco, if ready for sale; from one to three hundred barrels of corn, and other portions of the crop on hand; a library of 50 or 60 vols. of books; a surveyor's compass, with all perishable articles not disposed of in the will.

A credit of 12 months will be given on all sums over $5; for all sums of $5 and under, cash. Sale to continue the day following if not all sold the first day. Notes with two undoubted securities will be required in all cases of the purchasers.

TOM SMITH,

Executor of James W. Smith, dec'd.

Slaves

For information on the people enslaved by James Webb Smith, please see: Slaves of James Webb Smith, Jackson County, Tennessee.

Research Notes

Children listed on Caswell County Genealogy:

1. Mary Webb Smith (Ridley) 1792–1852
2. Samuel Granville Smith 1794–1835
3. Ann Eliza Smith (Donnell) 1795–1828
4. James Downey Smith 1799–1850
5. Thomas Smith 1801–1874
6. Frances Smith 1804–1859
7. Dr Sydney Smith 1806–1859
8. John Alexander Smith 1811–1852

Life and Labors of the Late Rev. Robert Donnell^[5]

On the 14th of March 1818 Mr Donnell was married to Miss Ann E Smith daughter of Col James W Smith of Jackson county Tenn She was of highly respected and pious parents of the Cumberland Presbyterian church of which she herself was also a member Col Smith who had emigrated from North Carolina at an early day was a wealthy and intelligent farmer and no gentleman in the State stood higher in public estimation for integrity of principle and moral worth

1790 United States Federal Census^[6]

Name: James Smith

Home in 1790 (City, County, State): Granville, North Carolina

North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011

Name: James Smith

Gender: Male

Marriage Date: Dec 1791

Marriage Place: Granville, North Carolina, USA

Spouse: Polly Downey

Spouse Gender: Female

Event Type: Marriage

Colonel Smith was married to Mary Downey (1771 - June 7,1836), December 15, 1791; after her death, and while he was on a trip to Granville County, he married his first cousin, Mary Webb (1789-1859), March 16, 1839. [per Find A Grave memorial 71030280 of his son, Thomas]

1800 United States Federal Census^[7]

Name: James W Smith

Home in 1800 (City, County, State): Hillsboro, Granville, North Carolina

Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: 1

Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 3

Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1

Number of All Other Free Persons: 1

Number of Slaves: 27

Number of Household Members Under 16: 4

Number of Household Members Over 25: 2

Number of Household Members: 35

1810 United States Federal Census^[8]

Name: James W Smith

Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Granville, North Carolina

Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 3

Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 2

Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 : 1

Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1

Numbers of Slaves: 25

1830 United States Federal Census^[9]

Name: Jas W Smith

Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Jackson, Tennessee

Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 60 thru 69: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59: 1

Slaves - Males - Under 10: 12

Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23: 9

Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35: 4

Slaves - Males - 36 thru 54: 6

Slaves - Males - 55 thru 99: 2

Slaves - Females - Under 10: 11

Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23: 8

Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35: 2

Slaves - Females - 36 thru 54: 2

Slaves - Females - 55 thru 99: 3

Free White Persons - Under 20: 1

Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 3

Total Free White Persons: 6

Total Slaves: 59

Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 65

1850 United States Federal Census^[10]

Name: James W Smith [James Webb Smith]

Gender: Male

Age: 80

Birth Year: abt 1770

Birthplace: North Carolina

Home in 1850: District 15, Jackson, Tennessee, USA

Occupation: Farmer

Industry: Agriculture

Real Estate: 15740

Line Number: 21

Dwelling Number: 1075

Family Number: 1075

• Household Members Age
• James W Smith 80
• Mary W Smith 67
• James Smith 16
• Mary E Smith 14
• Hugh B Smith 13
• William H Browing 30
• Eli Browing 10
• Ann Browing 7
• Mary Browing 2

Sources

1. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #9350121 (accessed 27 October 2023)
   Memorial page for Mary Smith (1771-7 Jun 1836), citing Saint John's Church Cemetery, Ashwood, Maury County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by Mary Bob McClain (contributor 46546099).
2. ↑ North Carolina Marriages: "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKJ9-4JMG : 9 March 2021), James W Smith and Mary Webb, 16 Mar 1839; citing Granville, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm 306,188.
3. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
   Find A Grave: Memorial #71030280 (accessed 27 October 2023)
   Memorial page for Tom Smith (1801-1874), citing Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee, USA (plot: Top of hill above mausoleums); Maintained by V F (contributor 50176040).
4. ↑ Executor's Sale Advertisement: Nashville Union and American, 28 Aug 1856, Page 2. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/nashville-union-and-american-james-w-smi/41380898/ : accessed October 16, 2023), clip page for James W Smith executor's sale at Beech Hill by user kadensmama2017. Transcribed by Naomi Van Tol.
5. ↑ Life and Labors of the Late Rev. Robert Donnell: Of Alabama, Minister of the Gospel in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; : Author: Lowry, David; : Publication: Alton, Ill: S.V. Crossman, printer, 1867.
6. ↑ 1790 United States Federal Census: Year: 1790; Census Place: Granville, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; Page: 90; Family History Library Film: 0568147
7. ↑ 1800 United States Federal Census: Year: 1800; Census Place: Hillsboro, Granville, North Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 31; Page: 551; Image: 508; Family History Library Film: 337907
8. ↑ 1810 Census: "United States Census, 1810", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLM-1W9 : Thu Jul 20 16:45:59 UTC 2023), Entry for James W Smith, 1810.
9. ↑ 1830 United States Federal Census: Year: 1830; Census Place: Jackson, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 177; Page: 158; Family History Library Film: 0024535
10. ↑ 1850 United States Federal Census: Year: 1850; Census Place: District 15, Jackson, Tennessee; Roll: 885; Page: 313a

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of Yates and Allied Families.ged on 21 December 2010.
• This person was created through the import of JDS_09_17_10.ged on 09 February 2011.