Name |
Benjamin Franklin Smith |
- Per Harold Smith Hortn --The Mystery- Benjamin Franklin Smith is a mystery. We think that he came to the Neshoba county and to Philadelphia, Ms.one day
riding a black horse.
He supposed to have lived in N.C. before he came to MS.. It is said that he got into a fight in N.C. and accidentally killed a man. According to the legend the local law enforcement told Benjamin to leave the state or they would have to arrest him. Great Grandfather Benjamin died when he was in his sixties.
On his death bed, Benjamin confessed to his children about killing the man in N.C. and said he hoped the Lord had forgiven him. That one act must have tortured him all his life. It is said that he never mentioned his family in N.C.. It is also said that no one visited him and he never visited anyone. No bounty hunter ever came after him. His past will remain a mystery.
He was married to Mary Seleta Jenkins. Mary was born about 1832. She died about 1910. Aunt Emma Smith Crocker stated she was about 12 years old when Mary died. Using this information, Aunt Emma's birthdate is 25th of March 1898. That would put Mary's death approximately 1910.
Excerpts from data of Ross Smith, Grandson of Benjamin and Mary S. Smith and Louise McGill, Granddaughter.
Mary Seleta is said to be part Indian, however some say this because her children couldn't receive government payment for Indian land. John J. Smith said her Indian name ment "Little Leaf". She was about fourteen or fifteen years old when she married Benjamin. Mary was slim build and had long, straight black hair and was only about 5 ft. tall. They had seven children - Thomas Franklin, Samuel Clark, Amanda Elizabeth, Andrew N., John J., William and Ludie c Smith.
- Two Marys - Two families
In the research we have done, it does appear that Benjamin Franklin Smith had two families. The first was with Mary AE Smith (as listed in the census records), and the second family was with Mary Seleta Jenkins (Listed as Mary S.
Smith and Mary S Jenkins in Census records)
Some elder family members do remember a Marian and a "White Sox" as visiting the families and census records show Marion listed as a Brother in some of the census households of his siblings.
Although no one has a record of who the Mary's parents were/are we guess they may have been related??? as is often the case in a remarriage in that day and time. We have no proof one way or another however.
If anyone has any information to share on these families we would love to hear from you. We do have some information from Burline Smith Watkins about the Marian D. Smith families.
I have also been in communication with a Milton Jenkins of MS who is convinced the Jenkins are part of his line. From census records that would appear to be true. If so then Mary Jenkins parents are William R. Smith and Nancy Deason. I would like to find some further proof on that such as probate or land records to prove the connections.
We will pursue the lines until we give out :-) or pass along.
|
Birth |
c 1810 |
North Carolina, USA |
Gender |
Male |
Death |
Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA |
Burial |
Golden Grove Cemetery, Neshoba, Neshoba County, Mississippi, USA |
- Although we have never found a marker or any official record of his burial here, this is where he lived and where he went to church when he died, per our oldest living relatives (1960)
There is a marker placed here for his wife Mary Seleta Jenkins Smith by a son in the 40s.
|
Person ID |
I25904 |
Smith Smyth Schmidt Smythe Smitt |
Branches/DNA What is a Branch? | Smith Branch: Benjamin Franklin Smith b c 1823 NC m Mary Jenkins (2 T F 3 Oscar) (Kit# 1527****/  ), Smith Branch: Benjamin Franklin Smith b c 1826 NC m Mary Jenkins (2 TF 3 Lawrence) (Kit# 3272****/ ), Smith Branch: Benjamin Franklin Smith b 1810 NC m Mary Jenkins (2 John 3 Albert) (Kit# 4931****/ ), Smith Branch: Benjamin Franklin Smith b 1810 NC m Mary Jenkins (2 William 3 George) (Kit# 6098****/ ), Smith Branch: Benjamin Franklin Smith b 1810 NC m Mary Seleta Jenkins 2 TF 3 Barney (Kit# MK11****/ ), Smith Branch: Benjamin Franklin Smith b c 1823 NC m Mary Jenkins (2 T F 3 Oscar) (Kit# 3123****/ ), Smith Branch: Benjamin Franklin Smith b 1810 NC d 1883 MS 2 T F 3 Claudie (Kit# 5872****/ )
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Autosomal Group What is an Autosomal Group? | If you have some known autosomal Smith matches already in the Smith DNA Project for this line, please let us know and we'll add to the group. Also,if the matches are not part of the Smith Official DNA Project at FamiliyTreeDNA, ask them to join; they can do an autosomal transfer if the DNA test was done with most other vendors |
Last Modified |
26 Jun 2014 Help |
Family 1 |
Mary Jenkins, b. 1846, North Carolina, USA d. May 1918, Golden Grove, Neshoba County, Mississippi, USA (Age 72 years) |
Census (Family) |
1840 |
Kemper County, Mississippi, USA |
Benjamin Smith
1 m 20-30
1 f 15-20 |
Census (Family) |
1850 |
Kemper County, Mississippi, USA |
Benj Smith 24
Mary 20
Francis 4
Felix 3
Mary 0 |
Census (Family) |
1860 |
Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA |
Benjamin Smith 51 b c 1809 NC
Mary A E Smith 29
Francis E Smith 14
Felix C Smith 13
Mary A Smith 10
Susan I Smith 9
Marion D Smith 7
Margret M 5
Martha L 1 |
Marriage |
c 1866 |
Mississippi, USA |
Census (Family) |
1870 |
Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA |
Benjamin F Smith 60 b c 1810 NC
Mary S Smith 24
Mary Ann Smith 18
Martha L 10
Marion B 14
Sallie 5
William W 3
Thomas 1 |
Children |
+ | 1. Willliam W Smith, b. 22 Sep 1866, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA d. 29 Oct 1895, Yazoo County, Mississippi, USA (Age 29 years) |
+ | 2. John James Smith, b. 4 Jul 1872, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA d. 25 Apr 1939, Jones County, Mississippi, USA (Age 66 years) |
+ | 3. Thomas Franklin Smith, b. 6 Feb 1868, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA d. 6 Jan 1942, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA (Age 73 years) |
| 4. Catherine L "Ludie" Smith |
| 5. Samuel A Clark Smith, b. Jan 1873, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA d. 13 Jul 1933, Golden Grove, Neshoba County, Mississippi, USA (Age ~ 60 years) |
| 6. Amanda Elizabeth Smith, b. 1 Aug 1879, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA  |
| 7. Andrew Napolian Smith, b. 10 Jul 1880, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA  |
|
Photos |
 | Smith Member
|
Last Modified |
7 Oct 2012 Help |
Family ID |
F9374 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
Family 2 |
Mary A E Smith, b. Abt 1830, Alabama, USA d. Abt 1866, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA (Age ~ 36 years) |
Marriage |
Abt 1844 |
Unknown |
- Information for Mary AE is from Census Data
|
Children |
| 1. Frances E Smith, b. Est 1844, Mississippi, USA  |
| 2. Felix C Smith, b. c. 1846, Mississippi, USA  |
| 3. Marion Dixon Smith, b. Apr 1847, Mississippi, USA d. Aft 1930, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA (Age ~ 83 years) |
| 4. Susan I Smith, b. c. 1850, Mississippi, USA  |
| 5. Margaret M Smith, b. c. 1854, Mississippi, USA  |
| 6. Martha Jane Loulizer Smith, b. c. 1858, Mississippi, USA d. Aft 1930, Mississippi, USA (Age ~ 73 years) |
| 7. Sarah Lorina Smith, b. 15 Nov 1864, Mississippi, USA d. 28 Mar 1940, St Charles County,Arkansas,USA (Age 75 years) |
| 8. Mary A Smith, b. c 1854, Mississippi, USA  |
|
Last Modified |
7 Oct 2012 Help |
Family ID |
F11745 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |