Oatmeal Tree: About the Surname of Smith

James Smith II

Note: (Source: Richard M. Clark's posting on Ancestry.com) Smith is a very old English name, with families found in all the Shires and Counties including Ireland Scotland and Wales. As one would expect, the name is derived from a occupation, originating from a person who works with metal, a blacksmith. It can be traced back to the beginning of surnames; probably to the eleventh century, when surnames became meaningful and necessary. The name Smith, is of great antiquity in Scotland and is one of the most common and numerous surnames found, both in America and the British Islands. It has been said, that most American and English families have a Smith in it somewhere along it's lines. From the great migration of 1630 to the mid 20th century, there were more emigrants who arrived in America with the name Smith than any other surname.

'Gow,' is the Gaelic word for Smith and its various spellings are: Smyth, Smythe, Smeth, Smyyth and Smith. Some early prominent people using this surname are: Philip le Smethe, of County Hunts in 1273; William le Smethe of County Sussex: Ibid. Yorkshire in 1379.

It is quite possible and compelling to think, that the James Smith of this sketch, was the James Smith who came from Buxhall, County Suffolk, England, with his wife and two children. It is not my intent to leave the reader with a feeling of ambiguity, but I am led to believe that the first wife of James was Mary Frye. This conjecture is based on several, records that name Mary as the wife of James Smith of Weymouth. Past assumption has been that Joanne, his second wife, was the mother of his children. This is probably erroneous, and until proven wrong, we will assume that she, at best, was probably the mother of his fourth child.

James Smith may have immigrated with, or was preceded to this country by two other brothers. A tradition found in this family (which is the same as many other families) states that there were three brothers who came from England and settled at Hingham Massachusetts. Mr. Pope, a noted genealogists, claims that; Frances Smith, was a proprietor at Hingham, Massachusetts, removing to Taunton Masachusetts, who came on the ship 'James,' April 5th, 1635. He also lists a Henry Smith, from Haddam Hall, Co. Norfolk, as being in Charlestown, MA in 1637, appearing at Hingham in 1638/9. He further states that James was a proprietor at Weymouth during 1639. This we know to be a fact, as the birth of his son Nathaniel is recorded here that year. On board the ship, 'Expedition,' bound for the Barbados the 20th of Nov. 1635, we find a James Smith, age 24. I find no other James Smith on emigration records that fits a logistical pattern to the James Smith of this sketch. There could be a possible relationship between Francis, Henry and James Smith, who settled in Massachusetts about the same time, indicative by the similarity of names used in each person's family.

As previously stated, we know from the birth of his son he was living in Weymouth in 1639. Where he was before this, or for how long has never been authenticated. One ge-nealogist thinks he may have arrived with the Winthrop Fleet of 1630. In any event, he was the first of his name in Weymouth, recorded as being a Proprietor. He was known as a landholder both at Braintree and Easterneck, MA.

The following is taken from Weymouth land records of 1642: "The land of James Smith, bounded by the Easterneck bounded on the East by a highwaie the land of Clement Briggs on the West and the North with the sea on the south with the land of Wm. Hayard." It further states: "One acre of salt marsh bound with the sea on the west of the land of Wm. Pitty on the north of James Luden the south."

On February 3, 1651, the name James Smith appeared with other townsmen who were entitled to: "great lots," "that were laid out between the east side of Hingham line and the great lots to the west, containing a, 'drift - away' between them, and each man must, pay for his own measuring." Later that year, at a Town Meeting held on November 26, James was chosen to be a 'Selectman,' along with John Rogers, John Holbrook, Thomas Hallis and Henry Kingsman.

The people of Weymouth, on November 3, 1663, again chose James to be one of their 'Selectmen.' One month later, on December 14, he sat at a meeting of the Selectmen to: "Determine the first division of land of the territory of the west side of town bordered by Braintree." James received a portion of land from this division. During the second land division of Weymouth, he received forty five (45) acres together with sixty nine (69) lots.

From the history of Weymouth, we find that sometime in 1673: "Several more grants of town land and of Grape Island became the property of George Frye (step father of Mary Frye), James Smith Sr., James Ludden Sr., John King and James Smith Jr., James Humphreys and Richard Phillips." According to the allotment, Grape Island must have contained about fifty (50) acres. Andrew Ford, at this time, put in a counter claim for some of this land, stating that as long as he was one of the original inhabitants, and one of the purchasers of Weymouth, he should be entitled to more than the others. This leads us to believe that James was not an original settler at Weymouth, which was formed by the Gorges Company in 1623, seeing a trickle of inhabitants for twelve years until a church society was formed in 1635.

James, probably anticipating his death, made his will on May 11,1672 or June 19, 1672/3, as it is recorded in Suffolk County MA. It was proven on June 22 1676. Bequeaths were made to his wife Joanna; sons, James & Nathaniel; daughter Hannah Parramore, grandson James, and the son of Joshua. By his will, we learn the name of his second wife.