John Smith

Notes:

Section 907 of the Smith Family Tree Book page 149

JOHN SMITH NO. 3 from Smith Family Tree Book

John Smith No. 3 was the son of John Smith No. 2 and Mary Flake Smith, his wife, (1772-1854) married Mary Bellyew (Bellew) (1775-1872).

Approachable and cordial, he was familiarly called Jack by his contemporaries, and Uncle Jacky by younger people. Reared on the farm on Smith's Creek, near Lilesville in Anson County, N. C, his education was limited to the common schools of the country. He was five feet and eleven inches high, of medium weight and light build, active and energetic. At four score he could jump ditches three and four feet wide.

Merchandising and farming, running cotton gins and grist mills were his occupation. The most financially successful of all the Smith fam'ly, he added tract of land to tract of land and negro to negro until he was easily the largest landowner in the county and owned more slaves than any other person in Anson or adjoining counties. He was also the largest stockholder in the Bank of Wadesborough.

For many years he was an active Justice of the Peace. The office in his day carried the respect given it as handed down from the old English landlords-proprietors. In that day a Magistrate must be a gentleman of substance, intelligence and discretion, for the officer must decide many causes of differences, the higher courts being held at long intervals. As a Magistrate and Judge he must give judgment against the plaintiff or defendant one or the other in every case. He regarded the office as a public trust and held the scales of justice with equipoise. His reasoning faculties were so potent and convincing that he rarely failed to indicate his decision to the satisfaction of the losing party.

He was elected and served as a member of the House of Representatives in 1825. He was re-elected in 1826, but declined to serve longer. Many of the members of the Legislature thought patriotism consisted in opposition to anything new, especially when the proposition required the expenditure of money. The subject of State aid to railroads was before the House. They were unknown and untried, but the subject of our sketch believed in the future of his state and desired its material prosperity. Progressive in the conduct of his private business, he was favorable to any move portending to the welfare, uplift and benefit of the state, and was found among the advocates of the measure. He had never seen a railroad engine car or track—was totally ignorant of their construction, yet in his speech in favor thereof, became so enthusiastic, he offered of his own private means to donate one hundred thousand rails toward it. One can laugh now at the old gentleman's ignorance but we must admire his progressive generous spirit.

His residence was commodious, situated on the public highway leading from the county seat of Anson to the county seat of Montgomery. Known as the "White House" because it was the first painted house in this section, it was noted for hospitality. No stranger seeking entertainment was refused.

His wife was Mary Bellyew, (sometimes spelled Belliew, Bel'ew, Bellue) of French extraction. She was raised in that section of the county, now known as Home's School House, some two or three miles from Pee Dee River. Her father was a gentleman of substance, owning land on Flatfork Creek, Cedar Creek, Brown Creek and other lands besides. She brought to her husband a handsome wedding dot. With a fair face, pearly teeth, raven hair, blue eyes and elegant form, she was a picture of health and beauty. Skilled in all domestic arts, she told the writer that she worked with her own hands the cotton of which her wedding gown was made, twisted the lint from the seed, (Eli Whitney had not invented the cotton gin, and a pound of lint a day was considered a day's work) spun the lint into thread and wove it into cloth so fine it could be rolled and drawn through her thimble. With her small, shapely hands and long tapering fingers she wrought dainty needlework for her house.

She was a good housekeeper and kind to her servants. Her butler, maids and cooks looked to her guiding hand with affection and reverence. Her wish was their law, because they loved their mistress. When she came to choose her slaves given her by will, one and all said, "Please Mistis take me". After Emancipation in the dark and dreadful days of Reconstruction, many of them abided with their mistress and shared in her adversity as they had shared in the halcyon day of prosperity.

She survived her husband many years, living her 97 years with mind active and interested in affairs, and memory unclouded. Her recollections of her youthful days in the Revolution and incidents told her by her mother were clear and distinct. When a baby, her mother to aid in the work, would carry her to the field, lay her in the shade of a tree and while chopping back and forth leave her in the care of a large dog, a mixture of the mastiff and terrier. One day her mother was distant about one hundred yards when the dog left his charge and came to her. She said to him, "Go back to my baby". The dog obediently went. In a few minutes the dog came back. Again she scolded the dog and ordered it back. He reluctantly started but turned and looking at her, whimpered and whined. Assured that something must be wrong she hastily followed the dog to find a large, poisonous snake lying beside her baby. She stole quietly to the other side and snatched her baby up . "That was me," she smilingly said. The dog then seized the snake and shook it to death. The shaking was so violent, the concussion of the snake's large body against the dog's head bruised it so badly, the swelling closed the dog's eyes for several days.

She also related to the writer the following incident of the Revolution: The Captain of the Patriots Company, of which her father was a member, assembled his company and crossed the Pee Dee River to repel an advance of Tories from Cumberland County. While away on this expedition the Tories made a foray into Anson County from South Carolina, came to her home, took the horses, drove off the cows, robbed the house and pillaged the premises, carrying away her wash-pot. The loss of the pot seemed to grieve her more than the loss of the stock for it was impossible to procure another from England while the war continued (there was no foundry in the Provinces) and she had no vessel which she could substitute in which she could boil the weekly wash.

John Smith and his wife were loyal members of the Methodist Church and when the Southern Methodists separated from the parent church in 1845 on the question of slavery, they went with and affiliated with the M. E. Church South. He gave the land and material aid toward the building of Olivet Church, located in a beautiful grove not far from his residence. My father related the following incident, but 1 do not remember that he said it occurred at Olivet Church. The Methodists had a week day appointment. It rained hard and unremittedly. Only the minister arrived. Later a hunter sought refuge in the church from the rain. The minister spent the night with one of his flock. Said his host, "You surely had no congregation?" "Didn't I? Let me tell you the house was full of the Spirit of God and it was the best meeting I ever had, for every sinner in the house was converted and every Christian got happy."

John Smith and his wife were both generous contributors to the various needs of the Church. Both were life members of the Missionary Society, evidenced by parchment, framed and preserved to this day.

He died in 1854 and was laid to rest, amid the tears of his slaves and the grief-stricken hearts of children and friends, in the Smith and Nelme graveyard, five miles east of Wadesboro—God's Acre—enclosed by a hedge of cedar, planted by Presley Nelme, which was kept neatly and artistically trimmed during his life but by neglect, to our shame, is now grown into a hedge of large trees.

By his will he made ample provision for his wife, bequeathing his residence and its contents to her. The residence was surrounded by 2000 or more acres of land, and the personal property consisted of stock, tools, wagons, carriage, a year's supply of food and fifty negroes of her own choice.

Family/Spouse: Mary Jane Bellew. Mary was born in 1776 in Hornes School House, Anson, North Carolina, USA; died on 20 Oct 1872 in , Anson, North Carolina, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]