I don't know if this will help, but here are a series of records on Smiths, including a John Smith, in the Novelty area of Franklin county: 1799 February 4 deed from Robert Hodges to Robert Smith for L60 land on the waters of Owens Creek containing 100 acres more or less. Recorded Feb. Court 1799. 3 Franklin Deeds 651. 1804 Franklin Co. (Va.) Deed Book 5, pages 26-27: THIS INDENTURE made this twenty ninth day of September one thousand eight hundred and four, between Benjamin Potter Senr & Mary his wife of the County of Franklin of the one part, and John Smith of the County of Pittsylvania of the other part witnesseth, that the said Benjamin Potter Senr and Mary his wife for and in consideration of the Sum of one hundred and Seventy two pounds ten shillings current money of Virginia to them in hand paid by the said John Smith, the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath given, granted, bargained and sold, and by these Presents doth give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff, and confirm unto the said John Smith his heirs executors & assigns forever, one certain Tract, or parcel of Land situate, lying and being in the county of Franklin on the Branches of Owen's Creek, and bounded as followeth to wit: Begining at a Red oak and Hickory in Levi Shocklee's line, thence with Shocklee's line north Sixty one degrees East one hundred and fifty four poles to a white oak, thence South fifty Six degrees East twenty four poles to walker's corner Post oak, thence with that line north twenty six and half degrees East two hundred & ten poles crossing a Branch to a red oak; thence north fifty two degrees West eighty poles to a white oak, thence west Seventy four poles to a post oak in Hodge's Line, thence South forty two and half degrees West one hundred and thirty eight poles to a red oak thence South fifteen degrees West, one hundred and thirty eight poles to two Spanish oaks, north Sixty one degrees East twelve poles to a red oak, South fifteen degrees West eighty poles to the Begining, it being the whole of the tract of Land granted to John Bartee the 5th day of February 1790 excepting Six acres sold of to Moses Potter etc. so much that was run in the Land of Hodges through mistake when the Survey was made together with all houses, orchards, ways water & water courses to the said Tract or parcel of Land belonging or in any wise appertaining, and the reversion and reversions, remainder, and remainders, rents, issues, and Profits to the said Premises belonging and all the Estate, right, title, interest, claim, or demand whatsoever, both in Law and equity of them the said Benjamin Potter Senr and Mary his wife, their heirs & assigns for ever. To have and To hold the said tract or parcel of Land with every of the before recited premisses onto the said John Smith his heirs and assigns for ever; and the said Benjamin Potter Senr and Mary his wife do covenant & agree to and with the said John Smith his Heirs and assigns, that at any time & at all times hereafter, he the said John Smith his heirs and assigns shall peaceably and quietly have, hold, use occupy, possess, and enjoy the said Land and premises with every of their appurtenances belonging, without trouble or molestation from them the said Benjamin Potter Senr and Mary his wife their heirs or assigns according to the true intent & meaning of these Presents. In Witness whereof the said Benjamin Potter Senr and Mary his wife have hereunto set their hands & seals the day and year above written. Signed Sealed & delivered in the presence of his Abraham C. Shelton, Elias Potter Benjamin + Potter Sr seal Joshua Stone, Thomas Potter, James Shocklee mark her Mary + Potter seal mark Received this eighth day of october, one thousand eight hundred and four, of the within John Smith the Sum of one hundred and Seventy two pounds ten [27] Shillings current money of Virginia. It being the consideration money within mentioned. Witness his Abraham Co. Shelton Benjamin + Potter Senr James Shocklee mark At a Court held for Frankln County at the Courthouse the third day of December 1804 This Indenture of bargain and Sale between Benjamin Senor & Mary his wife of the one part, and John Smith of the other part, was presented by the oath of Abraham C. Shelton, Elias Potter, and James Shocklee, three of the subscribing witnesses & ordered to be recorded. teste James Callaway C FC 1806 September 4 deed from Robert Smith and Mary Smith to Robert Hodges for L100 100 acres on the waters of Owens Creek. Recorded October 18, 1806. 5 Franklin Deeds 270. 1837 September 28 deed from Robert Hodges, Sr., to William Crump and William Whitcher, land on the waters of Owens Creek adjoining the lands of Benjamin Smith, Moses Hubbard, Burwell Law, heirs of Henry Smith and others, and on both sides of the Louis Island Road and including the lands whereon his house stands, the lot that the heirs of Henry Smith dec'd hold title to, also five head of hogs, three head of cattle, one sorrel mare, one set of blacksmith's tools, three feather beds and furniture, one cupboard and contents, and set carpenters tools together with all of my plantation tools and household and kitchen furniture whereas the said Robert Hodges Sr. stands indebted to Pleasant Dickenson - one bond for $51 dated the Sept. 26 1837; one other bond for $7125 dated Sept. 27 1837, wherein Hyram & Robert Hodges is first named and one other bond for $5750 executed to Isham Hodges and assigned by him to the said Dickenson dated Sept. 27, 1837. If fails to pay grantees to sell for ready money. Proved October 2, 1837. 15 Franklin Deeds 174. Indenture from Robert Hodges, Sr., to Robert Goodwin, for $250, land on the north side of the Louis Island Road, adjoining Benjamin Smith, 84 acres, to secure debts to Pleasant Dickenson. Proved September 28, 1837. 15 Franklin Deeds 448. 1838 March 8, Jno. Smith's Exor v Robert Hodges & al. Plea waived & Judgt for plff according to specialty & costs. 1836-1840 Franklin Orders (pages not numbered). [Stephen P. Smith qualified to receive letters of administration of the estate of John Smith deceased at the January Court 1838. 1836-1840 Franklin Orders. There is an inventory of John Smith's estate dated February 9, 1838 (4 Franklin Wills 472). Accounts current filed on November 3, 1841 (5 Wills 344) and July 24, 1851 (7 Wills 503), do not show any payment from Robert Hodges.] June 4, indenture of Robert Hodges Senr., William C. Ashworth, and Burwell Law. Burwell Law entered as security to an injunction bond given by Robert Hodges in the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Superior Court of Law and Chancery for Franklin County, 190 acres on Owens Creek bounded by Henry Smith's heirs, Burwell Law, Sr., Moses Hubbard, Benjamin Smith, and Robert Goodwin. 16 Franklin Deeds 440. [There is no record of the June Court, 1838, reflecting Robert Hodges 1.4 obtaining an injunction. It appears that he obtained an injunction to restrain enforcement of the judgment above.] 1841 February 4, Superior Court of Law and Chancery: Robert Hodges v. Ralph Smith, executor of John Smith, injunction granted June 5, 1838 dissolved, case dismissed with costs to defendant. 1840-1845 Franklin Orders 506. The chancery case involving Hodges and Smith is indexed in the Library of Virginia Chancery Case Index as 1840-017 for Franklin County. Hodges was in debt to Smith but claimed that Smith had hired him to sell land for him and he had an offsetting claim. Bob Hodges ----- Original Message ----- From: "Carolyn Bruce" <cdhbruce@cox.net> To: <VAFRANKL@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2007 3:15 PM Subject: [VAFRANKL] Brick Walls... John SMITH and wife Rosanner BALF > My apologies for having sent this previously without changing the subject line... > > I have two especially difficult brick walls in Franklin CoVA... > > My mother's ancestor John SMITH m. Rosanner BALF in Franklin CoVA in January > 1807. Rosanner (or Rosannah)'s mother, Mary BALF, wrote her permission whi ch > usually meant that 1.) Rosanner was under age at that time, and 2.) that her > father was deceased. Who was Rosanner's father? What was her mother's Maiden > name? > > John SMITH is my other brick wall of the month. Who were his parents? From > where did he come? Was he a native to Franklin CoVA? Or is he another one of > those "fell from a space ship" ancestors? Apparently he was at least 21 at > the time of their marriage. > > Any help on either would be appreciated. > > Carolyn HALE BRUCE > > Co-author, Rebel King, Hammer of the Scots > Rebel King, The Har'ships and > Rebel King, Bannok Burn > > See all the books we publish at: > www.bruceandbruceinc.com > (Angus MacKilt shirts, too!) > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > The SECOND Sunday in each month will set aside for a "Brick Wall" Roll Call. Please always put the surname you seek in the subject and tell us something about your Brick Wall person. > To contact Listowner: > Rena Worthen doreatr@rbnet.com > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Search this list's archived messages! > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VAFRANKL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message