REV.
PETER5 SMITH
Peter5
SMITH was born February 06, 1753. There is record of his father, Hezekiah, in
Sussex Co., NJ, 1753. Dr. Hezekiah SMITH was born June 3, 1714
and died April 6, 1801. Peter’s mother, Sarah, born September 25, 1719 and
died July 31, 1804.
On
December 23, 1776, Peter married Catherine STOUT, daughter of Samuel STOUT, (a
Revolutionary Soldier) and Anna VAN DYKE (STOUT Gen. 1951, p. 31) who was born
November 25, 1758, in Hopewell, NJ. Peter
was 24 years old and Catherine was 18.
Peter is believed to have attended Princeton College until 1776. According to family tradition, Peter attended Princeton University, although the University has no record of it. It is certain that he did not graduate, since the graduation lists are complete. Since the matriculation lists are incomplete, it is possible that he was there for a year or two, but there is no absolute way to to determine that fact.
At
the age of twenty-three, he appears in New York City, probably in military
service. A letter dated, July 9, 1776, written by Peter’s brother, Hezekiah
Jr. from Wall Street, New York City and addressed to his “Dear Parents,”
says in part: “I had the privilege of hearing four sermons in town, one from
my Brother Peter…” From the text of this letter it is known definitely that
the writer was then in military service and it is presumed that his older
brother Peter was also there in the same status, although no official record of
this term of service for Hezekiah Jr.
Rev.
Peter SMITH, was a Private during the American Revolutionary War, in the Morris
County Militia, New Jersey with J. Ten Eyck’s men at Bound Brook, April 1,
1777, Captain Carter’s Company, Colonel Seeley’s Eastern Battalion.
Seeley’s regiment was called out to watch the British in New York City while
Washington went south to Yorktown. During the Revolutionary War, Morris County
was known as the Military Capital of the American Revolution, because of its
strategic location, which prompted Gen. George Washington and his Continental
Army to make their winter encampments near Morristown on two different winters.
Much of the historic lore of these encampments is preserved today in Morristown
National Historical Park.
Peter
very early turned his attention of medicine, under his father and became
familiar with the works of Dr. RUSH, Dr. BROWN, and other writers of his day on
“physic,” as well as with the works of CULPEPPER. Also acquired during his
life much information from physicians he met in New Jersey, Penn., Virginia,
North and South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Ohio. He called himself an
“Indian doctor,” as he said he relied much on herbs, roots and other Indian
remedies. Seems to have been an original investigator, availing himself of all
opportunities with his reach for acquiring knowledge.
It
is recorded that he inoculated 130 persons in New Jersey for smallpox in the
year 1777.
Sometime
between their marriage and 1779, Peter and Catherine moved to Virginia as the
published Town Records of Hopewell, New Jersey, 1931, p. 142, edited by Lila
Cokefair Gedney, state that “Catherine Smith, wife of Peter Smith (was)
dismissed to a church in Virginia, July 26, 1779.”
Children born to Peter and Catherine:
Samuel born April 4, 1778, Princeton, Mercer County, New Jersey.
Ira born July 9, 1780, New Jersey.
Sally Sarah born June 29, 1802
Hezekiah born July 17, 1784, near Augusta, GA
Abraham born March 15, 1788, Milledgeville, Baldwin County, GA
Nancy born December 6, 1790
Margaret and Catherine (twins) born August 15, 1793 (in Kentucky?)
Jacob born March 5, 1797 Duck Creek, Columbia, OH
Mary born January 31, 1799, Duck Creek, Columbia, OH.
Rhoda
Allison born October 27, 1801 Duck Creek, Columbia OH
The
Revolutionary War was not over yet. Probably the years 1780-1781 were spent in
Virginia while the British Army, under Cornwallis was contending against
Generals Greene, Morgan, Marion and other American patriots for supremacy in the
Carolinas and while the culminating victory of Washington over Cornwallis at
Yorktown was taking place (October 19, 1781).
Unfortunately
the names of the cities and counties indicating the stopping places of the
family on its journey through the southern States have not been handed down to
us. Not even the exact location of the family home in Georgia, where they
resided for a number of years, is a matter of record.
“They
afterward journeyed to the South, and settled in Georgia, where he was minister
and physician.
Samuel
SMITH, Rev. Peter SMITH'S first son was born April 4, 1778. He was but two years
of age when his parents, Dr Peter Smith and Catherine, started on their journey
to the Southland. His childhood was spent in the Carolinas and Georgia. He was
sixteen years old when they arrived at Old Columbia, on Duck Creek, near
Cincinnati, Ohio, in the year 1794.
After
seeing the workings of slavery he concluded he would not raise his family in a
slave state, and the Northwest territory being dedicated to freedom, he decided
to take his wife and children and seek a home in the wilderness.
Peter
decided to move his family to free territory and about the year 1794 he, with
five or six other families, arranged to move to the Northwest Territory.
The country through which they passed being a wilderness. The only roads
they had to guide them were the Indian trails blazed through the wilderness.
Before
starting they organized by electing Peter, Captain. In moving they used
packhorses, on which everything they had was carried. Peter’s family consisted
of nine children, two of these, the youngest, being twins. Abraham, being six
years old, remembered a great many incidents of this journey. Catherine rode a
big horse and led another horse on which the twins were placed, each in a
basket, especially prepared, being fastened together and placed on the horse,
one on each side, so that they balanced. In these baskets were good pillows, so
that it made a comfortable way of riding. Some of the streams were so deep that
Catherine had to raise the baskets to keep the children out of the water. If
they made 10 miles a day, that was considered a good day!
Recorded stories from family say that they started their trip about the year 1794 from Kentucky to Ohio. The twins were born, August 15, 1793. You will note that Catherine had the infant twin’s in baskets on the packhorses.
They
made the rule of going into camp on Friday evening, always trying to camp on
some stream of water and not breaking camp until Monday morning. This gave them
a chance to do their washing and Sunday was strictly a day of rest and for
religious worship.
They
crossed the Miami River near the Block house station of Columbia and located on
Duck Creek. At that time Duck Creek and the Miami River at a point about where
the modern Cincinnati’s Eastern Avenue meets Red Bank Road; the course of the
Miami River has since changed and Duck Creek is now piped to the river over the
flat lands.
The
records of the Old Baptist Church at Columbia show that Rev. Peter SMITH and
wife Catherine united with that church in 1795, by letter and was ordained as
minister in 1801.” Peter is listed as Pastor of the Columbia Baptist Church
from 1801 to 1804. The historical sketch indicates that “Elder Peter SMITH”
(from Georgia) was called by the church to the pastorate. Peter was involved in
establishing the Carpenter’s Run Baptist Church, material dated June 17, 1797.
(Olden Historical Sketches, pg. 178). That church ceased to exist on August 24,
1828. Peter was a delegate from the Columbia Baptist Church who helped establish
the Miami Baptist Association. Formal establishment date was June 3, 1797. A
listing of members indicates the following SMITHS became members of The Columbia
Baptist Church during the following years. 1801 – Ira SMITH, Elizabeth SMITH.
1802 – E. SMITH. 1806 –
Jonathan SMITH.
In
an account of the Centennial Celebration held June 21, 1890, of this the first
Baptist Church in the Northwest Territory, the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette
says, “In 1801, under Elder Peter SMITH'S preaching, a great revival came, and
in a few months over one hundred and fifty members were added to the church.”
Old Duck Creek Church
Peter
bought 160 acres for $106. Recorded February 17, 1797. On April 1803, Peter
bought a tract of land in Columbia Twp. (Hamilton Co. OH). On
October 29, 1804 Peter sold that same property, or a portion of it, to
his son Samuel SMITH. During the
years of residence on the farm, Peter practiced medicine and spent
his time preaching.
The
original marriages of their children: Peter solemnized the marriages of many of
his children.
Samuel Smith married Elizabeth MCCLEAVE August 22, 1801
Ira Smith married Margaret DODSON February 16, 1802
Sally Smith married Henry JENNINGS March 15, 1799
Hezekiah Smith married Sally DRAKE April 3, 1806
Elizabeth Smith married John FERRIS January 20, 1803
Abraham Smith married Edey MORGAN August 11, 1807
Nancy Smith married John JOHNS April 3, 1806
Margaret Smith married Hugh M. WALLACE October 13, 1808
Catherine Smith never married
Jacob S. Smith ?
Mary Smith married Joseph KEIFER November 7, 1815
Rhoda
Allison Smith married William LINDSEY March 22, 1819, Clark Co., Ohio
Catherine
STOUT SMITH’S father died and in the will of her father, Samuel STOUT of
Hopewell, dated September 12, 1803, she is bequeathed the sum of $533.33
(NJA:39:430).
In
the year 1805, “this Doctor, Preacher and Teacher decided to move again,”
this time up the Miami Valley to Donnels Creek, a branch of the Mad River, where
he settled a short distance above the present village of Donnelsville and
about seven miles west of the present city of Springfield, Ohio. It is stated by
William W. KEIFER of Springfield, OH, a great-grandson of Peter, that he
selected this high piece of land for health reasons.
Few others had preceded him to the Mad river country. Here he and his
sons located on three half-sections of land (a poor farm) and a part of this in
later years became the home of Abraham SMITH.
Rev. Peter SMITH had his home on what was called the HARDACRE and BRANDENBURG farms. His son Abraham, the present site at Donnelsville. His daughter Nancy JOHNS, the Daniel FROSS Farm. Samuel built his cabin one-half mile northeast of the forks of the creek, in all three half sections.
Donnelsville and Surrounding Area
Mrs.
Margaret GAINES says that the Smiths first stopped near the present village of
Medway, on the land afterward owned by the LAMMES, but for some reason they
thought best to settle on Donnels Creek where there was a cabin and small
clearing. At that time Mrs. Mary KEIFER was about six years old, but remembered
of hearing the Indian babies cry on being plunged into the icy creek—this was
their way of hardening the youngsters. When
her father preached in Kentucky it was necessary to have sentinels stationed
around the church for protection from the Indians.
Peter
spent nearly all his later years in life, traveling on horseback, preaching. In
two to three years time he traveled as far east as the state of New York
to attend yearly meetings, which were similar to our camp meetings.
February
1, 1812, Peter SMITH joined the Mad River Church by letter from the Beavercreek
Church (near Fairfield, Greene Co. OH) by vote of the membership immediately
assumed ministerial charge.
There
was a book written called, “Record of Mad River Church, September 27, 1818. It
is of special interest to the Smiths because of the many family names therein
recorded.
After
a life described by his biographers as “eventful,” Peter, at the age of
sixty, wrote “The Indian Doctor’s Dispensatory, being Father SMITH’S
advice respecting diseases and their cure, consisting of prescriptions for many
complaints and a description of medicines, simple and compound.” The book was
published in 1813 by Brown and Looking, in Cincinnati, and a copy is in the
library of the University of Cincinnati.
Peter
was a heavy set man of medium size and in old age stoop shouldered, leaning to
one side. A broken thigh and other infirmities brought him to his deathbed and
he passed away on December 31, 1816. He was buried on his farm and a plat
surrounding his grave became the Donnelsville burying ground.
Old
Donnelsville Brandenburg Cemetery
His
wife, Catherine STOUT, must have been very handsome in youth, as she carried her
comely features and fair complexion in the decline of life. She was gifted in
conversation, could well maintain her own side in disputing points of docturine
with ministers of that day. She could then recite whole poems that she had
learned in childhood. Her father’s house in New Jersey was surrounded with
British soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Fearing confiscation, they had
buried their valuables, such as jewelry and silverware, being in affluent
circumstances and owning slaves. The old chest which contained these valuables
was used by Catherine in carrying her wedding outfit—that, with spoons and
other relics, are still in possession of one branch of the family. The pioneer
woman and widow of Rev. Peter SMITH died at the home of her son Samuel, November
3, 1851.
Death
Dates of Children:
Samuel SMITH died August 12, 1856
Ira SMITH died February 6, 1866, Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co. IN
Sally Smith JENNINGS died sometime prior to 1827, Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co. IN or Montgomery Co. OH
Hezekiah SMITH died February 2, 1871, Shelbyville, IN
Elizabeth Smith FERRIS died July 21, 1809, Columbia, OH
Abraham SMITH died November 1873, Lawrence Co. IL
Nancy Smith JOHNS died August 28, 1813, Clark Co. OH
Margaret Smith WALLACE died July 3, 1810, Clark Co. OH
Catherine died unmarried July 7, 1807, Clark Co. OH
Jacob S. SMITH died October 14, 1815
Mary Smith KEIFER died 1879, Clark Co. OH
Rhoda
Allison Smith LINDSEY died October 10, 1840, Richmond, IN
The story doesn’t end with their deaths. These families had families and they left a long legacy.
Sources: Data compiled by Smith cousins, from the wonderful volunteers on rootsweb lists, documents, books, and the many who have researched before us.
Early Settlers and Early Times on Donnels Creek and Vicinity, Clark Co. Ohio By Samuel S. Miller 1897.
Peter Smith of Jamaica, Long Island, and Some of his Descendants, Contributed By Samuel Steel Smith, 1954.
The Genealogy of the Descendants of Samuel Smith, Sr. and Elizabeth (McCleave) Smith by, John Peery Miller, A.M. Formerly Professor of History, Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio
Slavery and Four Years of War, by Joseph Warren Keifer, Vol. 1 1861--1863
Early
American Trails and Roads
8 Mar 2002