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Benjamin Franklin Smith

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 Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Golden Grove Cemetery, Neshoba, Neshoba County, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 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 Find all individuals with events at this locationd. May 1918, Golden Grove, Neshoba County, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 72 years) 
    Census (Family) 1840  Kemper County, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Census (Family) 1850  Kemper County, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Census (Family) 1860  Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Marriage c 1866  Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Census (Family) 1870  Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
    +1. Willliam W Smith,   b. 22 Sep 1866, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 29 Oct 1895, Yazoo County, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 29 years)
    +2. John James Smith,   b. 4 Jul 1872, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Apr 1939, Jones County, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 66 years)
    +3. Thomas Franklin Smith,   b. 6 Feb 1868, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 6 Jan 1942, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years)
     4. Catherine L "Ludie" Smith
     5. Samuel A Clark Smith,   b. Jan 1873, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Jul 1933, Golden Grove, Neshoba County, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 60 years)
     6. Amanda Elizabeth Smith,   b. 1 Aug 1879, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     7. Andrew Napolian Smith,   b. 10 Jul 1880, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this location
    Photos
    Smith Member
    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 Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1866, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 36 years) 
    Marriage Abt 1844  Unknown Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Information for Mary AE is from Census Data
    Children 
     1. Frances E Smith,   b. Est 1844, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     2. Felix C Smith,   b. c. 1846, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     3. Marion Dixon Smith,   b. Apr 1847, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1930, Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 83 years)
     4. Susan I Smith,   b. c. 1850, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     5. Margaret M Smith,   b. c. 1854, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
     6. Martha Jane Loulizer Smith,   b. c. 1858, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Aft 1930, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 73 years)
     7. Sarah Lorina Smith,   b. 15 Nov 1864, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Mar 1940, St Charles County,Arkansas,USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 75 years)
     8. Mary A Smith,   b. c 1854, Mississippi, USA Find all individuals with events at this location
    Last Modified 7 Oct 2012 Help 
    Family ID F11745  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - c 1810 - North Carolina, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - - Neshoba County,Mississippi,USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Golden Grove Cemetery, Neshoba, Neshoba County, Mississippi, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus (Family) - Benjamin Smith 1 m 20-30 1 f 15-20 - 1840 - Kemper County, Mississippi, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - Abt 1844 - Unknown Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus (Family) - Benj Smith 24 Mary 20 Francis 4 Felix 3 Mary 0 - 1850 - Kemper County, Mississippi, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus (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 Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - c 1866 - Mississippi, USA Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus (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
     = 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