Q. Who were the pre-1796 SMITH Families of Bethlehem Township? Q. Who were the parents of Robert SMITH, d. Bethlehem 1813? Robert Smith of Bethlehem died in 1813. At that time, the longest-held portion of his farm had been purchased on 1 May 1796. In that transaction, Robert SMITH was identified as a resident of Bethlehem Township. The lack of an earlier grantee deed in Bethlehem for Robert SMITH specifying a residence other than Bethlehem may indicate that his parents were also residents of Bethlehem. The names of Robert SMITH's eldest sons were William R. SMITH and Joseph SMITH. The remaining sons were named Robert, John, David, and Asher SMITH. Here is the deed for Robert SMITH's earliest known land purchase in Bethlehem: Robert Smith to Peter Hendrickson. Mortgage Deed dated the 1st day of May in the year of our Lord 1796 From Robert Smith of the Township of Bethlehem County of Hunterdon & State of New Jersey To Peter Hendrickson of the Township of mansfield woodhouse County Sussex For all that Tract of Land Situate in the Township of Bethlehem... bounded as follows... to John Baptists land... near William Baless... containing one Hundred and Seventeen & a half acres... The principle Sum Due and Expressed here is one Hundred and Eighty Seven pounds payable agreeable to the conditions of the several Bonds Bearing Equal Date here with Proviso when... Recorded August... 1796. (Hunterdon County Deeds; 2:197) For all known details regarding Robert SMITH, please see... http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~streeter/smith-robert.pdf or http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~streeter/SMITH-R.TXT Thanks for your help! Perry (perry@streeter.com) www.perry.streeter.com