Jack Smith
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John Jackson Smith (1799 - 1867)

John Jackson (Jack) "J.J." Smith
Born in Edgefield, South Carolina, United Statesmap
Husband of — married 17 Oct 1818 in Hinds, Mississippi, United Statesmap
Descendants descendants
Died at age 68 in Bosque, Texas, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Anne Duncan private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 21 Mar 2018
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Contents

Biography

Notables Project
Jack Smith is Notable.
Jack Smith was a Mississippian.
Jack Smith was a Texan.

John Jackson Smith was a community leader in Mississippi and Texas. He was a commissioner appointed to form Scott County, Mississippi and made donations of land to assist Hillsboro in remaining the county seat. Later in life he settled the area now known as Smith Bend on the Brazos River in Bosque County, Texas.

He was a politician, holding appointed and elected offices in both Mississippi and Texas. He was an author on a report prepared at the Southern State Convention in 1849 that has been identified in other articles as being part of the Road to War for the State of Mississippi. He assisted with the establishment of the Southern Railroad in Mississippi.

He also often acted as an agent for the Choctaw during the period after the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek.

Early Life

John Jackson "Jack" Smith was born 22 Aug 1799 in Edgefield, South Carolina. He passed away in 23 Aug 1867 in Smiths Bend, Bosque County, Texas and was buried at Coon Creek Cemetery.[1]

Choctaw Ancestry

He was the son of John Smith and Martha Jones. Martha was the daughter of John Jones, who was white, and Mary Jones, who was full Choctaw.

Three of the children of his daughter, Emily Smith, applied for membership in the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma through the Dawes Commission. Burton S. Burks, Thomas S. Burks and Seaborn Jones Burks each made application. Burton S. Burks was initially admitted to the Dawes Rolls but legal representatives of the Choctaw Nation later overturned the enrollment and Burton never appealed it. Thomas and Seaborn were denied membership based on the fact that neither had ever enrolled with Choctaw tribal authorities.

Two of the children of his sister, Ann Smith, also applied for membership under the Dawes Commission. Anderson McCarty and Everett Edward McCarty were both denied membership for reasons similar to the Burks children. The application of Everett Edward McCarty included an extensive affidavit made by Tom York who was a member of the Choctaw Nation. Tom had known the Smith family in Mississippi, including Martha Jones Smith. He said that Jack, Ann and their mother all spoke Choctaw and he thought his mother and Martha Jones Smith were some relation.

Family and Residences

He married Margaret Katherine Butler in 1818 in Mississippi.[2] They had twelve children: John Jones Smith, Martha Margaret Smith, Ann Smith, Seaborn Jones Smith, Anderson B. Smith, Elizabeth Smith, C. Burton Smith, Thomas Jefferson Smith, Emily Smith, Martin Van Buren Smith, Gipson Smith and Laura Smith.

Hinds County Mississippi

He was living with his family in Hinds County, Mississippi in 1825 when he was issued a land patent for 80 and 4/100th acres of land.[3] On 04 Feb 1828 the Mississippi Legislature approved an Act that formed Rankin County from the part of Hinds County west of the Pearl River. The area of Hinds County he and his family were living in would probably have then been in Rankin County, which is the birthplace identified for his children John, Martha, Ann and Seaborn even though they were born before the formation of Rankin County.[4]

Scott County Mississippi

He and his family were residing in Scott County after it was formed and the rest of his children were born there. During the time he was living in Scott County he acquired significant land holdings in that county. Many of the land conveyances to him were through tax sales held by either the Sheriff or Tax Collector. Land Conveyance Listing

In 1838, along with Moses Thomas, John Beard and Hugh McDaniel, he made a donation of 20 acres of land to the Board of Police for the town of Hillsboro. He signed the conveyance for himself and as agent in fact of John Beard and Hugh McDaniel. The consideration for the conveyance was, "...location of the Town of Hillsboro, the county cite in and for said County and the advantages accruing to us by reason of said location where it is now established, as well as for the benefit of the said county..."[5] He and his wife made an additional conveyance in 1841 of 10 acres of land to the Board of Police citing the same consideration.[6]

Bosque County Texas & Smith Bend

He purchased several hundred acres of land in the bend of the Brazos River in Bosque County, Texas in the early 1850s. His son, C. Burton Smith and his wife, Isabella Hearne, moved to Bosque County to establish residence on the land after their marriage in 1855. Burton died on 05 Jul 1856 when he drank water from the river after a bear hunt.

On 21 Jul 1856, after the death of Burton, he and his wife signed a Power of Attorney allowing their son, Anderson B. "Dick" Smith to sell and make conveyance of lands, to execute bonds for titles or any other thing they could do if they were present for their properties in Mississippi.[7]

He and his wife left Mississippi and settled in Bosque County, Texas on the land on the Brazos River. They built a double log house, with a gin not far from it, and cotton was raised on the land. The area became known as Smith Bend.

He donated the land that is now Coon Creek Cemetery where his son, Burton, was the first burial. Many of his descendants have been buried in Coon Creek Cemetery.[8][9]

Appointed & Elected Positions

Commissioner for Organization of Scott County

In 1833 he was appointed one of the Commissioners to organize Smith, Scott and Neshoba Counties in Mississippi. The counties were established from part of the territory that had been acquired by the United States at the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek.[10][11]

Committee of Vigilance and Correspondence

He was appointed to the Committee of Vigilance and Correspondence for Scott County at the Convention of the Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi held in Jun 1834. The purpose of the County Committee was to correspond with the Central Committee and call meetings of democratic citizens of the county as requested by the Central Committee. The purpose of the Central Committee was to hold meetings at the capitol of the State, correspond with County Committees on political emergencies and direct the calling of public meetings.[12]

House of Representatives

In November 1843 he ran for Mississippi House of Representatives as a Democratic candidate and won that election. In this election the Democrats added four Members of Congress, Democratic Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer and secured a majority in the State Senate and House of Representatives. The Mississippi Free Trader described the results of this election as a "Great and Glorious Victory!!" and stated that the results were "...complete triumph of Democracy in this State, and of the supremacy of the Constitution over unauthorized acts of corrupt Legislators and mercenary Bankers." [13]

Southern Railroad

Beginning in 1846 he was involved in efforts to form the Southern Railroad. The positions he held included the sale of stock in Scott County, writing resolutions and being elected a Vice President of meetings. The Southern Railroad was incorporated by Acts of the Legislatures of Alabama and Mississippi. Here's a link to information on the Southern Railroad [14][15][16]

Southern State Convention

At the Southern State Convention, In Relation to the Slavery Question, held October 1849 in Jackson, Mississippi he was appointed to a committee to prepare and report matters for the Convention's action. Four members were appointed from each Congressional District and four for the State at large. He was appointed for the State at large and has been attributed to assisting in preparation of the Majority Report that was adopted by the Convention. Here's a link to the full report[17][18]

Southern States Rights Association

A meeting was held 15 Mar 1851 in Scott County, Mississippi to form the Southern States Right Assocation for Scott County. After the meeting was called to order he was elected a Vice President of the meeting and was appointed to bring other members to the Association. At this meeting Seaborn J. Smith made a speech about the wrongs and injustices done to the South and he was also appointed to a committee to draft a Constitution and By-Laws for the Assocation.[19] [20][21]

Committee of Public Safety

In the spring of 1861, after an election held 23 Feb 1861 over succession from the United States, a Committee of Public Safety was organized in Bosque County, Texas he was appointed to a committee to write resolutions.[22]

Choctaw Agent

Along with Charles Fisher, John Johnston Sr., Hugh McDonald and Jesse Clements he submitted a letter to T. Hartley Crawford, Commission of Indian Affairs dated 18 Feb 1844. In this letter it was stated that they had been acting as agents for the Choctaw Indians for 10 years and knew their feelings and wishes on the subject emigration. They requested that no contracts be made for the removal of the Indians until their claims were settled.[23]

A claim was submitted on his behalf by Bryan & Cochran in 1850 seeking payment for 17 Choctaw who died while en route from the Choctaw Nation East to the Choctaw Nation West. He had left Vicksburg with 167 Choctaw and boarded the Steamboat Dispatch 10 Feb 1850. After boarding the boat cholera broke out among the Choctaws and 17 of them died from it. One was interred at Little Rock, three were interred 30 miles above Little Rock at Benedicts Landing on the Arkansas River, four were interred about 150 miles above Little Rock at Slisnenlls [spelling] Landing on the Arkansas River, three were interred about 250 miles above Little Rock on the Arkansas River at a wood yard, and six were deceased when they arrived at Fort Coffee. His claim was supported by the affidavit of Elijah Whiting, Captain of the Steamboat Dispatch. Payment of $159.36 was allowed on his claim. .[24]

He and Ely S. Mitchell prepared a proposal, dated 28 May 1851, to the Choctaw Agency for removal of Choctaw remaining in Alabama and Mississippi to the Choctaw Nation west of Arkansas. They proposed that they would not remove any Choctaw who did not intend to remain in the Choctaw Nation. This proposal was submitted to the Choctaw Agency by John Drennen under his letter of recommendation dated 30 May 1851. His recommendation included, “In regard to the parties proposing I would remark that Mr. Smith is a citizen of Mississippi who is represented as having sufficient pecuniary means to enable him to carry on such emigration successfully. He also lives in the immediate vicinity of the Choctaw Clan, by far the most numerous of any of the clans now East, and from the best information I can obtain he has more influence with them than any other man in that country. He is moreover in my opinion an honest man and will not emigrate any except with the express understanding that the emigration is “bona fide” as expressed in their proposition.” and “…I would farther say that I deem the plan proposed by them much more eligible than the one now in operation…”

A letter of recommendation was also submitted in support of the proposal by Thomson McKenney on 08 Jun 1851. Thomson McKenney was concerned that most Choctaw who had emigrated the past winter had returned and that the people engaged in the removal had “resorted to all mean turns” and were looking out for their own interests. Thomson McKenney was also concerned that if the Choctaw did not relocate, they would become extinct in a few years.

A contract was issued to Ely S. Mitchell 21 Jun 1851 for emigration of Choctaw.[25]

Images can be viewed at Choctaw Agent Correspondence

Amnesty and Pardon

In 1866 he petitioned President Andrew Johnson for a pardon. The petition for the pardon was submitted with endorsements from J.R. Hilton, Chief Justice of Bosque County, J. W. Throckmorton, Governor of Texas and Simeon Stansifer, who was a brother in law to Anderson B. Jones. The pardon was signed 12 Dec 1866 by President Andew Johnson.[26] [27] A full transcript, images of signatures and signed Amesty & Pardon can be seen at John Jackson Smith Amnesty & Pardon

It is not clear what drove him to make the petition for the Amnesty and Pardon but it could have been activities he was involved in prior to the Civil War, including the Majority Report that he assisted in authoring at the Southern State Convention in 1849 enforcing states rights and demanding that Congress not abolish slavery or his actions on the Committee of Public Safety could also have been factor. A resolution he assisted in authoring demanded that anyone proven loyal to the Lincoln Government be executed as a common spy.

Addison Kirkpatrick, who resided in Aquilla, across the Brazos River, included an excerpt in Early Settlers Life in Texas authored by him, "In this connection there are a few other incidents I wish to mention. The carpet baggers would fine a man whom they thought had money, by preferring some charge against him. At one time Mr. Smith, of Smith's Bend on the Brazos river and Jep Walling, were charged with some offense of which they were totally ignorant, the carpet baggers thinking they could get a few hundred dollars to drop the suit. But the old Texans were to sharp for them and had business in North Texas where they stayed until the scoundrels were sent out of the country. These old men stopped at my home a day or two on their trip and were determined not to be plundered of their money."[28]

Slave Ownership

  • 17 Apr 1843 he paid $342 for Selia, who had been levied on by the Scott County Sheriff and sold as the property of Jesse McKay.[29]
  • 18 Mar 1844 he paid $300 for Lydia, Martha, Susannah, Henry, Sarah and Dicy who had been levied on by the Sheriff and sold as the property of Hugh McDonald.[30]
  • On the 1850 United States Census (Slave Schedule) he is shown to own 59 slaves in Scott County, Mississippi.[31]
  • On the 1860 United States Census (Slave Schedule) he is shown to own 62 slaves in Bosque County, Texas.[32]

Notes

Notes made by Tammy Kirkpatrick:

  1. Aliases: During his lifetime John Jackson Smith went by John J. Smith, Jack Smith and J.J. Smith. Confirmation of these aliases being the same person follows:
    1. Mississippi Free Trader, Wed, 15 Nov 1843, published the names of newly elected members of the House of Representatives for the State of Mississippi. In this list for Scott County was Jack Smith.
    2. Southern Reformer, Tue, 09 Jan 1844, published the names of members of the House of Representatives elected the prior November. J.J. Smith is identified in this list for Scott County.
    3. Weekly Mississippian, Wed, 27 Dec 1843 published the list of members of the House of Representatives that was taken from the Official Returns of the Secretary of State. This list included John J. Smith of Scott County.

Acknowledgements

  • Thank you to Anne Smith Duncan for sharing records in her possession, including a letter written 08 Apr 1960 from General Services Administration, National Archives and Records Service to Mrs. Johnny Carr. Without this letter location of records related the Choctaw would have been impossible to find.

Sources

  1. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17972069/john-jackson-smith : accessed 16 February 2022), memorial page for John Jackson Smith (22 Aug 1799–23 Aug 1867), Find a Grave Memorial ID 17972069, citing Smith Bend-Coon Creek Cemetery, Smiths Bend, Bosque County, Texas, USA ; Maintained by Indigo Falls (contributor 46887827).
  2. U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Yates Publishing, Ancestroy.com Operations, Inc., 2004, Provo, UT, USA
  3. Ancestry.com. U.S., General Land Office Records, 1776-2015 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: United States. Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Automated Records Project; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/. Springfield, Virginia: Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 2007.
  4. Laws of the State of Mississippi: Embracing All Acts of a Public Nature from January Session, 1824, to January Session 1838, Inclusive. United States, state, 1838.
  5. "Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9QX-3PLK?cc=2036959&wc=M7MG-BZ9%3A344535701%2C345250201 : 21 May 2014), Scott > Wills and deeds 1835-1839 vol A > image 94 of 311; county courthouses and public libraries, Mississippi.
  6. "Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QX-39KP-Q?cc=2036959&wc=M7MP-MTL%3A344535701%2C345255301 : 21 May 2014), Scott > Deeds 1839-1848 vol C-D > image 78 of 509; county courthouses and public libraries, Mississippi.
  7. "Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99QX-7WBH?cc=2036959&wc=M7MP-NPX%3A344535701%2C345277501 : 21 May 2014), Scott > Deeds 1859-1860 vol H > image 68 of 325; county courthouses and public libraries, Mississippi.
  8. Bosque County History Book Committee. Bosque County: Land and People (A History of Bosque County, Texas), book, 1985; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth91038/: accessed March 18, 2022), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.
  9. Bob Veteto, “Smith Bend, TX,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed March 19, 2022, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/smith-bend-tx. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
  10. Laws of the State of Mississippi: Embracing All Acts of a Public Nature from January Session, 1824, to January Session 1838, Inclusive. United States, state, 1838. Page 518, https://www.google.com/books/edition/Laws_of_the_State_of_Mississippi/aO4uAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
  11. Lowry, R., McCardle, W. H. (1974). A History of Mississippi: From the Discovery of the Great River by Hernando DeSoto, Including the Earliest Settlement Made by the French Under Iberville, to the Death of Jefferson Davis. United States: AMS Press., Page 527, https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_Mississippi/UPExAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=john+j+smith+scott+county+mississippi&pg=PA567&printsec=frontcover
  12. Unknown. (1834, July 10). Vicksburg Daily Whig, pp. 4. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/228891682
  13. Unknown. (1843,Nov 22). The Mississippi Free Trader, Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/23579044.
  14. Unknown. (1846, May 05). Journal of the Convention of the Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi, Vicksburg Register, pp. 1–2. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/225027308
  15. Unknown. (1847, Jul 30). The Weekly Mississippian, Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/214398034.
  16. Unknown. (1850, Sep 17). Vicksburg Tri-Weekly Sentinal. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/224494207
  17. Unknown. (1849, Oct 05). The Weekly Mississippian (Jackson, Mississippi) Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/223329196
  18. Mississippi. Legislature. Proceedings of a meeting of citizens of central Mississippi, in relation to the slavery question : also, the proceedings of the state convention, on the same subject, held at the city of Jackson, October, 1849 /, pamphlet, 1850; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth498309/: accessed February 12, 2022), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Schreiner University. Page 19
  19. Unknown. (1851, April 4). Proceedings of a Meeting in Scott County. The Weekly Mississippian, pp. 3–3. Retrieved February 3, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/223338155.
  20. Unknown. (1851, May 30). The Weekly Mississippian. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/223339167.
  21. Unknown. (1851, Dec 26). The Weekly Mississippian. Retrieved February 11, 2022, from https://www.newspapers.com/image/223342454.
  22. Pool, W. C. (1954). A History of Bosque County Texas. San Marcos Record Press. https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/3863/fulltext.pdf, Accessed 17 Feb 2022, Page 35
  23. War Department. Office of Indian Affairs. 1824-1849 , File Unit: M234 - Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-1881, 1824 - 1880 Series: Letters Received, 1824 - 1880 Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793 - 1999, M234, Roll 185, Image 873-875, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/163824977
  24. War Department. Office of Indian Affairs. 1824-1849 , File Unit: M234 - Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-1881, 1824 - 1880 Series: Letters Received, 1824 - 1880 Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793 - 1999, M234, Roll 187, Image 510 - 517, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/163827136
  25. War Department. Office of Indian Affairs. 1824-1849 , File Unit: M234 - Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-1881, 1824 - 1880 Series: Letters Received, 1824 - 1880 Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1793 - 1999, M234, Roll 187, Image 112-119 and Image 149-152, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/163827136
  26. Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67, The National Archives, 1865-1867, United States of America, https://www.fold3.com/image/249/20650419?xid=1945
  27. Ancestry.com. U.S., Pardons Under Amnesty Proclamations, 1865-1869 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Pardons Under Amnesty Proclamations, compiled 1865–1869. A1 1005, 26 rolls. ARC ID: 638273. General Records of the Department of State, 1763–2002, Record Group 59. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
  28. Kirkpatrick, A. Y. The Early Settlers Life in Texas, book, 1963, Page 84; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth130187/: accessed February 2, 2022), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .
  29. "Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9QX-39NW-P?cc=2036959&wc=M7MP-MTL%3A344535701%2C345255301 : 21 May 2014), Scott > Deeds 1839-1848 vol C-D > image 146 of 509; county courthouses and public libraries, Mississippi.
  30. "Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QX-39KC-Y?cc=2036959&wc=M7MP-MTL%3A344535701%2C345255301 : 21 May 2014), Scott > Deeds 1839-1848 vol C-D > image 176 of 509; county courthouses and public libraries, Mississippi.
  31. "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XXX6-D6?cc=1420440&wc=MJCD-8LW%3A1042937201%2C1042981101%2C1042981102 : 22 May 2014), Mississippi > Scott > Scott county > image 12 of 15; citing NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  32. "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBSD-2H7?cc=3161105 : 16 October 2019), > image 1 of 1; citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).




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