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smithsworldwide (Admin)
Sorting out two Samuel Smiths-Maryland/Bedford VA v Essex Co VA
Samuel Smith
Posted by smithsworldwide in Smith Tangled Lines on March 19, 2023 Views:(94)  Replies (0)
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Starting with Samuel Smith b c 1710 of Maryland who was in Prince Georges Co MD in the early 1730's where some of his children are listed in the St John's Parish register of Prince Georges County, including John Smith b 1735, Elinor Smith b 1737, Sadoc (Zadoc) Smith b 1751 and Samuel b 1755. Samuel b 1710's married to Grissel Locker is also in the parish register in 1732. From there his record goes through Halifax Co VA, Pittsylvania Co VA, and Bedford Co VA. His death was before 28 Sep 1778 in Bedford Co VA. There are various proof records, including land records Halifax Co VA and a mortgage in Pittsylvania Co VA, and court records involving those particular pieces of land. You can trace the land which was on Black Water River near Staunton River despite the county boundaries changing. Some markers to look for are that Samuel's son in law James Taylor acted as administrator of the estate. There were two lawsuits regarding both the mortgaged property in Pittsylvania (James Lyle v Samuel Smith) and lawsuit against widow Grissel Locker Smith, which also names the children of Samuel Smith (dec'd). Ginny Goblirsch has this line and has exhaustively looked at records and compiled relevant documents, including a timeline. You can follow this information, with a wealth of associated documents and source references here. This family moved from the area to Burke Co NC, Caldwell Co NC and Bourbon Co KY.

Comparing: Samuel Smith b Essex Co VA married a Grissel Coleman. He is said to be a brother of Nicholas Smith b c 1680 of Essex Co VA. There are two references in particular that point out this association. One is a land deed in 1753 from Nicholas Smith Jr to his brother Samuel; the second is a deed in 1756 that refers to Capt. Nicholas Smith Jr and Samuel Smith as well as to Grissel Smith wife of Samuel (King and Queen Co records). unknown when Samuel Smith passed away

There is a time conflict between the deeds in Essex County, VA versus the ones in Prince George Co, MD, Halifax Co and Bedford Co VA. In 1753 Nicholas Smith Jr gave his brother land. Besides other transactions, Samuel Smith is still in Essex Co VA in 1760 selling land to Alexander Saunders. Samuel Smith who married Grissel Locker is in Prince Georges Co MD during that same time, having married in 1732 and having some children's births listed over the next years in the St Johns Parish MD register. They cannot be the same person. (See Timeline)

To add to this, on the basis of YDNA, there are a number of male Smiths who have done YDNA, and both match each other in two different groups. Samuel Smith of Bedford Co VA matches into Smith DNA Group GRP-R-M269-66. The Nicholas Smith group, on the other hand, is Smith DNA Group GRP-E-M2-3. Not only do they not match on STR markers, but they are different haplogroups.

The supporting documents for Samuel Smith of Prince Georges County, MD that were previously on Samuel Smith of Essex Co VA but referenced this first Samuel Smith of MD have been moved. As always, if you have a source document proves otherwise, send them on, but again, it is very clear that these two men are distinctive and not the same Samuels.