Individual Details

If Edward Smith had land entries in Burke Co NC in 1778, I doubt that Margaret was born in Tennessee as stated in the Newsletter. She was also likely a few years older than indicated. (Gabbard Newsletter article on the Pension of Jacob Gabbard)


Margaret was the daughter of Edward Smith ...since nothing is known about Edward's parentage, and so much of the information about his wives and children is conflicting, I will state here what I know of Edward Smith, rather than posting a separate file for his family.


Edward Smith was "of Carter Co TN" Children are named below in his Will.

Edward Smith is credited with having as many as three wives named Catherine, and as many as 12 children and sometimes more, born from 1739 through 1798. There are 12 children named in the will but I have no idea why the years of birth as often seen have been assigned to them. Given the wide range of possible births for the various proposed children and the confusion over the wives, it is quite possible that there were at least two wives named Catherine and probably an earlier wife as well. I have seen birth years for Edward Smith as both 1720 and 1730 - I believe both to be guesstimates. The tradition is that he was aged 87 when he died, born 1720. Most of this information seems to have come from DAR applications - early ones when proof was inadequate. These state that he was born in Maryland, married in 1739 to Catherine Stumph who survived him - obviously this was based on the fact his wife was Catherine when he wrote his will.
I have my own suspicions, in part based on the known birth year of the wife of son Nicholas [1770] that there was no Catherine "Stumph" and that Edward Smith was not as old as thought - the 1730 birth is probably more likely than 1720. All the children except for the youngest daughter, Nancy, were likely those of Catherine Stonecypher the Elder.

A wife Catherine was named in his will. Proposed wives, for whom I've been unable to find documentation, include Catherine Stumpf, Agnes Catherina Steinseifer [Stonecipher, Stonecypher] and a second Catherine or Katrinka Stonecipher, who is said to be a niece of the first. [All these names, Catherine, Catherina, & Katrinka are forms of the same name.] The only proof given of the existence of any of these ladies is a Baptism record in Rodgen Parish, Eisern, Germany, for Agnes Catharina Steinseifer on 26 Aug 1736, daughter of Johannes Steinseifer & Elizabeth Schuster. The will of Johannes Steinseifer in Culpeper Co VA dated 2 Apr 1754, mentions his "four daughters" but gives no given names, nor hint of their married names. There do seem to be records of all these surnames in Culpeper Co.

I do have the book The Culpeper Classes by John Blankenbaker which lists the militia groups for Culpeper. The list is said to have included all able-bodied males from 16 to 50 in 1781. An Edward Smith is listed. Culpeper has records of Nicholas Smith as well - a Nicholas Smith could be a possible candidate for the father of Edward, but an older Nicholas wasn't in the Classes. A Nicholas Smith Jr is listed in the Classes and he could well be a "Jr" because an older Nicholas was living there, not necessarily his father. Since Nicholas is usually seen as the eldest of Edward's sons, it would make sense for him to be named for Edward's father. Just another theory, though.
This record in Culpeper from 1781 is a bit hard to reconcile with records of Edward Smith living in North Carolina. Perhaps it is a different Edward Smith. However, the use of the names Nicholas & Edward might very well indicate some kinship.

By 1761, there is a deed in Rowan Co NC for 640 acres. Said to be for Edward and wife, Catherine, but purchases do not usually include the wife's name, so there must be more to the story. John Henry Stonecyphers received 640 acres on the same day and he is believed to be a brother of Catherine Stonecypher.

In 1763, Rowan Co NC, Edward Smith received a permit to run a tavern in his house which was granted. He later also operated a tavern in Washington Co TN which could indicate this is the same Edward Smith.

Edward is said to have later lived in Burke Co NC, but that county was formed from Rowan in 1777 so he may not have needed to move to become part of Burke Co.

The PUBLIC ACCOUNTS OF STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, Vol. 1, p.372 State that from 22 Aug 1775 to Feb 1776, Capt Thomas Wade of Anson Co, for service of Light Horse and Independent Company of Foot on an Expedition to Cross Creek against the insurgents, paid to Edward Smith, 17 days service, 1pound, 14 shillings. Again, this could be a different Edward Smith, but I believe it was the same man. In 1776, the counties of Rowan and Anson did abut in a small area but both were enormous counties. When Burke Co was formed out of Rowan, it was from the Western half and fairly far removed from Anson Co.

From TENNESSEE RECORDS OF WASHINGTON CO transcribed by Mary Hardin McGown, quoted in TENNESSEE SMITHOLOGY. Chapt. 27, p.135
15 Nov 1777, New Bern. Road to be marked from the house of Charles Robertson in Washington Co [now Tennessee] through the mountains to the house of Edward Smith in Burke Co.

Deeds abstracts of Washington Co, once part of NC, later Tennessee
10 Nov 1784 NC Grant #553 to Edward Smith for 600 acres, south Bank of the Watauga River DB 1, p.396 [Reeves in "Smithology" shows this as 300 acres]
1783 NC Grant #560 to Edward Smith. Washington Co. 600 acres on Iron Mtn on south bank of Watauga
7 Aug 1787 NC Grant #754 to Edward Smith for 100 acres, S side Iron Mountain. DB 3, p.99 [Reeves shows this as Grant #758]
3 Aug 1791 Edward Smith to John Smith, from his Grant of 10 Nov 1784, 50 acres on N side Watauga River. DB 5, p.29 [Edward named a deceased son John in his will, 1807]
10 Jul 1792 Edward Smith to Isaac Campbell from his Grant of 10 Nov 1784, 50 acres on North side of Watauga River. DB 5, p.100 [Edward named a daughter as Susannah Campbell in his will, 1807]
12 Jul 1794 NC Grant #12222 to Edward Smith for 200 acres on Doe River.

A Tennessee Taxables List, 1790, Washington Co. shows Edward Smith.
THE BLOUNT JOURNAL, 1790-1796 by Gov. William Blount of The Southwest Territory shows that he appointed Edward Smith a Justice of the Peace in Washington Co in 1790.

He was on the Washington Co TN Tax lists 1788-1795 with 600 acres, no poll.

There was a second Edward Smith on the 1778 Tax list for Washington Co [then still NC], but he is believed to have lived on Cherokee Creek adjacent one Jonathan Tipton. Any relationship to this Edward is unknown. There was also an Edward Smith in Wilkes Co NC, married 1780 to Jane Linville, and also settled in Tennessee. He could also be that second Edward, but that is not certain, either.

In 1796, Carter Co was formed from Washington Co and likely some or all of Edward Smith's land became part of Carter Co.
Edward Smith is listed on the Tax lists of Carter Co from 1796-1799 with 450 acres. No poll [likely because of age] until 1799 when 1 white poll is listed. In 1799, son Daniel turned 21.

Here is a partial transcript of his will found online - it is believed to have been found in Carter Co TN:
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF EDWARD SMITH
page 310
Secondly, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Catherine, all my
stock of horses, only the three mares above excepted, together with all
my stock of cows, hogs, sheep and bees, with all my household furniture
and farming utensils of every kind, also my wagon and gear, also my
plantation whereon I now live for and during her natural life; also my
negro woman, Agnes, and her child, and their increase for and during her
natural life, and then to go to my youngest daughter, Nancy, and her
heirs forever; and further I do direct that the land at my said wife's
death to descend to my four sons, to-wit: Nicholas, Jacob, William and
Daniel Smith, to be equally divided amongst them and their heirs
forever, they paying fifty pounds, ten shillings, current money into the
hands of my executors within one year after my said wife's death, which
sum of fifty pounds, ten shillings, I direct my said Executors to pay to
my daughters hereafter named and their heirs and the heirs of John Smith,
deceased, in the following manner, that is to say, to my daughter,
Catherine Peeveyhouse, or her heirs, ten pounds; also to my daughter,
Sarah Bowman, or her heirs, ten pounds; also to my daughter, Margaret
Gabert, or her heirs, ten pounds; also to my daughter, Susannah
Campbell, or her heirs, ten pounds; also to the heirs of my daughter,
Mary Smith, the sum of five shillings; also to the heirs of my daughter,
Elizabeth Dunkin, five shillings; also to the heirs of my son, John
Smith, deceased, the sum of ten pounds, which said several sums above
mentioned and to the use of the person above named and their heirs
forever, which is all I do intend for them to have of my estate;
furthermore, it is my will and pleasure that my son, Daniel Smith, and
his heirs, have fifty acres of land or whatever quantity there may be on
that side of Watauga River where the said Daniel now lives, it being
part of the tract which I now live on and that my said wife, Catherine,
is only to have such land in her lifetime as is on the side of the river
which I am now living on, and further it is to be understood that the
land named to be divided amongst my four sons and their heirs is only to
extend to that part of my land which lies on the south side of Watauga
River and the balance of said tract of land which lies on the north
side, I give and devise to my son, Daniel Smith, and his heirs forever.
Furthermore, I do ordain, constitute and appoint my said wife,
Catherine, Executrix, and my son, Daniel Smith, and Julius Dugger,
Esquires, Executors, of this my last will and testament, and do hereby
revoke, disallow, and disannul all and every will by me heretofore made,
and I do declare this to be my only last will and testament.
page 310
In testimony of which I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal
this 11th day of February, one thousand eight hundred and seven.
page 311
[p.311] Signed, sealed and declared in the presence of us.
EDWARD SMITH (Seal).
Matthias Wagoner, Jurat.
John Heaton, Jurat.
Acknowledged before us this 15th of April, one thousand eight hundred
and seven. April Term of Court, Carter Co TN
Nathaniel Taylor.
Godfrey Carriger.
William Boyd


At the time of the above will in Carter Co TN, Edward Smith named the following:
Wife - Catherine
youngest daughter Nancy
Four sons: Nicholas, Jacob, William & Daniel Smith
Heirs of John Smith, a deceased son
Daughters: Catherine Peeveyhouse, Sarah Bowman, Margaret Gabert, Susannah Campbell, heirs of Mary Smith, heirs of daughter Elizabeth Dunkin, dec'd

Jacob Gabbard married Margaret Smith, daughter of Edward Smith about 1785, probably near the forks of the Watauga & Elk Rivers and Roane and Doe Creeks in Washington Co TN. This is on the line of present day Carter & Johnson Counties. Edward Smith owned inns on the main road between North Carolina and the Watauga county, first in NC and then after 1783 in Tennessee. Edward Smith bought 640 acres on Iron Mountain that also bordered Jacob's brother George's NC grant. The family of Cornelius Bowman was in the same neighborhood and his son John married Margaret Smith's sister Sarah, at about this same time.

Birth	1770
Marriage	Abt 1785	Carter County, Tennessee - JACOB GABBARD
Death	1830	Kentucky

Spouse	JACOB GABBARD (1762 - 1854)
Child	Nicholas Gabbard ( - )
Child	John Gabbard (1787 - 1860)
Child	Hannah Gabbard (1790 - )
Child	Jacob GABBARD Jr. (1793 - 1876)
Child	Mathias Gabbard (1795 - )
Child	EDWARD GABBARD (1798 - 1884)
Child	Sally GABBARD (1803 - 1846)
Child	Philip Gabbard (1806 - 1870)
Child	Reuben Gabbard (1807 - 1880)
Child	Elizabeth "Eliza" Gabbard (1812 - 1880)

Father	EDWARD SMITH (1720 - 1807)
Mother	CATHERINE Stumph ( - )
Sibling	Nicholas SMITH (1760 - 1830)
Sibling	Jacob SMITH ( - 1823)
Sibling	William SMITH ( - 1842)
Sibling	Daniel SMITH (1778 - 1841)
Sibling	John SMITH ( - 1805)
Sibling	Catherine SMITH ( - )
Sibling	Sarah SMITH (1768 - )
Sibling	Susannah SMITH (1771 - )
Sibling	Mary SMITH ( - 1807)
Sibling	Elizabeth SMITH ( - 1807)