The
earliest Smith that I have been able to document is David C. Smith,
born in Tennessee about 1851.
David would have been 9 years old when the civil war
broke out, and 14 when it ended. Since Jackson County was
practically on the border between the Union and the Confederates,
Jackson county was invaded by the Union forces early in the war, and
was controlled by Union forces during most of the war. I have not
found any evidence of who David and George father was. He was
likely a member of a local militia before the war (as most all men his
age were at the time) and may have been killed during that time. I am
still looking for evidence of who he is.
After the Civil War, Tennessee was the first state of
the Confederacy admitted back into the Union. The period of
reconstruction wasn't as bad in Tennessee as most other southern
states. Still, David C. and George Smith seem to be poor neighbor
farmers in 1880.
There
is a John Calvin Smith born in NC in 1796 that came to Tennessee and
had a son named David C. Smith who was born about the same time as our
David C. Smith, 1849. John Calvin Smith wife is from Tennessee,
while the
1880 census shows the mother our David C. Smith is from Alabama. I
don't
think OUR
David C. Smith is the son of John Calvin Smith.
1880 Census shows David C. Smith family and family of brother George next door
Both David C. Smith and George Smith listed their father
born in Tennessee and mother born in Alabama. They are very
likely brothers. Both were farmers in Jackson County, TN in
1880. They also both stated that they were unemployed for the
entire year.
I have not found any record of David C. Smith other than
the 1880 Census.
Sumner
County provided me the following statistics from their records.
Marriage: David C. Smith and Mahala J. Renfro 04 Feb 1867 Sumner Co. TN
(This
could be a first marriage for your David or it could be another man.)
Note:
I suspect this is the son of John Calvin Smith, the minister who is
not our ancestor.
09
Jun 1880 Federal Census Tennessee, Jackson County, CD 14, ED 60,
Image 6 of 15
25. 52/52 Smith David C. 29 TN TN Ala farmer
26. Francis C. 25 TN TN TN
27. Bettie S. 6 TN TN TN
28. Lenard O. 4 TN TN TN
Laura B. 9 mo (b. Aug. 1879) TN TN TN
Marriage: Felix J. Robinson and Bettie S. Smith 07 Oct
1891 Smith Co. TN
All
four children are accounted for, but Laura B.’s year of birth and
age are incorrect in 1900.
05
Jun 1900 Federal Census Tennessee, Smith County, CD 20, ED 107 Image
6 of 8
70. 53/53 Smith David C. Feb 1850 50 m 28 farmer TN TN TN
71. Callie F. Feb 1853 45 m28 4 ch born/4
living TN TN TN
72. Laura B. Aug 1888 11 s TN TN TN
73. Esta M. Aug 1882 17 s TN TN TN
74. 54/54 Smith Lenard O. Aug 1875 24
m3 farmer TN TN TN
75. Sallie B. June 1883 16 m3 TN TN TN
