June, re: this citation and question in your email: 22 April 1776. Lease. Bet. Harmon Hitt and Wm. Spiser, Harmon Hitt and Wm. Spiser, Mary Spiser and Randolph Spiser .. tract in Leeds Par. .. now in the tenure of sd. Spicers .. 100 a. .. on the Watry Mt. adj. the lines of Randolph Spiser, John Smith .. during their nat. lives .. yearly rent of £-3 .. Signed: Harman Hitt, ................ [Is this the John Smith who married Rebecca Spicer 1787 d/o of William Spicer?] I understand his name was [John B. Smith [B standing for where he came from which is Bumberry] The following is information on John B. Smith that was sent to me by Jim Ball, who has researched the Smith lines diligently: "In 1768 John Smith is listed on Armistead Churchill's tithable list for the Center District (Fauquier Co., VA) as overseer of Elizabeth Bumbury's property. This appears to be the same individual known as John Smith of Bumbury (various spellings), and later as John B. Smith. At times he was referred to only as John Smith. The middle initial was apparently adopted to distinguish himself from the numerous other John Smiths living in Fauquier Co. The Bumbury family was an influential family of early King George County, VA. Elizabeth, widow of William Bumbury, resided in St. Paul's Parish in Stafford Co. (to become part of King George Co. in 1776). Her Fauquier lands were on the "upper side" of Licking Run. She seems to have completely divested these lands by 1784, giving them by deed to her nephew, Robert Townsend Dade. It is not clear when John Smith's employment with the Bumbury family ended. In 1778 he is listed on Wm. Pickett's tithable list and he paid the tax that year for Charles Christy. The next individual listed on this 1778 list is Edward Ball whose property is known to have been in the vicinity of the upper areas of Licking Run, near Cedar Run. Also living in this vicinity was the family of Wm. Spicer." So, in answer to your question, the John Smith mentioned in the lease above is possibly (probably?) the John Smith who married Rebecca Spicer, but that's as far as I can go! Sandra