Peter Smith
In the 1698 census of Hempstead, he was enumerated with
the family of Thomas Ellison (see explanation in material for Peter Smith of
Hempstead).
No marriage record has been found for Peter, but there
is no reason to believe his wife was not Hester Michell or Esther Mitchell as the
author stated. Their year of marriage in
1709 is an estimation based on the birth of their first known child in 1710.
Esther was also from Hempstead, and her family was
enumerated in the census as “John Michell, mary Michel, May Michell, Robrd Michell,
John Michell, hester michell”. Since
the census appears to list head of household first, spouse where applicable, and
children in descending order of birth, Hester was the youngest child but there are no
records indicating when she was born.
On 5 Feb 1710, Peter registered his earmark in
Hempstead. At a General Town Meeting
there on 9 Aug 1726, the freeholders passed a rule for that year disallowing the
penning of sheep “that Runs upon the Plains”. Nine men including Peter were voted full power to sue on behalf of
the freeholders, any persons not abiding by the ruling.
At a General Town Meeting on 18 Oct 1732, the freeholders passed a rule
forbidding any person from penning sheep or cattle within the bounds of Hempstead,
and at the same time, they voted that no horses or mares should be allowed to run at
liberty on Hempstead Plains. At this
time, Peter protested against the vote about the sheep.
On 27 Jun 1735, a petition was drawn up for the charter
for St. George’s Church in Hempstead. Among
those signing were Peter Smith and his son Peter Smith, Jr.
On 8 May 1736, Peter and his wife Esther of Hempstead,
sold to their son Peter Smith, Jr., forty-four acres of land in Hempstead bounded on
the north by Jacamiah Mitchell, on the east by John Smith Rock by “ye Road which
leads from Westbury to Jamaica”, and west by the Great Plains.
Also included were two hallows of land on the Great Plains about a mile and a
half south of the forty-four acres. On
16 May 1738, Peter and Esther again sold to their son Peter Smith, Jr., about 150
acres lying partly in Hempstead Township and partly in Flushing Township.
[You may view these deed pages by clicking on the thumbnails or access a page with all included. The page is large and slow to load.]
Peter donated ten shillings toward rebuilding the
rectory of St. George’s Church on 13 Mar 1743, the last time he was mentioned in
Hempstead records. The dates of death
for Peter and Esther (Mitchell) Smith are not yet known.
Their only known children were Peter Smith, Jr., born in
1710, and Hezekiah Smith born 3 Jun 1714, both of whom migrated to New Jersey.
Sources: NYGB
Record, Vol. 85, 1954; The Annals of Hempstead, 1643 to 1832, Henry Onderdonk, Jr.,
1878; LI Source Records from the NYGB Record, compiled by Henry B. Hoff, Gen.
Publishing Co., 1987; Records of the Towns of North and South Hempstead, Long Island,
NY, Vol. III, ed. Benjamin Hicks, Long Island Farmer Print (1898).
14 Mar 2000
updated 17 Dec 2001
Information provided by Judy Tooman