Updated: 10/3/2021 at 1:06 PM

Our Smith group is R-M269-9. Currently R-M269-4 claims the Shadrack Smiths of Wilson Co, TN.

There were at least 3 Shadrack Smiths in Wilson Co, TN in 1850, a grandfather (Sr., married a Nancy), his son Shadrack C. Smith (also married a Nancy), and a grandson, Shadrack J. Smith (too young to be Shadrach Smith of Benton Co, TN)

They are not able to be connected to the same Smith line as that of Shadrach Smith m. Celia Smith in Wake Co, NC.

Way back in 2014 our Smith yDNA group was matched to a descendant of Harvey Lee Smith of 1910 Benton Co, TN. His descendant was a 36/37 yDNA match to myself. A paper trail analysis revealed that he was a patrilineal descendant of Isaac B. Smith who married Mary (mnu). They lived in 1840-1880 Camden, Benton Co, TN.

1840 census
Isaac Smith b.1810-1820

1850 census
Isaac B. Smith b. 1808

Isaac Smith and Mary Polly Wilson were married in 1814 Williamson Co, TN.

This tells us that Isaac Smith m. Mary Polly Wilson is not Isaac B. Smith.

This is where we will pick up our research.

Living in the household of Isaac and Mary in 1870 was a 90 year old “Selia” Smith. I suspect her name was actually “Celia”.

This is confirmed when we find her in the 1850 census. Celia could have been Isaac B. Smith’s mother.

A search of Ancestry.com’s marriage records reveals that a “Celia Smith” married a Shadrach Smith in Wake Co, NC on 5 May 1807. Their bondsman was a “Major May” and their witness was a William Hill.

Side note:
Link to more information about Major May’s family in Wake Co, NC:
https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/s/t/a/Arthur-W-Stapleton/GENE2-0001.html

A James May, suggested to be Major May’s brother, married a Sally Smith 22 July 1811. The “R. Smith” was likely a Richard Smith who was a “Register of Deed” for the county at the time. Unsure if related.

The page mentions a Joshua Smith and a Robert Smith who lived on Little Lick Creek in Wake Co, NC.
William Hill appears to have been a “Register of Deeds” in 1806-1807 Wake Co, NC.
https://www.wakegov.com/departments-government/register-deeds/faqs-and-helpful-links/register-deeds-history

John MAY sold property to William WALLACE in 1787 in Orange Co., NC.(Note: Polly MAY m. William WALLACE in 1823 in Orange Co., NC.) It may be a coincidence, but there is a Benjamin King mentioned in this family.

I see that a “William Wallis” bought land from a “Jacob Harder” in Orange Co, NC. This plat was immediately next to John and Edward King on Stoney Creek. This is the general neighborhood of my Andrew Smith and family who lived a few miles to the northeast.

There was a Major May in the First Orange County [NC] Militia:

https://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr10-0342

Probably same Major May in Capt. William Murray’s Company:

https://www.carolana.com/NC/Revolution/patriots_nc_capt_william_murray.html

/Side note

To verify if this is the correct family, we want to examine the larger Smith population around Celia and Isaac B. Smith in the 1850 Benton Co, TN census.

We find living near Isaac B. Smith was a “Simpson Smith”. Here is his bio:

http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/greene/bios/smiths.txt

We find that Simpson Smith was a son of a William Smith who married an Elizabeth Lewis. We find William Smith in the 1840 Benton Co, TN census. Listed immediately next to him is a “Shaderick Smith”. This was the aforementioned Shadrach Smith who married in Wake Co, NC in 1807.

Also listed next to Shadrach and William was a Jeremiah Smith. I haven’t figured out who he was just yet.

What is also interesting is that there was a Lewis and Pettigrew (Pettygrue) family living with Isaac in the 1870 Benton Co, TN census. I suspect the Lewises were related to Elizabeth Lewis.

Here is an estate inventory for a Pleasant Smith that died 20 June 1863. I believe Isaac B. Smith is listed.

This Pleasant Smith appears to have immediately neighbored Jeremiah Smith

Pleasant Smith appears to likely have been in-laws with a William Swindle:

Here is a link to the Smith/Nunnery/Swindle family that includes the Hiram Smith mentioned in the above documents.

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/nunnery/305/

Research and Speculation

These next bits of information are speculation on my part, based upon the understanding of the previously mentioned autosomal DNA analysis which found a link between Stephen Smith m. Nancy Rainwater and Josiah Smith m. Elizabeth Collier, as well as the paper trail analysis of the social network of Henry Smith m. Elizabeth Ledford of Brunswick Co, VA.

Here is the SmithsWorldWide.org page for a Benjamin Smith of 1745 Brunswick Co, VA. According to his WikiTree.com page, he was son of Cuthbert Smith, a brother of Josiah Smith.

SmithsWorldWide.org (remember, use this site only for source info, ignore the currently associated yDNA line for now):

https://www.smithsworldwide.org/tng/getperson.php?personID=I40572&tree=tree1

WikiTree.com:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Smith-39612

Benjamin Smith is said to have died in 1806 in Wake Co, NC. This is where we found Shadrach Smith’s marriage record in 1807.

Benjamin Smith is said to have had a son Richard Smith who married Penny Jones on 30 Jan 1812 in Wake Co, NC. Their bondsman and witness was a Benjamin S. King (B. S. King). We find this B. S. King was a Bondsman to other Smiths at that time and place, but I am not sure who they were. I believe B. S. King was a Clerk of the Court for Wake County, NC.

The above is not conclusive, but demonstrates that Shadrach Smith of 1840 Benton Co, TN was in the same county (Wake Co, NC) as Benjamin and Richard Smith who descend from Cuthbert Smith, at around the same time.

Multiple Shadrach Smiths

For now, Shadrach Smith and Celia Smith are a brick wall. Here’s why.

The short answer, the other Shadrach Smiths in Wilson Co, TN are claimed by SmithsWorldWide.org group R-M269-4.

https://smithsworldwide.org/tng/getperson.php?personID=I1884&tree=tree1

The longer answer is as follows:

This next part was initially posted as linking Wilson Co, TN Shadrach Smith to Benton Co, TN Shadrach, but I think I can now separate them.

Remember, Celia Smith is living alone (but among her family) in 1850-1870 Benton Co, TN.

This is a Shadrach C. Smith in the 1850 Wilson Co, TN census:

Looking to Tennessee records, I find a Shadrack C. Smith and a Benjamin A. Smith in the Wilson Co, TN land grants (I now believe Shadrack C. Smith is a different person than the Shaderick Smith in the 1840 Benton Co, TN census):

If the previous information about old Benjamin’s death is correct, this can’t be the same Benjamin Smith who married Nancy Burch.

Update: I have been able to find the estate record of Benjamin A. Smith.

And here is some good information about Shadrach and David B. Smith’s family:

https://www.tngenweb.org/wilson/wilson4.htm

5309 – 1855 Apr. 6 – (I.B.) Gideon M. ALSUP of Wilson County and James W. MCADOO of Cannon Co. Against David B. SMITH and Rial C. JENNINGS exors. of Shadrack SMTIH, Sr., dec’d. citizens of Wilson Co., TN and Shadrack C. SMITH, Jr. and E.N. SMITH citizens of Montgomery Co. all of TN. …W.G. ROBERTSON a Deputy Shff. of Wilson Co., TN…. Shadrack Sr., father of Shadrack C., Jr., published his last Will & Testament on 20 Jan. 1851 and departed this life on 1 Feb. 1855. Will probated Feb. Term of 1855. Had negroes … wife died before testator … Shadrack C. is entitled to 1/9 part … E.N. SMITH is a son of Shadrack, Jr. David B. is a brother of Jr. 1857 – Summons for David B. SMITH, Joshua L. SMITH, Robert JENNINGS, Uriah JENNINGS, Lewis PATTERSON, and J.C. CRADDOCK to appear at the office of B.W. SMITH, J.P. town of Statesville, Wilson Co., TN.

Joshua L. Smith appears to have been a son of David B. Smith.

Here is the marriage record for Shadrick Smith, Sr. He married a Nancy Howard. Both were alive and well in 1850 Wilson Co, TN.

So this is why Shaderick Smith of 1840 Benton Co, TN was not related to Shadrack Smiths of 1850 Wilson Co, TN.

Mapping a few things out

Remember, the entry spelled “Shaderick Smith” is found in the 1840 Benton Co, TN census.

I believe this provides the framework for a plausible hypothesis that Isaac Burrell Smith’s father was a Shadrach Smith, but he was different from the Shadrach Smith, Sr. and Shadrach C. Smith. Further, Isaac B. Smith was not the Isaac Smith that married Mary Polly Wilson in Williamson Co, TN in 1814.

Currently, Shadrick Smith, Sr’s parents are listed as Alexander Smith and Diana Phelps. There are some secondary/tertiary source citations here:

https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/r/i/n/William-P-Rinehart-TX/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0834.html

From TN Smithology: Mary Drucilla Smith’s Family Bible in in the possession of Mrs. William S tell of Russellville, Alabama (who also has the Ramsey Bible).This Bible record claims Shadrack Smith and Nancy Bailey as her parents and Alexander Smith and Diana Phelps as her grandparents. Mary Drucilla named her first child Alexander Smith Grisham, probably for her grandfather.

https://www.geni.com/people/Shadrack-Smith/6000000090060686330?through=6000000090060686352

The SmithsWorldWide.org group R-M269-4 appears to claim Alexander Smith as theirs.

https://smithsworldwide.org/tng/getperson.php?personID=I1884&tree=tree1

We will have to attempt to break through the brick wall and using autosomal DNA segment and match analysis at GEDmatch.com.

The Wilson Co, TN Shadrach being of group R-M269-4 still provides a way for a hypothesis of Celia’s husband to be related to Cuthbert Smith of Brunswick Co, VA.

Thanks for reading!

-Chris