I am relaying to the list excerpts of a message I sent to Ken Smith regarding his William Smith who died in Lincoln Co. KY. There are some on this list who may benefit regarding this bit of background involving these two unrelated Smith families. On 16 Mar 2004 at 17:19, Ken Smith wrote: > Hello list, I am hoping someone can help me verify the information > below. I am backtracking my William Smith & son Reuben from Lincoln Co. > Ky. I am also trying to connect William to a Thomas Smith who I believe > was William's fathers name. Thanks Ken Smith > Fauquier Co , Va. > Deed book 9 pages 43-46 > 22 Aug 1782 from David Payne , merchant to William Smith, Margaret > Smith his wife and Reuben Smith, his son 148 acres where William now > lives adjoining . William Ball. wit were Frances Ash , Jesse Ball , > and David Payne > > Loudon Co. Va. > Deed Book M - pages 97-102 > 10 July 1778 - William Smith and Margaret , his wife to William > Bronough - land on branches of Goose Creek - 153 acres. 8 March , > 1779 , William smith , wife Margaret to John McClalin - lease was to > Thomas Smith , father of William, only son and heir. There were TWO William Smiths, both with wives named Margaret. The one in the Goose Creek area is the son of Thomas Smith and Ann Fowke. This William Smith died in Mason Co. KY. He had no son named Reuben. The other William, wife Margaret and son Reuben, appears to be living in the Licking Run area, near Cedar Run. This is the area where this Edward Ball lived. Jesse is Edward's son and he died shortly after this. Edward's younger brother James married Anna (Nancy) Smith, daughter of this William and Margaret. This William and Margaret later removed to Lincoln Co. KY where he died ca. 1821. There seems no connection between the two William Smiths. =/=/=/=/=/= I've been looking into these relationships and have traced down Thomas Smith. He is the son of Augustine and Susannah Smith of Gloucester Co. VA and the grandson of Col. Lawrence Smith and Mary (Debnam) of Gloucester. This Thomas Smith left records in King George, Culpeper, Fairfax, and Loudoun (formed from Fairfax). His Fauquier land which William inherited was likely recorded initially in Prince William, possibly through the Fitzhugh family. Thomas Smith was the 3rd husband of Anne Fowke Mason who was the daughter of Col. George Mason II and Mary Fowke. Anne Fowke Mason was first married to William Darrell (d. 1715) They were 1st cousins. They had a son Samson. Anne Fowke Mason next married Thomas Fitzhugh (d. 1719). Thomas and Anne Smith had three children: William, Susannah and Mary who married Simon Hancock of Loudoun in 1768. Thomas of course died testate in Fairfax in 1764. This is indeed Virginia aristocracy at it's highest level. The reference for all these relationships in depth, and required reading for Virginia Smith Family researchers: "Thomas Smith of Fairfax County, Virginia" by Henry G. Taliaferro. Pub. in "The Virginia Genealogist", Vol. 40, No. 1 (Jan-Mar 1996) William Smith (son of Thomas of Fairfax) left his will in Mason Co. KY in 1802 (Will Book 2, pp 549-550). I located a copy of this will in the following: Clift, G. Glenn; "History of Maysville and Mason County, Volume One"; Transylvania Printing Co. of Lexington KY (1936). In this will of 23 Jan 1802, William Smith names his entire family: wife - Margaret son - Robert dau - Anne Fook (sic) Doniphan dau - Susanna Doniphan (dec'd) dau - Mary Markham (dec'd) gdau - Mary Doniphan gdau - Susanna Doniphan, dau of deceased daughter Susanna sil - Anderson Donipahn sil - William Markham Mary Smith md William Markham in Fauquier VA 28 Jul 1789 and Susanna Smith md Anderson Doniphan 23 Apr 1791, also in Fauquier. So, there you have it. Back to the drawing board. =/=/=/=/=/= I have some theories which tie these Smiths of Gloucester VA to the ancestry of Gov. William "Extra Billy" Smith. This is contrary to the "Memoirs" of Gov. Smith, which were not written by him, but are the source of some "bad" genealogy handed down in the Joseph Smith (of the Great Run in Fauquier) family. Regards... Jim Ball -- Please visit "The Ball Family of Carter's Run" http://web.raex.com/~jdball