Documentation for this information comes from a Smith-Ethridge Family bible and is also engraved on his tombstone located in River View Cemetery in Old Eddyville, KY
The Smith-Ethridge Family bible lists Elzathan's father as William Smith who died 1 Oct 1833 in Allen County, KY in “the 45th year of his age”, which would place his DOB about 1788. There is no mention of where William Smith was born or who his parents were. William Smith's will probated in Oct 1833 indicates that he was a dry goods merchant (who also probably sold some wet goods manufactured in his still which is listed in the inventory of his estate). No children were mentioned in the will probably because all of the children were still minors under the age of 21 when he died.
The 1860 census indicates that Elzathan followed in his father's footsteps and operated a grocery store in Eddyville, KY
The Smith-Ethridge Family bible lists Elzathan's mother as ????ly who died in Allen County, KY in “the 55th year of her age”. Given that Polly Smith died about 1851 this would make her DOB about 1796. The 1850 census for Caldwell County, KY lists a Polly Smith, age 55, living in the household of Elijah Smith, age 27. Presumably Polly's son and brother of Elzathan.
Polly Smith's maiden name and parents are not known for certain. This message board suggests that her maiden name was Graham, with Green Graham and Rachael Cline being her parents. This is more than likely not correct. There were two (2) William Smiths with spouses named Polly living in Allen County, KY at this time
William Smith married a Polly Burris on 2 Feb 1812 in Madison County, KY; and another
William Smith married a Polly Graham on 15 Nov 1815 in Allen County, KY.
The William Smith/Polly Graham family trees usually list the DOB's for the couple as 1794 and 1798.
Bible records and the 1850 census document that William was born about 1788 and Polly about 1795/6
It is possible that Polly Graham was the second wife of William Smith who may have remarried if Polly Burris had died shortly after their marriage in 1812. However, given the different dates of birth for the two (2) Williams (1788/1794) and Pollys (1796/1798), it is more likely that there were two (2) separate families
Another problem which suggests that there were two (2) separate William & Polly Smiths is the fact that the William Smith and Polly Graham family trees list Obadiah Hagen Smith as a son born on
17 August 1817 which is only three (3) months after the birth of Elzathan Smith on 17 May 1817.
William & Polly Smith, the dry goods dealers, who died 1 Oct 1833 and abt 1851, could not have been the biological parents of both Obadiah and Elzathan Smith. Obadiah and/or Elzathan may have been orphaned and adopted by William Smith, but it seems more likely that Obadiah was the son of the second William & Polly Smith living in Allen County, KY and not the son of William Smith the dry goods dealer
So which of the two Pollys was the wife of William Smith (1788 – 1 Oct 1833), the dry goods dealer?
For a number of reasons, I believe that Polly Burris Smith (1795/96 – 1850/51) was the spouse of
William Smith (1788 – 1 Oct 1833) the dry goods dealer
They were married in 1812 which fits more closely with the DOBs of persons I believe were their children, including:
Uriel Smith: born about 1813. The 1860 census for Caldwell County, KY lists Uriel's brother, Elijah, living in his household. This is probably the same Elijah that Polly Smith was living with as shown on the 1850 Caldwell County, KY census. Uriel married a Nancy Malinda Lafoon in 1849
Zachariah Smith: born about 1815/16, died 1850. There were at least two (2) Zachariah Smiths living in Allen County, KY area. This one married Rhody Watts who was born in 1818 and died in 1859.
Their children included an E E Smith listed on the 1850 census as age one (1). After the death of Rhoda Watts Smith in 1859, their orphaned son E E Smith, now listed as Elzathan Smith, age 10, is living in the household of Greenberry and Elizabeth Watts.... Elzathan is a very uncommon name so it is likely that his was a family name, either named after his Uncle Elzathan or another family member
Elzathan Smith: born 17 May 1817 in Allen County, KY, died 7 Feb 1864 in Lyon County, KY.
He married Arisba Morrison. My 2nd Great-Grandparents buried at River View Cemetery in Old Eddyville, KY
Elijah Smith: born about 1823, with the last records of him being 1863 Civil War draft registration records for Caldwell County, KY. Polly Smith, age 55,was listed as living in his household in 1850 just prior to her death
There are probably other children that haven't been identified yet.
Uriel, Zachariah, Elzathan, and Elijah are all Old Testament Hebrew names that seem to be common in this line of the Smith Family
I would be very interested in any documentation that can help identify which Polly was my 3rd Great-Grandmother, Burris or Graham. Any birth, death, bible, wills or other documents about the Smith/Graham family, information about Obadiah Hagan Smith, or any of the other Smith families from Allen County, KY would be appreciated
Thanks!
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