Hi Kim. I got my information on the Smith family from my grandmother who lives in Natchez, MS. Much of the material that you have been looking at came from either the Smith Family Reunion in Jefferson County, MS at the Ephesus Baptist Church. Mary Dillon Stephens is one key contact; she's distant cousin who I believe descends from Dan Smith. My line comes through Jim Smith. I'll try to find Mary's contact info. She, and some other Smiths, still live in Jefferson County.
We believe that the Smith heritage is Spanish rather than Indian or a mixture of Spanish and Indian. Based on the information I have and then posted on here, Irene and her siblings paternal grandmother was Nina Mastenez (Martinez). One article notes that she came in through St. Augustine. Not sure of her precise origins or where she is buried. I don't have any info on Wilford Jr's wife Elizabeth Ezell. Maybe she was Indian. The picture of Irene posted here certainly seems to suggest she was Spanish/Indian.
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I also got this from Ancestory.com via Mary Ann Buckles (Franklin County, MS) who knew my husband's deceased Aunt (Annette Prather- Clanton). That is what the below is in reference to:
Kim, My tree is named Mayray1941. I have it marked as public so you should be able to get to it. I am trying to get all of thei straight. It is a real puzzle. If you look at the picture of Gatsey Irene Prather you can see a lot of Indian in her. I just have to connect the dots. Good Luck and good hunting.
If you go to Wilford Smith Sr in my tree you will find a letter attached to Nina Martenze (I think this is spelled Nartenze) and if you read it it will tell you that Wilford Jr. had a son name Calvin and he was married to an Indian girl Cornilia Folks. Maybe you can get it straight from there. Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you.
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From Mary Sue Gandy (Converse, LA)
Let me go back an look through me records...we definitely are researching the same lines. I've been off line a few months so lets keep in touch. My dad's mother was Clara E. Martin Smith and her Dad was David Martin with wife I think Mary Byrd. Let me look and see if I can explain. Check Franklin county, MS and McCall Creek area
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From: Danlpace
- Prather in Mississippi Territory
- Nichols in SC, Mississippi
- William Mathews in NC
There is a picture of Gatsie Smith Prather on my family tree page for her. Can you see it? It was the family legend that Gatsie was part Indian. I have not found anything that would support or refute that legend. (if it were true I guess we could claim minority status).
Elizabeth Weatherby appears to be an interesting story. She was first married to William Purly Prather and bore his children. He died an untimely death leaving her with the children. She then apparently married John Serman. After his death I find that she married Wilford Smith who was quite elderly at the time. Wilford is Gatsy's father so the story about her being raised by Elizabeth is at least partly true. Gatsie would have been 14 when they married. Gatsie ended up marrying Elizabeth's son John Robert Prather. My mother remembers Gatsie and John Prather when she was a young girl. I'm not sure how we would prove or disprove her so called Indian heritage.
I have her mother listed as Lemanda George. I'm sure I got that off the internet. There is a group of Smith folks that are descendants of Wilford that get together down in Jefferson Co. MS every so often. I never got to visit with them, but Gatsie had several siblings.
If you find any more information let me know
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Hi Kim,
That line of the family belongs to my ex-wife. I include that line for the benefit of our daugther and grandchildren. Anyone from that line that I have contact with aren't old enough to remember them, or so old they can't remember anything. I suggest you contact djasonberggren through ancestry.com. He seems to know a lot more about the family.
My knowledge of the family begins with Pearlie Smith and his wife Carrie Humphries and their children, particularly Susie Smith. Susie was my ex-wife's maternal grandmother. If I can be of any help, let me know.
Chuck Ellisor crellisor56
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From Jack Rabbit 145:
I found this information on a message board on the internet. I have not varified it. Mary Irene(Godsia-Gatsy)Smith (Smith is from her step-father(?) Wilford Smith)believed to be a Cherokee Indian, raised by Elizabeth Weatherly(John Prather's Mother). She was married 19 Feb 1879 to John Prather in Franklin, MS. There is a picture of John Prather and Mary on "Lillie Mae Smith Family Tree".
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Directions to the Smith Reunion coming from Natchez, MS. There are no motels close to the Smith reunion, you will have to stay in Port Gibson or Natchez. I recommend Natchez. You cross the river at Natchez on Highway 84 and intersect Highway 61 north at the hospital. Travel north on Highway 61 for about 18 or so miles to Fayette, then turn right on Highway 33 for one mile, then left on Highway 28 continuing east about 11 miles. Turn left on Dillon Road then in about 4 miles you will come to Ephesus Primitive Baptist Church and cemetery at the intersection of Dillon and Ephesus Road. You will find several relatives in the Ephesus Cemetery across the road and a nearby cemetery (don't know the name, someone at the reunion knows), but Dan Smith is buried in the nearby cemetery, brother of James Monroe. About 7 miles east on Highway 28 is the Union Church Cemetery where James Monroe (Jim) Smith is buried with a Confederate stone, it stands upright about 3 or 4 feet high.
ReplyDeleteThe John Hiram and Alice Smith is incorrect. It should be "Annie"
ReplyDeleteI see your comments and so glad you added directions to the reunion.
Deleteyou should have gotten an email about being an Author. As soon as you get that and accept, I can add full administration so you can do anything on here.
There is a couple of mistakes in the Wilford Smith family tree. I have copied and pasted this from the tree;
Delete[1917. She died on 09 Feb 2001. Thomas James Smith and Annie Mae Beasley (Beesley not Beasley) had the following child: {this is not their children}
William George SMITH was born Jan 23, 1904. He died Feb. 5, 1979 (George died Feb. 5th 1969 not 79). Thomas James SMITH was born on Dec. 16, 1904. He died Nov. 15, 1979. He married Annie Mae Beasley
JOHN (JACK) BENTON SMITH was born on 20 Aug 1907. He died on 08 Apr 1962. He married MAGGIE RUTH HUMPHREYS.
JESSIE HAROLD SMITH was born on 31 Jul 1909. He died in 1970.]
James Smith
Just testing my to see if I can leave a note.
ReplyDeleteTobacco grew near the Trevillion Cemetery many years ago. My Grandfather John H. Smith had a tobacco patch less than a mile through the woods from the cemetery. It's the only tobacco that I ever heard of growing in Mississippi.There is a picture on May Day at the Trevillion Cemetery on FB if you're interested and have doubts, LOL.
ReplyDeleteBetty has the May Day at Trevillion Cemetery mistaken. It's not the first day of May it's the first Saturday in May. That makes it May 3rd this year 2014.
ReplyDeleteVan Smith made May Day extra special with Grandpa John H. Smith's single cylinder Whitte gasoline engine that once pulled his gristmill and squeezed the juice from the cane that he cooked into syrup in his syrup mill. Van invited the descendants to come down in front of the pavilion where the engine sit on his trailer and enjoy the clucking sounds it makes once again after 60 years of sitting silently by the road. Many of us recalled precious memories and made comments about those days so many years ago. How grandpa cranked the old engine and had to make a dash from his gristmill back to the engine to make an adjustment to keep it whirling the stones on his mill. I remembered one day when I was about 5 or so, him cranking the engine and forgetting to turn a knob that had a rope tied on that adjusted something concerning the mill. He proudly announced to the family back in grandma's kitchen that day that James knew how to run his gristmill. I never thought I'd ever hear that beautiful sound again from that particular engine.
ReplyDeleteAfter listening for awhile Van killed the engine and we all gathered around and had our picture taken with that precious old antique.