Person:John Smith (1209)

About John Smith

The Marshall Family, by W.M. Paxton, pp. 18:

WILL OF THE FIRST JOHN SMITH.

(a) John Smith's will and testament is as follows: I give unto my son Thomas, my land which I now live- upon, to him and his heirs and assigns forever. And I give my land which I bought of William Thompson to my son John, to him and his assigns ; and in case my son John should die before he comes of lawful age, the land to fall to my son Augustine. Also I give unto my son Thomas a gun and a cow which he calls his. And all the rest of my estate, I give unto my wife Mary, during her widowhood, and then to be equally divided amongst my children. Also I leave my wife Mary and my son Thomas my whole and sole executors. Hereunto I set my hand and fix my seal.

Attest Samuel Thornberry, JOHN SMITH, [seal].

John Pope,

Margaret Morris.

Probated Aug. 25, 1725.

From "Washington, John Marshall and Adams family connections":

These Smiths were known as the "Germantown" Smiths, as there were three families of Smiths settled in and around Fauquier and Warrenton. They were known as "Germantown," in contra-distinction with "Pignut Mountain" Smiths and Governor Smith's family. There is no known relationship between the three families. The name "Germantown" Smiths from the fact that Governor Spottsford [sic.] brought over Germans to work the gold mines of Spottsylvania. These Germans bought a tract of land and divided it into 100 acre lots; and it was in that section that these Smiths settled and bought up most of the land, mostly from the Germans.

John Smith, the emigrant, came from Bristol, England, about 1700, and settled in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He is presumed to have been the son of a wealthy gentleman merchant of the firm of Smith, Yaks & Company, who were doing a large business with the Virginia Colony, and from the number of things shipped to him, his parents must have been wealthy. He was a planter, and soon after his arrival in America, married a Mary Ann Adkins, a Welsh lady, who is said to have been a niece of Lady Washington, the mother of George Washington. In his will he refers to his wife as 'Mary,' to whom, when he died in 1725, he left most of his property. There survived him a wife and three sons, Thomas, John and Augustine.

Thomas Smith, the eldest brother, sold his possessions in Westmoreland to his brother John, and moved to Orange County, Virginia..

John Smith, the second son of the first John, married Lizzie Marshall, and his younger brother, Augustine, married Nannie Marshall, both daughters of John Marshall, of the 'Forrest.' There is quite a bit of information concerning the Marshall family.

Augustine Smith, by his wife Nannie Marshall, had ten children, of which one, Thomas, married Elizabeth Adams.

From Colonial Families of the Southern States of America: A History and Genealogy of Colonial Families who Settled in the Colonies Prior to the Revolution:

JOHN SMITH, a native of Bristol, England, came to the Colonies about the year of 1700, and located in Westmoreland Co., Va., on Mattox Creek he accumulated a large estate, and was one of the prominent, influential citizens of his county. His will was pro bated Aug. 25, 1725, in which he names his wife Mary and son Thomas as his whole and sole executors, and his children, John, Au gustine and Thomas. He m. Mary Ann Adkins.

Issue: 2 — 1. Thomas, untraced. 2—2. AUGUSTINE; of whom later. 2 — 3. John, m. Elizabeth Marshall, dau. of Capt. John and Eliz abeth (Markham) Marshall, of "The Forest." His wid. m. (second) Col. Abram Martin, of Edgefield District, S. C. (See Marshall and Martin lineage.) Issue: 3 — 1. Lewis, of Fauquier Co., Va., m. Mary Nelson, dau. of William and Mary Nelson, of Westmoreland Co., Va., and had issue. Many of their descendants have filled positions of honor and trust.