Benjamin Franklin Smith

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• 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****/ )     Showing line by DNA type-if DNA tester representation, will be on above line If a branch has more than one Smith line, be sure to check the branch description (click Smith Branch: link above) to see which group, if any, represents each line JOIN the Smith Official DNA Project w a DNA Kit If you are a male Smith or have a male Smith that can test for you, do a YDNA test Smith Matched Groupings List (All) Is This Your Line? Have confirmed DNA match? Have additions/corrections? Come Collaborate With Us!-Submit Your Tree/Match or Suggest a Change/Reference/Source
  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

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - c 1810 - North Carolina, USA Death - - Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Burial - - Golden Grove Cemetery, Neshoba, Neshoba County, Mississippi, USA Census (Family) - Benjamin Smith 1 m 20-30 1 f 15-20 - 1840 - Kemper County, Mississippi, USA Marriage - Abt 1844 - Unknown Census (Family) - Benj Smith 24 Mary 20 Francis 4 Felix 3 Mary 0 - 1850 - Kemper County, Mississippi, USA Census (Family) - 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 - 1860 - Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Marriage - c 1866 - Mississippi, USA Census (Family) - 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 - 1870 - Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Notes

  I am the owner of the kit. DNA sample was actually my brother's CD Smith, son of Oscar James. OJ was born in Neshoba Co. Missisippi and died in Jones Co. He lived about 25 years in a suburb of Detroit Michigan before returning to MS after retirement. Thomas Franklin Smith, my grandfather was married to Lula Martha Eldridge, She was born in Mississippi, Benjamin Franklin Smith (Thomas father) was married to Mary Saleta Jenkins from SC. They are buried in Golden Grove Cemetery, or at least she is. We have a brick wall from Benjamin F. Smith to his family as he confessed on his death bed to killing a man in the "Carolinas" and had to get out of town. Apparently he was in a fight while building a cabin and the sheriff told him to get out of town to avoid being jailed. So we know little or nothing about his early life. He was a logger and farmer. He was also in the civil war but have not found his records. Marilyn Smith