ALEXANDER SMITH of Wilkes, Warren, Laurens and Monroe Counties

Alexander Smith was born about 1760, died 1820 Laurens County, Georgia. Alexander Smith came from North Carolina to Georgia about 1791. He is believed to be a son of Captain John Smith of Wilkes County His wife was Martha Franklin, a daughter of Rev. William Franklin (died 1797 Warren County) and wife, Mary, born 1720 in Virginia, died 1821 Laurens County. Evidence points that Alexander came from North Carolina as one of his sons, Matthew Smith, was born 1780 in N. C., found on 1850 Dooly County, Georgia Census. Tradition says that the Franklin family travelled from Currituck County, North Carolina with the Mercers.

Laurens County Inventories, Book A, 1808-e3, Page 62-4, "Appraisers of Estate of Alexander Smith: Winfield Wright, David Culpepper (his mark) Lewis Sanders and M. G. Oliver." 9/29/1821

Martha H. Smith, widow, drew in the 1821 Land Lottery, then a resident of Laurens County, Georgia. She drew Land Lot 222 in the 12th District of Monroe County. Note that this is the identical land which she deeded to her son, Davis Smith, as follows:

Monroe County Deed Book D, Page 15, April 1, 1824. Martha H. Smith of Dooly County and Davis Smith of Laurens County for $250, land in Monroe County, Georgia, located in the 11th district and being Land Lot 2~2.

No further records have been found on Martha H. Smith. Her son, Davis Smith, referred to "my Hogan plantation" in his marriage contract, this land appearing to be in Monroe County adjoining his other lands there, and it may be that his mother was a "Hogan" before she married Alexander Smith. It is believed that she died between 1825 and 1829, since she did not appear on the 1830 Census. Children:

Matthew Smith, born 1780 North Carolina, listed on 1850 Dooly County, Georgia Census, married 2/19/1809 Laurens County, Georgia, Unity Register. Listed on 1830 Laurens County Census. On 1850 Dooly County he is listed as age 70, with wife, Abigail, age 73. Also listed with them were Nancy Spill, age 90, born in S. C. and Mary Spill, aged 68, born S. C. It appears then, that his second wife was Abigail Spill, a daughter of Nancy Spill. Wife, Abigail, born 1777 N. C. Listed on 1850 Dooly County Census, along with Nancy Spill, age 90, born in S. C. and Mary Spill, age 68, born in S. C.

Dooly County Returns and Vouchers, Vol. 2, July Term 1855, Page 101, 205, Mathew Smith was made guardian of Susan E. Bridges.

The Last Will and Testament of Matthew Smith is on Page 150 of Dooly County Wills, 1847-1901, and headed: "Mathew Smith of Lee County". He names his wife, Abigail, with whom he had lived for 6 years. Will dated 1/28/1860. He married 11/22/1853 Abigail Bridges. His daughter, Elizabeth Smith married David D. Culpepper on 11/8/1833 in Laurens County. Named in Will wife's son, William Bridges and her daughter, Susan Bridges. His son-in-law, Jeremiah Broxton. Two daughters: Eliza Culpepper's children, and Zelpha Broxton's children. David Culpepper was one of the appraisers of the estate of Alexander Smith in Laurens County 9/29/1821 Che could not writel. David Culpepper is also listed on the 1830 Laurens Co. Census. There is one other reference to land belonging to Davis Smith in Laurens County, part of which adjoins the estate of Henry Cutpepper, deceased, and also adjoins the land of Atexander Smith.,deceased, deed dated 1825 (see reference below). David Culpepper was probably a son of Henry Culpepper of Laurens County.
Davis Smith, born 1791 Washington County, Georgia, died 1868 Monroe County, Georgia, leaving a Will of that date. He married first Hannah Ferth 7/23/1816 Laurens County and had one son by her, then married second on 1/6/1820 in Laurens County Mrs. Elizabeth Dixon Jordan. They removed to Monroe County about 1821. All of the children of Alexander Smith appear to have ended up on the plantation of Davis Smith, his son. Davis Smith is the ancestor of the author and I have heard many family stories, as well as seen the old plantation house. It was a large two-story white frame, built about 1821, with a hallway down the center ~ the house and rooms on each side. An old photograph taken about the turn of the century shows a slave, called Sarah Low, who refused to leave after the war, as well as family members. Davis Smith raised cotton crops, having his own store and warehouse. It was an enterprising community in his day and later called Brent, Georgia, near Forsyth, after his daughter, Jane's second husband, Thomas Young Brent, who kept it going. My grandmother told of how her grandmother, Jane Smith, attended Wesleyan Fsemale College, studied music, and how her father and mother went to Charleston to see Jenny Lynn sing when she was in America, bringing back the first piano to Monroe County. Elizabeth Dixon Jordan Smith taught her children music and how to play the piano. During the War Between the States, with Davis Smith's sons off to War, and his son-in-law, Wesley Clements, the first husband of Jane Smith, a planter with 77 slaves, the family tried to hold together. When Sherman came through Atlanta, barning his way southward, some yankee soldiers found the pt antation, just out of Forsyth, Georgia. Davis Smith, fearing the consequences of being found, climbed a tree and hid from the yankees. However, as they approached the house on horseback, he feared they would hear the ticking of his pocket watch. The front yard was planted with cedar trees which lined the walkway to the street, the walk kept swept clean.

Davis Smith made a Will dated 1868 in Monroe County, but was incomplete, so went unprobated, instead, his estate administered. After his death, Thomas Young Brent, husband of Jane Smith, ran the plantation, up until around 1900, when Jane's brothers and sisters moved to Atlanta. Jane Smith Clements Brent had a daughter, Elizabeth Smith Clements who married Joel Edgar Chambliss.They moved to Atlanta, however, Elizabeth Smith Clements Chambliss and her mother, Jane Smith Clements Brent contracted typhoid fever about the same time and fell sick. Since Elizabeth was a Christian Science Healer, she received no medical care, and thus died in 1905, two years after her mother, Jane. Both are buried in the Smith Cemetery, at Brent, near Forsyth. For years after the war, the family members would return to the old abandoned plantation for summertime visits, but never returned there to live.

Davis Smith's children by first wife:
1. William Frankling Smith, born 6/29/1817 Laurens County, Ga., died June 30, 1842 Monroe County, Georgia - child by first wife, Hannah Ferth.
  
  Davis Smith's children by second wife:
2. Martha Franklin Smith, born 12/29/1820 Laurens County, Ga., died October 5, 1821 Laurens County, Ga.
3. Miranda Smith, born 3/23/1822 Monroe County, Ga., died 10/19/1909 Monroe County, Ga., married Orlando Holland.
4. Mary Warren Smith, born 4/11/1823 Monroe County, Ga., married 8/13/1840 Urbane Billingsley, died June 6, 1841 Monroe Co. Ga.
5. Tyrus Thomas Smith, born 7/25/1824 Monroe County, Ga,, married 12/19/1844 Eliza J. Hill, died about 1905 Monroe County.
6. Davis Smith, born 5/20/1825 Monroe Co. Ga., died young, unmarried.
7. John Dickson Smith, born 5/10/1828 Monroe Co. Ga., died 8/30/1829 Monroe County, Ga.
8. James Smith, born 2/14/1830 Monroe County, Ga. married 7/20/1851 Rebecca Bartlett, Monroe County, Georgia.
9. Elizabeth Smith, born 6/14/1832 Monroe Co. Ga., married J. H. Fryer.
10. Judson Smith, born 7/26/1833 Monroe Co. Ga., married Isabeth E. Potts 12/18/1856 Monroe Co., died 9/6/1854 Monroe Co. Ga.
11. Jane Smith, born 3/21/1836 Monroe County, Ga., married first Wesley Clements who died in the Civil War, and 2nd Thomas Young Brent who died Oct. 12, 1903 Monroe County, Georgia.
Jeremiah Smith, born 1793 Washington County, Georgia, died 1861 Monroe County, Georgia, buried at Brent, Georgia in Monroe County in the old Smith Cemetery, along with all above persons. Jeremiah married Milly Bailey 11/26/1826 in Bibb County, Georgia, and was listed on the 1830 and 1840 Bibb County Census. He was listed on the 1850 and 1860 Monroe County Census alone, living next door to the Davis Smith family. The only son known: Georgia Messenger, published in Macon, Georgia, "David Washington Smith, son of Jeremiah Smith, died 6/14/1828 in Macon, aged 9 months, 10 days."
Elizabeth Smith, born 1800 Georgia, died May 1865 Monroe County. Married James Hogan, though marriage was not located in Laurens or Monroe County records. However, they married about 1820. January 7, 1822, the Estate of Alexander Smith lists J. Hogan's account, in Laurens County. 5/23/1865 Davis Smith was appointed administrator of the Estate of Elizabeth Hogan. He was also administrator of the Estate of James Hogan, probated Sept. 6, 1847 in Monroe County. The 1860 Monroe County Census shows Elizabeth Hogan, age 60. She is listed on the 1850 Census with 22 slaves, while Davis Smith lists 77. Also, Davis Smith, in his Will, refers to "my Hogan Plantation."
Mable Smith, born January 10, 1812. She is buried in the family cemetery at Brent, Georgia, Monroe County, on Davis Smith's plantation. She must have died after 1830. No death date recorded.