Week 15 - Big Mistake - Smith Family

Way back - back before computers were commonplace, I received a letter from my husband's Aunt Virginia (Smith) Frantz. She was the family genealogist for his Smith/Daly family back then. I had the basics, but she had the 'meat' of the family.

In the letter, she stated that she had discovered that her 2x great grandfather had been William S Smith - who descended from his father William Stubens Smith. This 3x great grandfather had been married to Catherine Johnson, and he was the son of Col William Stephens Smith and Abigail (Adams) Smith, also called "Nabby".  Abigail was the daughter of President John Adams and his wife Abigail (Smith). 

Very exciting news! Of course, the internet was not what it is today, access to far-reaching library shelves was only after a road trip, and often even then, books were not accurate. So, the news languished in my mountains of notes, papers, and even in my software program for a number of years.  Until one day that I decided to try and prove the relationship. Lordy - what a tangled web we weave....

William S Smith is a very, very common name. Especially when you wander back into the late 1700's and early 1800's.  And I had Stubens, Sims and Stephens as a replacement for that S. 

I started my search with my husband's grandmother - Margaret Amanda (Smith) Daly. She was the oldest daughter of Noble Ray Smith and Edith Emily (Stewart). 

Noble Ray was the youngest son of Edward S Smith and Amanda (LeBar). Edward S Smith was the 5th of 10 children of Alexander Sims Smith and Elizabeth (Jenkins). 

So far, so good. All the Birth, Marriage, Death and census records matched up for me. I was on a roll! 

Alexander Sims Smith shows as the son of William S Smith. If Aunt Virginia was correct, William S Smith would have married Catherine Johnson and would have been the son of Col William Stephens Smith and Abigail (Adams).  Col Smith had been born in New York.

But...

Following all of the research - birth, marriage, death, wills, articles in books, articles in newspapers, cemeteries .... our William S Smith was born 1796 in Marykirk, Scotland and on 23 May 1813 he married Jane Dunn in Saint Nicholas, Scotland. They migrated first to Canada and then settled in Mayfield, Lapeer County, Michigan where they and their two sons - John and Alexander lived and died.

And further research - Citing the Magazine of American History Vol XXII - July-Dec 1889 pages 74-76....Page 76, second paragraph states:  The eldest son of Col William Stephens Smith and Abigail (Adams), William Steuben Smith married Catharine Johnson and died childless at Newburgh in 1850.

So, unless Col William Stephens Smith had an illegitimate child, (which was suggested by a researcher that I corresponded with years ago) unfortunately, our family is NOT related to President John Adams. 

Barbie





 

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