References:
(1) Information supplied by Mr. Michael K. Smith, Post Office Box 15153,
Dallas, Texas 75201.(2) 1830 Census of Campbell County, Tennessee, page 236.
Historical Notes:
(1) Joseph settled on the Clinch River, in the part of Fincastle County which
is now Russell County, Virginia. He finally purchased the 50 acres on which he
lived, on April 17th, 1782, (at which time it was part of Washington County.)
Joseph and Rachel continued to live on their place on the Clinch River beforeremoving to Campbell County Tennessee about 1795/97.Elizabeth Vance, his first wife, may have been the widow of a son of
Euricus Smith (who was the father of his 2nd wife.) Other sources suggest that
Elizabeth and Rachel were sisters, but this is untrue as Elizabeth's father is
known to have been Ephraim Vance.Rachel was living with her son in law, Isaac Reed, in Scott County
Tennessee in 1850. Her father Euricus, was descended from Wilhelm Smidt (an
ethnic German immigrant from Sweden) and Elizabeth Stalcup; both families were
among the earliest settlers of Christiana (now Wilmington) Delaware.Joseph served as a Private ("scout and spy") in the Virginia militia
during the Revolution. His pension papers record that he was regarded as
perhaps "the best (Indian) spy and woodsman on the Western frontier." He also
served under Captain William Campbell at King's Mountain. His service record,
as well as the validity of twelve of his thirteen children, have been acceptedby both the SAR and the DAR.