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Smith of Monroe, Talbot, Marion & Macon Counties


WILLIAM SMITH, Sr. died in Monroe County about 1818. Estate of William Smith He probably fought in the 1813 Indian Wars., which occurred in the Muscogee County area. On 5 July 1824 (Monroe County), Abednego Turner and Meshack Turner gave bond of $500.00 on the condition that Abednego Turner be made guardian of a poor orphan of said county by the name of William Smith, aged about 11 years old.

The orphans of William Smith drew in the 1827 Land Lottery, residents of Monroe County. In order for orphans to drew in this lottery, their father had to have been a soldier of the Indian Wars, or, a Revolutionary War Soldier. He was one of the orphans of William Smith of Monroe County because the orphans of William Smith drew in the 1827 Land Lottery from Monroe County, viz; lands in Lee and Troup Counties. ; that is the qualification for 2 draws. The 1827 lottery was that which granted the Indian lands in the western portion of the estate adjacent to Alabama.

On 4 March 1828 Abednego Turner, Meshack Turner and Thomas Tatom give bond for $1,000 that Abednego Turner be appointed guardian of the persons and property of William Smith, Allen Smith, Nancy Smith, Coty Smith, and Penny Smith, the orphans of William, Sen.

Here is what the orphans of William Smith from Monroe County, Turner District, drew in the 1827 Lottery: Lee County, 2nd District, Lot 247, 202-1/2 acres; Troup County, 6th District, Lot 21, 202-1/2 acres

The 1828 Monroe County Tax Digest lists the following: Abednego Turner, guardian for orphan William Smith - 101-1/4 acres in Troup County, 6th District, No. 21 and 202-1/2 acres in Lee County, 2nd District.

Issue of William Smith, Senior:
George C. Smith
Right to Left: George Cleveland Smith and his wife, Martha Ann Celia Joiner Smith.

Deer Creek
Deer Creek where Smith Family Resided
Click here to enlarge map


Family Portrait of George Cleveland Smith

Twiggs County Deeds
Deed of Samuel Powell to William Smith, both of Twiggs County recorded 6/3/1822

Deed of Samuel Powell to William Smith, both of Twiggs County

Notes:

[1] I have not located William Smith on the 1840 Census. He was not in Monroe or Marion Counties. He could have been in Talbot, Lee, Muscogee, Harris or Troup. I think that it is important to locate him in 1840, to establish where he lived, and more migratory patterns. I tried to find where William had been deeded (or received) the 50 acres which he sold on 27 December 1837 in Monroe County by examining the tax digests to see who had the south end of Lot 208 in the 5th district. No luck here. It is probable to assume that he may have received it as a poor orphan of the county. It appears that he sold the draw in Talbot County in 1837, as evidenced by the deed below.

[2] I did not find any Monroe County marriages for the sisters of William; Nancy, Coty and Penny. [3] The problem that I have is with the birth year of William W. Smith. The reason is that the first return of the orphans of the Estate of William Smith commenced in 1818. Both Alex Smith, and William Smith (listed on the 1850 Marion County Census) appear to be these children, except for the birth years. I do not have the original of this census, as it could have been transcribed in error. They usually take it in the summer, so you could figure (one year mistake). They had to be 18 years old to draw. In order for William W. Smith to receive his (lottery) grant, he would have to be at least 18 years old, perhaps 21. I have not been able to find information on this for certain. Say, he was 18 when he took up the land in 1837, that would mean that he was born 1819, instead of 1820. However, if he had to be 21, then his year of birth would have been 1816 and easily fit as an orphan of William Smith. I am going to assume that this is the case, until contradicted. The reason is because of his receiving the lottery acreage, and his migratory path from Monroe County into Talbot, Harris, and Marion Counties.

Here is a little history on the subject: General Floyd took his militia into this area in 1813, to set down an Indian problem at the Georgia-Alabama borders. Some of those families who settled on Indian lands (included Macon County) included McKinne and Everett. This may help to explain the presence of Josiah Everett (the guardian of the Smith children)in the old Indian territories. The Lower Creeks had villages scattered through Muscogee, Lee, Talbot, Macon, Stewart, etc. counties. In 1818, they made a treaty with the US, and surrendered these lands. It fits very nicely that William Smith fought in the 1813 skirmish, thereby making his orphans eligible to receive 2 draws in the 1827 Land Lottery, which involved the 1818 treaties and these counties.

Sources: Joiner Family History; Death certificate of Mrs. O. G. (Eva Browning Smith Richards; Death Certificate of George C. Smith dated 6 April 1949; 1870-1880 Mitchell County Census; 1900-1920 Mitchell County Census