John Smith (1645 - 1723)

Born 1645 in Krindall Parish, Kent, England

Husband of Susannah (Marcy) Smith — married 1673 in England

Descendants

Died 1723 at about age 78 in Hedgefield, Mannington Township, Salem, New Jersey

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Biography

John was a Friend (Quaker)

John Smith was an early settler in New Jersey.

Contemporary John Smiths in colonial New Jersey

• John Smith (1623-1701) of Smithfield
• John Smith (1645-1723) of Hedgefield
• John Smith (abt.1640-1691) of Amwellbury

"John Smith, the son of William Smith, was one of Fenwick's executors. He was born in the county of Kent in... 1645. In 1673 he married Susannah Marcy, daughter of Edward Marcy, and in 1685 he and his wife, together with a number of emigrants, embarked for America on board the ship Ariel, Edmund Baily master. They landed at New Castle in the 4th month of the same year. In the 6th month following, he came to Salem, in West New Jersey, and purchased 1,000 acres of land of Samuel and Anna (nee Fenwick) Hedge, in Upper Mannington, it being one-half of the Hedgefield allotment, and there made his permanent home."^[1]

John Smith was one of the executors for the estate of Fenwick-267

Father William Smith 1621 – 1678^[2]

John Smith married Susannah, daughter of Edward Marcy, 1653 – 1713.

Children

• Elizabeth Smith 1703 – 1776

"John Smith sonn of William Smith was born in Krindall parrish in the County of Kent in the yeare 1645; in the yeare 1683 the said John Smith tooke to wife Susannah Mary[?] daughter of Edward Marys[?]; in the yeare 1685 the said John Smith transported himselfe with his wife and two children and one manservant named Joseph Hogbin[?] wee set saile from Daile[?] in the County of Kent to the province of West New Jersey in the ship called the Charles Edmond Paine being master in the fourth month in the year 1685 as some[?] said and landed in New Castle in Delaware River in the month following which after some short time wee having settled in New Salem in West New Jersey the aforesaid two children died and were buried at New Salem after this Susannah Smith daughter of John Smith by Susannah his wife was borne the 8 day of the 8 month 1687; John Smith sonn of John Smith by Susannah his wife was borne at Krindall Hill in the yeare 1689 (which sd. John Smith the younger afterward settled in Mannington and married)."^[3]

Death and Legacy

John Smith of Hedgefield, Salem Co., yeoman, wrote his will 14d 12m (Feb) 1721/2 naming wife Susannah executor, witnesses Richard Woodnutt, Thomas Mason, Thos. Hill. Codicil of 23 Oct 1722 names additional family members; inventory dated 20d 7m 1723 by Bartholomew Wyate and Jno. Goodwin.^[4]

Children named in will

1. John
2. Joseph
3. William
4. Elizabeth

Children named in codicil

• daughter Susannah Goodwin
• daughter Mary

Grandchildren named in codicil

• John and Samuel Smith
• John and Elizabeth White
• Elizabeth and Thomas Smith

Slaves

Named in abstract of will and inventory; there may be more detail in original will

• "negro woman"
• "two negro men"
• child

Disambiguation

Per a couple sources (Notes, Queries and Corrections: John Smith of Smithfield, pages 322 - 323 and Smith of Smithsfield, Salem County, New Jersey, TAG Vol 36, pp 219) there were at least three contemporary New Jersey settlers named John Smith.

Contemporary John Smiths in colonial New Jersey

• John Smith (1623-aft.1701) of Smithfield
• John Smith (1645-1723) of Hedgefield
• John Smith (abt.1640-1691) of Amwellbury

Sources

1. ↑ Shourds, Thomas. History and genealogy of Fenwick's colony, New Jersey. (Bridgeton, N.J., G.F. Nixon, 1876), 250
2. ↑ William Tyler Genealogy : The descendants of William Tyler, of Salem, New Jersey : 1625 Name: John Smith Gender: Male Father: William Smith Spouse: Susannah Marcy Child: Elizabeth Smith Source Citation Book Title: William Tyler Genealogy : The descendants of William Tyler, of Salem, New Jersey : 1625 (?) - 1701
3. ↑ "U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935"
   New Jersey > Union > Rahway and Plainfield Monthly Meetings > Births and Deaths, 1686-1798
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image (accessed 30 March 2024)
4. ↑ Nelson, William (ed.), Calendar of Wills, Administrations, Etc. Volume I, 1670-1730. Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. Trenton, NJ: Archives of the State of New Jersey, 1901, volume 23, page 428

• H. Stanley Craig, Salem County Genealogical Data, Vol 1, first print apx 1930, reprinted 1980, p 235. States married in 1683, Susanna Marcy.
• Ibid, H. Stanley Craig,, p 295. Passengers on The Charles, "Smith, John, Daile, Co. Kent, Eng.", "Smith, Susanna, wf, John", Two chd of John and Susanna. Note, those two children are not listed in profile above; I presume they died young, but I have no verification of that.