William Smoot Sr. (abt. 1596 - abt. 1670)

Born about 1596 in London, England

Descendants

Died about 1670 at about age 74 in Charles County, Maryland [uncertain]

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Biography

He was born about 1596/7 in London, England and was the son of Jone Jane (Batten) and Thomas Smoot.

In 1633 "William Smoot" was a member of the Boatwright Guild in London, England. He agreed to work for 50 days in Virginia for Col. Thomas Burbage, sailing from England to settle at Hampton (now Elizabeth City), York County, Virginia.

He was a ship builder who designed and built vessels used in trade between Maryland and Virginia. How big these vessels or enterprise were, is not clear, but two vessels were pinnaces which are small sailing ships. ^[1]

1637/Aug "William Smoote" witnessed a deed in York County, Virginia, from William Reynolds to Thomas Denham. ^[2]

1642/Feb "William Smeete" was granted 400 acres of land in York County, Virginia, on the north side of the Charles River near the head of Tymber Creek, as his due for "the transportation of eight persons to the Virginia Colony. The names of these people were omitted on the patent he received. It is normal to think they were members of his own family and perhaps some who would be in his employment. ^[3]

1644 "William Smute" gave George Codd, 3 barrels of corn and clothes for fulfilling his indentured service.

"William Smute" fought in the campaign against the Pamunky and Chickahominy Indians, receiving 600 pounds of tobacco on 01 Oct 1644 for his services. ^[4]

1645\6/Mar/08 "William Smote", boatwright of Hampton, Virginia, bound #2 p118 his whole estate to Joseph Hill to secure a debt of 860 pounds of tobacco that Smote and Hill jointly owed to Ashell Batten. (Smote signed with a mark "W", leading inexperienced genealogists to conclude that "W" was his middle initial!) Ashwell Batten also signed the mortgage. ^[5]

It appears that this was William Smoot's way of settling his affairs as he left for Maryland, perhaps in a pinnace of his own making. From Hampton, Virginia (at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay) it is about 150 miles up the bay and up the Potomac River to what is now Charles County, Maryland.

About 1646 "William SMOOTE(S)" migrated from Virginia to Maryland, with ...

- his wife, Grace

- his children, Thomas, Richard, Elizabeth, Ann and Ales

- his wife's daughter, Elizabeth WOOD, and

- his servant, Anne WOODNOT. ^[6] His eldest son William (then about 13 years old) wasn't listed among the children, and neither was youngest daughter Mary (born shortly after arrival in Maryland). The eight people listed (not including William) entitled him to 400 acres of land.

He settled his family in St.Mary's County, Maryland, which was then the only county west of the Chesapeake Bay. ^[7]

1647Jun/12 He was granted a patent for 300 acres near the mouth of Herring Creek, known as Smoote. He also received a patent for 400 acrea called Smoothly which later became known as Attwicke's Purchase.

1647/Jun/27 "William Smoote" acknowledged a debt of 210 pounds of tobacco to Cuthbert Fenwick, Gent., the debt being assigned to Fenwick by Robert Clarke, who surveyed Smoot's new land patent. ^[8]

1647/Nov/03 "William Smoot" signed over to Capt. John Price the pinnace that he had bought of Leonard Calvert (the Governor of Maryland) as reimbursement for the payment of several debts. ^[9]

1650 William Smoot and his son-in-law, William Hungerford, signed Stone's Declaration.

1652/Jan/15 William Stephenson made his nuncupative (verbal) Will, naming Humphrey Atwicks (William Smoot's son-in-law) executor and sole legatee; with witness: "William Smoote". ^[10]

1652/Jan/25 "William Smooy" had 400 acres surveyed for him on the west side of the Wicomico River (a tract named "Smootely," being the land due to him for the transportation of eight people into Maryland in 1646).

1652/Jan/26 William Smoot assigned part of Atwicke's Purchase, lying next to the lands of John Hatch, to Humphrey Atwickes and another part to Richard Smoot. The transactions were acknowledged by his wife, Grace.

1656/Dec/28 He signed this land over to his son, Thomas, and his son-in-law, Humphrey Atwicks. An additional 240 acres (a tract named Smootewood) was also surveyed for him, based on a land patent dated 26 May 1648, from which it appears that he brought in a boatload of people at that time. ^[11]

1658 Part of from St.Mary's County went into the formation of Charles County, Maryland and that appears to be where he spent the rest of his life.

1658 He patented 240 acres of land on the west side of the Wicomico River known as Smootwood.

1658/May/28 "William Smoote" received a tract of 200 acres on the west side of the Wicocomeco River near the land of Francis Pope, being a patent assigned to him from John Lewger, Jr. William immediately signed this land over to his son Richard, who signed it over to Gils Tomkins on 22 Nov 1659. ^[12]

1660/Feb He was in sympathy with Josias Fendall and consequently was involved in the legal proceedings following his prosecution.

1660/Sep/04 Thomas Mitchell, Sr. recorded the mark of a calf given to Elizabeth Atwickes, Jr. (granddaughter of "William Smoot"). At the same time "Grace Smoote" (William's wife) recorded the mark of a young cow that she had given to Grace Atwickes (her granddaughter). ^[13]

1661/Apr/17 He was arraigned at the Provincial Court with twelve others for mutinously, seditiously, and the instigation of the Devil ... assembled at the house of Josias Fendall in Charles County in February 1660, and attempted by force to rescue Josias Fendall formerly the Governor of the Province and William Hatch Secretary. The jury returned a verdict of "not guilty".

1664/Jan/10 "William Smoote" presented Ales Broune in court to have her age judged; she was judged to be 22 years old. ^[14]

1665/Nov/14 Thomas Smoot delivered the child, William Hungerford (William's grandson, whose father had just died), "and his whole estate to 'my father Smoote' during his life time and after his decease the child and his estate shall fall to mee". ^[15]

Grace, wife of "William Smoote", died on 14 Jan 1666. ^[16]

"There are no estate records for "William Smoot" and the last 2 records found for him were ...

1667/Jun He sold a cow to Bridget Legate.

1667\8/Feb Surety for the administration of estate of his son Thomas? ^[17]

Children

1. Edward Smoot (guardian Thomas Taylor); m: Lydia Newman
2. Eleanor Margery Smoot (c1632-c1678) m: Humphrey Warren
3. Thomas Smoot (c1634-c1668) m: Jane Batten
4. Richard Smoot (1636-1676) (guardians Walter Davis & Richard Morris); m: Elizabeth Rowland
5. Elizabeth Smoot (guardian Elizabeth Bonner); m: Humphrey Atwickes
6. Alice "Ales" Smoot
7. Anne Smoot (1641-aft.1662) m1: William Hungerford; m2: William Barton
8. Gilbert Smoot
9. Mary Smoot, b: c1646; m: James Gilbert
10. William Smoot, Jr. (1647-bef.1717) m: Jane ???.

Research Notes

His early ancestors were the Smoote family of the Netherlands. Marriages occurred between the House of Smoote and the noblity and gentry of that Province. A coat-of-arms was found. William Smoote of Maryland had the name and traditions of the Dutch House of Smoot and those in Maryland bore a coat-of-arms. ^{[18] [19]}

Sources

1. ↑ Family Tree by Matthew Holmes; for William Smoot citing notes supplied by Donna Bott of Valdese, North Carolina, USA
2. ↑ Deeds, Orders, Wills #1 p64 York Co, VA; cited in "Meet Your Ancestors" by Noland (Hubbard) Bowling; cited in Family Tree by Matthew Holmes
3. ↑ "Cavaliers & Pioneers"] by Nugent; for William Smoot; cited in Family Tree by Matthew Holmes
4. ↑ Family Tree by Matthew Holmes; for William Smoot citing notes supplied by Donna Bott of Valdese, North Carolina
5. ↑ "York County 1633-1646" by Beverly Fleet; p118; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"
6. ↑ "A Supplement to the Early Settlers of Maryland" compiled by Carson Gibb, Ph.D. AB&H:230, 243 film#SR7344; MSA SC#4341-2303; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"; together with the 1647 land patent that mentions the names of those he imported.
7. ↑ Maryland county formation
8. ↑ Archives of Maryland v4 p318 cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"
9. ↑ Maryland Provincial Court and Testamentary Business 1647 Liber-A; witness: Robert Clarke; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"
10. ↑ Maryland Calendar of Wills v1; book#1 p41; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties]
11. ↑ 1642-1753 Rent Rolls Charles County, Maryland Hundred - Wicomico: Rent Roll page/Sequence: 284-7: SMOOTELY: 400 acres; 284-10: SMOOTEWOOD: 240 acres; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"
12. ↑ Maryland records v53 p342; Charles County Court Proceedings; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"
13. ↑ Archives of Maryland v53 p92; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"
14. ↑ Charles County Court Proceedings 1662-1666 Archives of Maryland p542; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"
15. ↑ citing Charles County Court Proceedings 1662-1666 Archives of Maryland v53; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"
16. ↑ Charles County Circuit Court, Birth, Deaths & Marriage Records, Liber-Q; cited on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties]
17. ↑ 1642-1753 Rent Rolls Charles County, Maryland Hundred - Wicomico: Rent Roll page/Sequence: 284-7: SMOOTELY: 400 acres; 284-10: SMOOTEWOOD: 240 acres; contributed by Ralph D. Smith, citing (1) Archives of Maryland v60 p111-12; & (2) Maryland Prerogative Court, Testamentary Proceedings, Liber#2 p295; quoted on William Smoot page at "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties"]
18. ↑ "The Smootes of Maryland and Virginia" by Harry Wright Newman; cited in Family Tree by Matthew Holmes
19. ↑ Abraham Smoot: Pioneer Mormon Leader by C. Elliot Berlin

• Early Settlers of Maryland citing WC#381; transcript#19:508; MSA SC 4341; for William Smoot of St.Mary's County, Maryland; dead by 1677

• The SMOOT Family: An American Family History