The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-22

There nre SO many different branches
K of the Smith family, both In England
and America. that 1t Is somewhat diff
cl,tt to trace the true line OF descent
Nom Its original English stock Of that
1ine By which Governor George William
fs,nith descended, who lost his life In tho
burning Of the Richmond Theatre, 1911.
There were several ways OF spelling the
( ancient name In England: Smythc
Smith and Smthen. some Of which fol-
lowed the family TO Virginia, all Of which
derived their origin from the Same old
Anglo.Snxon word smitan Ito smito), or
d forge OF the several Smiths who
first emigrated to the colony, 1t Is sup
/ posed (though not positively known that
Gloucester county Virginia, who camo
& from Devonshire. England, and was COM
1nander Of fort near the falls Of the
Rappahannock River in 1914, was the an
cestor OF Governor Smith. Col. Joseph
Smith, his son, seems to have settled In
z Essex county. Va. In 1925. Robert
Smith had settled in Lancaster county
rs As early as 1s65 and may have been
z brother of Major Lawrence Smith. The
Z Smiths OF South Carolina, too came
over early. and settled In that colony,
u
there In 1870, and became Governor 1893;
ne was grandson Of Sir George Smith. of
Il Exeter, England. Each Of these emf
grants brought with them arms. bearing
i Eome traces to those given here Col.
Joseph Smith was a prominent man In
IA the colony; he built his fine old home
stead. bathurst" in Essex county. Va,
which he named for his wife, who was
daughter OF Launcelot Bathurst, pnten-
Il tee OF large tracts of land in New Kent
county Va. 1853; he is said to have
descended from the Earl of Bathurst Of
England; the barony OF Bathurst of Bath
4 eldsden Bedford county. England. being
NJ created I'LL: but this fact cannot be sub
stantiatcd One OF tho sons Of Col. Jo-
XII seph Smith, was A1eriwether Smith, born
u at bathurst" Essex, 1880. and died
100. He became all eminent stateman.
being a signer of the first articles Of
resistance to the Stamp Act, in 1776,
from Westmoreland county: was MEM
F Der OF House OF Burgesses from Essex
4 ITO, and OF the Virginia Convention Of
4 1775-'76; and also an active member In
Z the Continental Congress. 177S-'82, and
e OF the Virginia, 17sS. which ratified the
4 L. S. Constitution It Is said that he
was the real author of the Virginia Bill
$9 Of Rights, and was on the committee
With George Mason for drafting the State
H Constitution.
Meriwether Smith was twice married:
f first, In 1860 to Alice Lee. daughter Of
Philip Lee, third In descent from the
emlgrant Richard Lee. His second wife
was Elizabeth Dangerflcld. whom he
married September 20. 1869 She was a
daughter Of Col. William Dangerfield Of
Essex county. Va. BY his first marriage
We're several sons, ono OF whom was
George William Smith, born 1862. He be-
came an eminent lawyer and rose rap
Idly in his profession. He married a
daughter of Richard Adams, Sr.. OF Rich
mond, n sketch OF whose family has al
ready been given. He was elected Lieut.
Y Governor OF the State, and succeeded
: James Monroe as Governor, In 1911. Very
soon after he. with many others, persisted
In the burning theatre at Richmond. De-
cember &c, 1911. 1t Is thought that he,
like others who Rad at first escaped from
the burning building. rushed back to
save some friend or relative, and his ct-
fort was to save his little son John
j, Adams Smith. This son lived to man
4 hood and married Il Miss Williams; and
4 their son Bathurst Smith, settled In Mem
phls. Tenn.
Meriwcthcr Smith was very active In
the church, being a vestryman for many
years In Old South Parnasus Church., Els.
, ",
frequent delegate at tho early church
5 conventions, rs were all Of his descen-
dants, who are frequently mentioned
by Bishop Meade In his "Old Churches"
The cont-of-arms, as ascribed to him
through Colonel Joseph Smith. are de-
scribed as argent, a Jesse dancetti. be-
tween three roses gules barbcd, Writ"
Those for Major Lawrence Smith arc
= azure. a chevron between three acorns,
slipped and leaved, orr and those for
Robert Smith, 'Sablc, a Jesse dancetti,
between three lions rampant" which are
the same for the South Carolina Smiths
they having three martiets, instead OF
lions. All OF these various arms bear
(sitting) or current trunn!ng) for crest
but only one bear the motto. which Is
given, "semper FIdells," always faithful
Nuckolls.
There seems to have been from all ac
counts, for several generations famille
named Nuckols, in Louisa, Hanover an'
tho adjacent countless; but there arc n,
family records preserved OF them. Per
counties may furnish the needed infor
nation.
Jones.
y Editor Genealogical Columns:
I Please give me in your genealogical
column lineage OF the Jones family; ais
their coat-of-arms.
One John Jones" lived in Louisa, hi
brother Henry IN Hanover county. p
attending to above request you wi
greatly obllge a constant lady reader
Of THE Times Dispatch
There are no arms to be found 10
Jones of Virginia. but those OF Georgia