Moses F. Smith, son of James Simpson Smith

Moses F. Smith (son of James Simpson Smith) was born January 28, 1811, and died October 25,1840.  He is buried in the Hazel Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Muhlenberg County.

Two marriages are recorded for Moses Smith in Muhlenberg County.  Whether they were of two men or whether they were of one man who married twice, I have been unable to determine.  Perhaps some descendant of Moses F. Smith, son of James Simpson Smith, will be able to tell me.  For the sake of accuracy, I will detail as much information as I have found concerning both marriages.

Moses F. Smith, having been born January 28, 1811, would have been 20 years of age in 1831. The first marriage of a man named Moses Smith was to Elizabeth Ewing on May 19, 1831.  Moses F. Smith, son of James S., died October 25, 1840.  That would have allowed nine years and approximately five months for him to become the father of "three natural heirs" mentioned in his father's will.

I have searched the 1850 census for an Elizabeth Smith who would have been a widow, with three children, but without success. If Elizabeth Ewing was the wife of Moses F. Smith and became his widow, she could have married again by 1850.

The second marriage, referred to above, of a man named Moses Smith took place on July 27,1837, to Jane Wright (daughter of Pioneers John and Elizabeth Grigsby Wright--see Rothert, page 188).  On September 20,1842, one Jane Smith married Peter M. Smith. (You will recall that Moses F. Smith, son of James S., died October 20, 1840.)  The marriage index lists this man as Peter M. Smith, but the census reports beginning in 1850 show him as Peter W. Smith.  As I know how hard it is to read some of the old handwriting, I believe the man to be the same as Peter M. Smith for his is the only marriage to a Jane Smith around that time.

The 1850 census gives the family of Peter W. Smith in this manner:

Peter W. Smith                     32, farmer, real estate, $400

Jane Smith                            35

Cassandra                            11   (b. 1839)

Margaret E.                            9     (b. 1840 or 1841)

Jesse William                       6     (b. 1844)

John W.                                 4

Jerome B.                              2

Cassandra, age 11, and Margaret, age 9 in 1850, could hardly have been the children of Peter W. Smith.  They could have been the children of Moses F. Smith, with Margaret's birth taking place after his death.  But the third child is not accounted for.

Note that there is a period of three years between the birth of Margaret and Jesse William.  By the year 1860 there were these additional children:

           

George W.,                            age 8 (in 1860)

Emanuel J.,                           age 6

Alexander H(enry),              age 2