Chasing the Past

Note: this is basically a transcription of cousin Carmie’s writing regarding the Smiths with a few of my notes. Nothing here is proven, it’s his family history as he knows it. There are a few reasons for me to put this here. One, I want to share his handwriting and his story as he knew it. Two, I want to sort of what it’s saying and compare to what I think I know. Third, I want to see if someone can help me with something I’ve missed or misunderstood. There are some things that confuse me and I’m trying to sort it all out. Even though I’ve been doing this for a while, I still consider myself quite the amateur.

Carmie Smith was the son of James Culpepper “Cull” & Betty Thomas Andrew “Aunt Champs” Smith. He was born June 2, 1883 and died Aug 29, 1964.

Cull was a brother to my 2G Grandfather, Jones Monroe Smith.

After Virginia Allen Smith, Jones’ daughter-in-law’s death, the following was found in her PTL Big Bible. They do believe this was written by Carmie sometime between 1948 and 1964. They believe after 1948 because it refers to the Pheasant Farm. He talks about the Cudhy Smith family as well as Henry DeBerry family.

I have only found some bad copies. My mother wrote the ‘provenance’ and I have not found her original either.

I have tried to cypher this out and compare to what I think I have. Most of this has not been documented (by me at least or anywhere I have found as of yet).

Let’s begin with what I think cousin Carmie says.

• The Smith Family History as I have it Cudhy and Bette Smith came in the early days. When the cotton mill was in operation at Swift Island built the first cotton gin in this county they lived at the place where Mozell Lemons lives they died there and was buried near the home their graves has been destroyed. This would be James Cudhy/Cuddy/Cudly and Martha Bette Smith.
• he had one son Richmond Smith he married a Bennet from Center NC which is Norwood now his first wife. James and Martha Bette had a son Richmond who married Catherine Bennet.
• The first set as follows. Wm. Green and Jones. Richmond and Catherine had three children, William, Green, and Jones.
• he married Mary Hilliard the last time the children as follows George Calvin Richard and alexander he is the youngest and still living so far as I know at Thomasville his father was 80 years old when he was born Richmond married Mary Hilliard the second time and had
  • George
  • Calvin
  • Richard
  • Alexander. Richmond was 80 when Alexander was born.
• I forgot to say grandpa had a brother Bob he was killed at the Christian gold mine by a cave in there was two children at time of his death a girl was born soon after he was killed her name was Bobbie his widow remarried I do not recall the name they went to Fla and lost contact with them I have tried to find them for a long time but have not There was another son of Richmond, Bob, who was killed in a cave in at the Sam Christian Gold mine. I have found no record of this. He had two children with a third child, Bobbie, who was born after his death. His widow remarried and moved to Florida. I have not found them yet either!
• Grandpa had another brother I for got to mention his name was Cudhy Jr he left here in 1845 went to Tennesee with his family driving on oxen and milk cow to a wagon then moved on to Texas then to Okla I had a letter some years ago from one of his off spring he lived at Daisy Okla told me the year her grandfather left N.C. 1845 and names of the children all Smith names John George Elmira and Nancy This is where I start to get confused. I believe he is saying that Richmond had another son, Cudhy Jr who left in 1845 headed to Tennessee. I know there is a Cudhy J Smith and his mother, Martha, are in Carroll County, Tennessee by 1840. I believe this to be be Richmond’s brother. Unfortunately, Carmie didn’t leave the name of the offspring, but there is certainly more to research here. Richmond also had children named Nancy, Elmira, and John and George! I also believe that Richmond had a sister, Nancy who is also in Carroll County, Tennessee in 1840.
• as to the service in the Confedrate Army they had four children as follows Mary Ann John Cull and Ella George + Jones they lived at the old Smith place near swift Island I believe here he is talking about his grandpa William, who was as far as I can tell, Richmond’s oldest son. I’m confused about this as well as there are other children living with William in the 1860, 1870, and 1880 census. Carmie lists children as:
  • Mary Ann
  • John Cull — John Culpepper
  • Ella George — is this Sarah Ella Smith and George Richmond Smith or is it one person?
  • Jones –Jones Monroe Smith
• he was ond Bald Head island off shore from Ft Fisher he made soap for the army boys the yankees was closing in on them so they was carried to Ft Fisher and told to get away if they could so Grandpa come home and hid out for a good while he become tired of that and started back met Soldier who told him the war was about over but he kept on until he met others told him was all over so he walked back home he was classed as a deserter for a long time but got it straight after he died What I have been told is that William was making soap out near Fort Fisher and the fort was surrounded on three sides. They were told to run for it and he came all the way back to Montgomery County on foot and was barefoot by the time he got home. He did head back and the war was over so he turned around and came back home again. I have found records of a William Smith from NC. He has a confederate marker at Zoar Church in Pee Dee, Montgomery County, NC.

I do believe there were more children (both James C and Martha as well as Richmond and William) than what are listed by cousin Carmie.

Children of James C and Martha Bette as I have it:

• Green
• Richmond
• Cuddy Jones
• Nancy
• John
• Nelson P

Children of Richmond as I have it:

• William
• Nancy
• Elmira
• Martha Suetta
• John R
• Green
• Nelson Jones
• Margaret C
• Bob
• Cudly
• George Holmes
• Virginia “Jenny”
• Richard D
• Rosa Belle
• Calvin Chisholm
• Alexander “Sandy”

Children (legitimate) of William Smith as I have it:

• John T
• J Culpepper
• Martha E
• Sarah E
• Tabitha Carolina
• Jones Monroe
• George Richmond

As one can see, there are some glaring differences. I have a few questions:

• Why did Carmie miss several of his aunts and uncles?
  • Did they die young or move away and he simply did not remember them?
  • Which one was Mary Ann? Have I completely missed her?
  • Is Martha the Martha Smith buried at Stoney Fork who was wife of an Alexander Harris? Who was Alexander Harris?
  • Is Sarah E the Ella he refers to?
  • Is Ella George one person or two?
• Regarding Richmond’s children
  • Which wife did Bob belong to?
  • Was there actually a son of Richmond named Cudhy Jr who left Montomery County in 1845?
  • Is it possible that some of Richmond’s children left with the Cudhy family(ies)?
• What happened to John, son of James and Martha? There is a Jonathan Smith (married Rebeccah Morris) in Montgomery County which many attribute to son of James C and Martha Bette. Is this Richmond’s brother?

I have not transcribed the Henry DeBerry history but it’s included in the images above.

There are some more differences with what I have found in the Montgomery County Heritage books, but I wanted to give cousin Carmie his own space and this was long enough as is. The more I research this family, the more confused I get!

There’s more to come!