Christina.... Your story is quite interesting. Henry Burke may be able to help you with your research, for he has done research on this one William Smith and family who operated a safe house for negros along the Underground railroad. Not sure if this is the same William Smith you are inquiring about or not. Henry's email address is: burkehr@sbcglobal.net Hope this helps. :o) Debbie Noland Nitsche Diamonddeb@comcast.net Historical Marietta, Ohio on MySpace http://www.myspace.com/historicalmariettaohio ----- Original Message ----- From: <gc-gateway@rootsweb.com> To: <OHWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, May 21, 2010 1:47 PM Subject: [OHWashin] Aftermath of the War of 1812 in Washington County > This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > > Author: cccniles > Surnames: SMITH > Classification: queries > > Message Board URL: > > http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.ohio.counties.washington/1724/mb.ashx > > Message Board Post: > > I'm hoping that a researcher familiar with Washington Co history could > shed light on the following family story. Are there any records or > historical accounts that decribes anything similar to the following: > > I have a family history written in the 1920s that contains the following > statement: William Smith "migrated with his family from the old home > county of Fauquier, Virginia to the eastern part of Ohio. Some authorities > give Washington County near the Muskingum River as the place of > settlement. They followed the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike. [Note: Since > the turnpike was not officially opened until 1845, the Smiths likely took > the roads and trails that were combined to create the turnpike.] Here he, > with the aid of other settlers who accompanied him, erected a log cabin, > cleared away the forest and planted crops. The second war with England > commenced in 1812, and in the late summer of 1813 General Winchester was > defeated by the Indians, under the command of English officers, in > southern Michigan and the whole army was taken as prisoners of war and > several were put to a cruel and torcherous death by the Indians before > they were stopped by the English officers. The news spread r! > apidly of how the Indians in small bands were murdering the settlers in > Ohio, southeast of Michigan, and to escape with their families several > moved away very abruptly. Among them was William Smith Jr and his family. > My grandfather, William Thomas Smith was four or five years old when they > fled from the cruel, and barbarous treachery of the Indians. He said that > he could remember seeing his father empty several bushels of ear corn into > a pen for some fine hogs they left. On his way out he informed a settler > about leaving the hogs and it is supposed that he ate them if the Indians > didn't get him first. He journeyed eastward with his family, oxen and > household goods until he came to Little Skin Creek in Lewis County, West > Virginia. He arrived in the late fall of 1813." > > Thanks in advance for any light you can shed. > > Christina > > Important Note: > The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you > would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link > above and respond on the board. > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > To contact the OHWASHIN list administrator, send an email to > OHWASHIN-admin@rootsweb.com. > > To post a message to the OHWASHIN mailing list, send an email to > OHWASHIN@rootsweb.com > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > OHWASHIN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >