John Smith (1673 - bef. 1718)

Born 26 May 1673 in Eastham, Plymouth Colony [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Bethia (Snow) Smith — married 14 May 1694 in Eastham, Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay

Descendants

Died before 25 Feb 1718 before age 44 in Chatham, Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay [uncertain]

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Biography

John Smith was born on May 26, 1673 in Eastham, Plymouth Colony, son of Samuel Smith (1641–1697) and Mary Hopkins (1640–<1700).

John (20) married Bethia Snow (21) (born on July 1, 1672 in Eastham, New England; daughter of Stephen Snow and Susanna (Deane) Snow) on May 14, 1694 in Eastham.^[1] Their children were:

• James Smith (1695–1696)
• Samuel Smith (1696–>1742) married Mercy Higgins of Eastham.
• Dean Smith (~1698–<1729) married Esther Ryder of Yarmouth, Mass.
• Mercy Smith (1700–>1748), married Sept 24, 1729, Nathan Kenney of Chatham. They were the parents of Heman and Nathan Kenney, grantees in Barrington, NS, and of Miriam Kenney who married Samuel Hamilton a grantee in Barrington.
• Mary Smith (~1702–1767), married Obadiah Chase.
• John Smith (~1703–1767), married (1st) Sept. 21 1727 Elizabeth, dau of George and Martha (Cook?) Brown (2nd) Apl 7 1763, Lydia, widow of Enenezer Snow.
• Stephen Smith (~1706–1766), died of small pox Jan 13 1766.
• Bethiah Smith (1708–1776), married Dec 15, 1731, Elisha Young.
• David Smith (1711– ), no further record. Was living in 1734.
• Seth Smith (1713–1787), married 1st Mch 15, 1737, Elizabeth..., who died Apl 12, 1756; married 2nd Nov 18 1756, Mary (Godfrey) Nickerson, widow of Caleb Nickerson and a sister of Benjamin Godfrey a grantee in Liverpool, NS.

John Smith moved to Chatham, Mass, and lived on one of the farms left him in his father's will. He was a substantial man in the village and held many offices in the town. He was a Selectman, Surveyor, constable, etc.

He died before 25 Feb 1717. The records relating to the settlement of his estate are found on the Barnstable County Probate Records. His son Samuel was the administrator.^[2]

In 1734, with his estate still not settled, his estate was set out to his children, Samuel (eldest son), Dean (since deceased a dower to Dean's widow, Hester), John, Stephen, David, Seth, Mercy, Mary, and Bethiah. An account of his estate was also recorded.^[3]

Bethia, widow of John Smith, died after 1734 when his estate was finally settled. The Chatham records do not give the date of her death.

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch ([1] : 19 April 2021), John Smith and Bethia Snow, 14 May 1694; citing Marriage, Orleans, Barnstable, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007010725.
2. ↑ "Probate records v. 1-3 1686-1747" database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YB-NF9  : 1 May 2024), Film# 007705400, Barnstable, Massachusetts, image 451, Vol 3, Page 449.
3. ↑ "Probate records v. 4-5 1721-1741" database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9YY-L7N3 : 1 June 2024), Film# 007705401, Barnstable, Massachusetts, image 460, Vol 5, Page 204.

See also:

• Births, marriages, deaths, 1649-ca.1840; intentions of marriage, 1700-ca.1905, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L979-96TX : 2 October 2022), FHL microfilm 007009735, image 149, Eastham, Massachusetts, Volume 2, Births, & Deaths, 1654-1797, Page 84.
• John D. Austin, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Vol 6, Stephen Hopkins, Plymouth, Mass.: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 2001 [3rd edition], Pages 21-22
• New Englanders in Nova Scotia (subscription) compiled by Fred E Crowell, c1938. Page 50
• SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project, haplogroup Rb1 NE08 Ralph Smith: Descendant of yDNA group NE08 Ralph Smith-3423 (1612 ENG - 1685 Massachusetts) m Elizabeth Hobart-46 and Grace Unknown-137027. See SmithConnections Northeastern DNA Project.
• Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 Ancestry Record 2495 #46697807