John White

Lieutenant Samuel Smith (c. 1601–1680/1)

Elizabeth Smith (c. 1601–after 1680)

Samuel Smith was born about 1601. He died on 10 June 1681 in Hadley. [1, 99] He married Elizabeth Smith on 6 October 1624 in St. Margaret's Whatfield, co. Suffolk. [2]

Elizabeth Smith was born about 1601. She died on 16 March 1685, age 90 [probably an exageration] in Hadley. [1, 94]

Samuel was a fellmonger (a seller of hides or skins, who might also prepare skins for tanning) and a glover. [3]

The passenger list for the Elizabeth of Ipswich, bound for New England on the last of April 1634 includes: Samuel Smith, age 32; Elizabeth, his wife, age 32; Samuel Smith, age nine; Mary Smith, age four; Elizabeth Smith, age 7; Philip Smith, age one. [4]

Samuel settled in Watertown and was a freeman there on 3 September 1634. [3] He moved to Wethersfield in 1635. [3]

Samuel was an innkeeper in Hadley; he was licensed to sell wine or liquor on 26 September 1671. [3] He was a frequent committee and jury member. He was chosen constable on 2 March 1653/4. [3]

Samuel was a deputy from Wethersfield to the Connecticut General Court about fifty times between 14 November 1637 and 15 May 1656. [3]

Samuel was a deputy from Hadley to the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony on 22 May 1661, 27 May 1663, 18 May 1664, 3 August 1664, 3 May 1665, 15 May 1667, 29 May 1668, 31 May 1671, 7 May 1673. [5, 5: 2, 72, 100, 117, 142, 331, 362, 485, 551] He was appointed a commissioner for Hadley on 22 May 1661, 12 June 1663. [5, 5: 22, 82] He was one of those chosen to assist Captain Pinchon in keeping the county courts for Hampshire on 3 May 1665. [5, 5: 148] He was empowered to solemnize marrieages and take depositions in Hadley on 1 June 1677. [5, 6: 149] He was one of those chosen an associate to the Hampshire County cours on 9 May 1678 and 28 May 1679. [5, 6: 187, 226]

On 31 March 1663 he was appointed lieutenant of the trainband at Northampton. [3]

On 9 May 1678—when Samuel was probably in his late seventies—the court noted: [5, 6: 189]

Leift Samuel Smith, of Hadley, being very aged & weake, & not being so well able to discharge military trust as before, is discharge.

Samuel Smith of Hadley made his will on 23 June 1680; it was proved on 29 March 1681. He left his entire estate to his wife Elizabeth for life. After her decease, he left bequests to his son Philip's eldest son Samuel; his son John's eldest son John and his son Samuel; his son Chiliab's eldest son Samuel; his daughter Elizabeth Gull; and his grandchild Mary Baal, the wife of Samuel Baal. He also left a bible to every grandchild, to be given to them when they were able to read it and inscrible with Ecclesiastes 11:10, 12:1. He named his sons Philip and Chiliab his executors. Inventory of the estate of Lieutenant Samuel Smith, Sr. wa taken on 17 January 1680/1. It totaled £613-11-07, of which 270 pounds was real estate. [3]

Ecclesiastes 11:10, 12:1 (King James Version)

Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

Children of Lieutenant Samuel and Elizabeth Smith:

i. Samuel Smith was baptized on 6 October 1625 in St. Margaret's, Whatfield, co. Suffolk. [3][2, incorrect date] He married Rebecca, the daughter of Henry Smith. [3]

Anderson [3] relates that in early 1664, Samuel abandoned his wife and settled first in Roanoke and then in Carlina. He was accompanied by Sarah, the daughter of tavern-owner Humphrey Clay. Before leaving, he had boasted to getting another woman pregnant, although she deined he was the father. Samuel was later found to have a young wife in Carolina. Rebecca divorced Samuel and later married Nathaniel Bowman.

ii. Elizabeth Smith was baptized on 28 January 1626/7 in St. Mary the Virgin, Hadleign, co. Suffolk. [3][2] She married first Nathaniel, the son of Nathaniel Foote. [3]

iii. Mary Smith was baptized on 19 October 1628 in St. Mary the Virgin. She died on 16 December 1668. She married John Graves.

iv. Philip Smith was baptized on 1 August 1630 in St. Mary the Virgin. [3] He was buried on 16 October 1631 in Hadleigh. [3]

v. Philip Smith was baptized on 25 November 1632 in St. Mary the Virgin. [3][2] He died on 10 January 1684 in Hadley. [1, 296] He married Rebecca, the daughter of Nathaniel Foote. [3] She died on 6 April 1701 in Hadley. [6, 68]

vi. Chileab Smith was born after 30 April 1634. He died after 23 June 1680. He married Hannah Hitchcock on 2 October 1661 in Hadley. [1, 93] Hannah was the daughter of Luke Hitchcock. [3]

vii. John Smith was born after 30 April 1634. He died on 31 May 1671 in Hadley. [1, 95] He married Mary Partridge on 10 November 1663 in Hadley. [1, 94]

References:

1. "Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620–1850," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Hatfield.

2. Paul W. Prindle, "The Wife of Lt. Samuel Smith of Wethersfield," The American Genealogist 32 (1956): 202–3.

3. "Great Migration 1634–1635, R–S," digitized book, AmericanAncestors.org, originally published as: Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634–1635, Volume VI, R–S (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009), 396–402.

4. John Camden Hotten, The Original Lists of Persons of Quality ... who Went from Great Britain to the American Plantations, 1600–1700, reprinted (New York: Empire State Book Co., n.d.). Ages given in these records are notoriously unreliable.

5. Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay, vol. 1, 1628–1641, vol. 2, 1642–1649, vol. 3, 1644–1657, vol. 4 , 1650–1660, vol. 5, 1661–1674, vol. 6, 1674–1686 (Boston: William White, 1853, 1854).

6. "Massachusetts: Vital Records, 1620–1850," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Hadley.

Last revised: 31-Aug-2023