Written by John Henry Smith III
A Tribute to Russell County
By Reverend Frank Fuller
“Russell is one of the beauty spots of the world. No hills quite so pretty as her hills. No mountains so inspiring as her mountains. Nowhere in all the world do valleys receive you into their bosom with the same friendliness as do her valleys. Nowhere do the brooks sing such sweet love songs as in Russell. Nowhere does God paint such magnificent sunsets or cause the stars to shine so brightly as in Russell. Somehow the people of Russell have a heartier handshake and a friendlier smile than other people; their doors are wider and their love warmer. It may be that I am biased in my judgment in favor of Russell County. Well, I am not ashamed to admit it. Russell! I was born there. There amidst her hills and beside her streams, I built magnificent castles, conquered might empires, and learned to know the friendliest voices I have ever heard, and felt the guiding touch of the gentlest hands I have ever known. In her forests I have learned the bird’s song and the ways of the frisky squirrels. In her dells I watched the mystic unfolding of myriad flowers that bloomed to perfume the gentlest breezes that ever floated over grassy hills.
“In a little home in the bosom of Russell’s hills I learned my first lesson about God and His goodness. There I looked into the bluest eyes and learned to call their owner Mother. And there I learned from an old fashioned father my first lesson in manliness and right living. Among her hills I found my sweetheart and life’s companion. On the eastern slopes of Russell’s hills sleep many of my pioneer ancestors, and some day, not distant now, I want to come back to the hills of my forefathers and lie down with them on the grassy slope where the blue grass grows deep and sleep awhile.”
Russell County Lineage
Russell County is of distinguished lineage. As a daughter of Washington, a grand-daughter of Fincastle, a great granddaughter of Botetourt, and a great-great-granddaughter of Augusta, she numbers among her forbears counties whose records add luster to the annals of Virginia.
THE SMITH MEN
Several years ago, you gave me the pleasure of visiting with the WSCS about the founding of your organization and more specifically Florence Gertrude Hutcheson or as we called her Grandmother Watts. I thought in the spirit of political correctness I would talk to you today about the early Smith men and their religion up to the time of the founding of your organization. The Smith men are not as easy to trace as their wives, since they all tended to be very private individuals.
Henry Smith was born in Stafford County, Virginia on February 5, 1741. He was the fifth of thirteen children born to Henry Smith and Sarah Crosby and was the brother of General Daniel Smith of Tennessee and Enoch Smith who was in Daniel Boones party to settle Kentucky. The records of these births are recorded in the vestry book at the Aquia Church, Overwharton Parish, Stafford County, Virginia. The church was Anglican or Church of England, this fact will be significant for the next two generations.
Henry is reputed to have been a “long hunter” and it was then he spotted the lands along the maiden spring branch of Little River that he would later settle. The first two tracts of land in what is now Russell County were surveyed in 1774; one was for 464 acres at the head of Mallory Hollow at Clifton, and the second for 214 acres on which this house is located. Both tracts were surveyed by his brother Daniel who was the agent for the Loyal Land Company along with being the commander of the all the forts on the Upper Clinch.
In about 1773, Henry married Mary James Strother, the widow of Anthony Strother. Mary was five years older and already had three children. Mary lived in Fredricksburg and was a neighbor and friend of Mary Ball Washington. This union produced three children—-Harry, Sally and Margaret. Mary James Smith was also a member of Aquia Church——-Church of England.
The Henry Smith family left for the Clinch in early 1776 with slaves, horses and cattle. Mary was three months pregnant with her third Smith child. In the same year they built a log house a few miles up the river from the original Mallory hollow tract. Family records state the nails for this house were wrought in Staunton and it was shingled with red cedar which lasted 100 years. The Clifton house burned in 1890.
Neither Henry nor his brother Daniel, were appointed to the first court in Washington County, although they were both appointed to a later court. Historian Gordon Aronhime was certain the reason for this was that they were both Anglicans. The entire first court was all Presbyterians (Campbells, Preston’s and Buchanan’s). Also left off this court was General Evan Shelby an Anglican. This interaction with the Presbyterians would continue for generations. At the first court of Russell County in 1786 Henry was appointed member, surveyor and colonel in the militia.
Henry Smith died at his home at Clifton May 21, 1801. As to his practice of religion it is thought that he stayed a member of the Anglican Church his entire life.
Harry Smith was the eldest child of Henry and Mary Smith and was born June 7, 1774 in Fauquier County. He was about two years old when he arrived on the frontier of the Clinch in 1776. At the death of his father Harry was 27 years old and assistant surveyor of Russell County. On February 26 1801 he was appointed surveyor to succeed his father. Shortly thereafter, he married Mary McCandlass Taylor, the daughter of John and Elizabeth Taylor of Smyth County. She was the niece of General William Campbell and they were very devout Presbyterians. (it is very interesting that Gen. Campbell’s wife was Elizabeth Henry, sister of Patrick Henry, who would later marry General William Russell, be referred to and Madame Russell, and be known as the most eminent woman in the pioneer Methodist church in America)
The issue of this marriage was John Taylor, Mary James, Henry Daniel, Elizabeth Campbell (who married Dale Carter and whose daughter married William A. Stuart whose children were Gov Stuart, Dale Stuart and Judge John James Stuart), Sarah Thompson, Margaret Buchanan, James Taylor and Charles Allen.
Harry Smith died July 9, 1850 at Clifton and is buried there. He served as Russell County surveyor for most of his life. He was an excellent farmer and shrew businessman and amassed almost 60 thousand acres of land he left to his children. In addition to having livestock he grew fax and wove and sold linen at Clifton in the early 1800’s. He was a Col. in the war of 1812 and commanded a company of Russell County Militia that he took to eastern Virginia to confront the British. Still he was a very private man. In a letter to her brother written in 1839 his daughter Elizabeth states ought to be mightily engaged “I think father said very little as he does generally about such things(religion). He still seems unconcerned about that which involves his best interest. The salvation of his soul. I think we or him he is getting quite old and his head is almost entirely white.”
Dr. John Taylor Smith, the eldest child of Harry and Mary McCandlass Taylor was born July 5, 1805. Little is known about his early education; however, it is known that he received an MD degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1833. (oldest medical school in America). In 1833 he married Mary Douglass Anderson of Christiansburg who was also a Presbyterian. Of this union twelve children were born—-all of whom except the tenth John Henry Anderson Smith, were still born or expired shortly thereafter.
John Taylor Smith practiced Medicine on horseback all over Southwest Virginia and saw patients in Russell, Smyth, Wythe, Washington, Pulaski, Montgomery, Tazewell and Scott Counties.
Dr. and Mrs. Smith moved from Russell County to near Tallahassee, Mississippi about 1836 and lived there for approximately three years before returning to Russell County. The population of this area at that time was so thinly settled that it was difficult for a doctor to live by the practice of medicine.
(Letters 10 and 11)
Dr. and Mrs. Smith employed a young Indian maiden to help with the house work while in Mississippi. They became very attached to the little girl and she likewise idolized them. Mrs. Smith taught her how to read and write. Upon their leaving Mississippi, the little girl begged and pleaded to accompany them home. When they boarded a boat to come up the Mississippi River, she became very hysterical and took off one of her little Indian moccasins and threw it on board the boat then jumped into the river and drowned.
In 1848, Dr. Smith started construction of his home Smithfield and completed it two years later. The bricks were burnt from clay on the farm and much of the labor was done by slaves. The four corners of the house are the points of a compass (you can tell he descended from two surveyors). He was one of the first doctors in this area to inoculate for smallpox by removing a scab from an infected person and attaching it to a cut on the arm of another person. Dr John Taylor Smith died January 7, 1862 in Lynchburg while returning home from visiting battlefields around Winchester. He is buried in an iron casket on a beautiful knoll about 3500 feet from this house along with his saddle horse, a union soldier, a confederate soldier and numerous slaves.
I think he was the first Smith to convert to Methodism.
Letter from sister Elizabeth Campbell Smith Carter
Russell County Feb 9th 1839
My Dear Brother
I deem it unnecessary to tell you how much I was rejoiced on the perusal of your letter of Nov. 27th not only because it was from one I had long wished to hear from but also because it contained the very intelligence I wished most to hear. That you have found the pearl of great price, the very best treasure you could ever be in possession of. What a happy thing. I dont know how to congratulate you enough. I hope by this time Mary is a partaker and that she is now a living witness for our blessed Jesus. Very truly do you observe how much better is is even in this life the difficulties and afflictions to which we are subject in this life are more easily supported beside a peace which this world cannot give and the longer you continue a faithful follower of the meek and lowly Jesus you will find that trust and that hope in Him grows stronger and stronger and take it away from us and we would rather live not at all. Though my dear Brother you will meet with many a sane temptation (perhaps have already had some) that will seem to almost overcome you and sometimes feel like you will faint by the way but in such an hour let me tell you to trust in the Lord and in every case watch and pray
In a letter from I believe was a Methodist Conference in Baltimore to his wife John Taylor wrote
Baltimore, March 16 1836
My Dear Wife,
As Mr. Aston will start home on tomorrow, I avail myself of the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know how we are getting along - We had intended starting to Philadelphia in the morning but Mr. Morrison appears much inclined to abandon the trip entirely. If any of my friends should be going to that city in a few days, I may perhaps go, otherwise, I think I shall not. We had a fine sermon today in Eutaw Church from Mr. Ridgway of the Md. Conference - In the afternoon, I went with William and all the Russell merchants to the new German Catholic Cathedral - The architecture surpasses all that I have ever seen - As the house was densely crowded, we could not sit down, but stood just within the door. Nearby us, stood an official with his star inscribed J. E. S. and a halbred under his arm to keep heretics in there place. When the congregation came to the part of the service at which all kneel he turned to me, and told me I must kneel, I told him, I would not, but that I could retire; he then told me I must leave the house which we all did in short order - A jolly old heretic taking the hint soon followed in our rear, and asked us if we had been ordered out, which we answered in the affirmative. I told him I had never committed idolatry, and I was too old to begin it now - We then went to the old Cathedral and arrived before service; we stood long enough to see the splendor and magnificence of the building, saw the foolery of several infant baptisms and profiting by the hint we had already recd we retired more heartily disgusted with Romanism than ever.
The letter ends with this paragraph
On last evening Mr. Hy Aston, Tho Alderson and myself were at Mr. Warden’s. We were very kindly recd by Mrs. W. who asked many questions about her friends in Russell - Mr. Morrison declined going on the plea of business - They insist on your coming in the fall - and I have promised that you shall -
George has been complaining for two days of a very bad cold; he is quite hoarse today. Wm is well though not so fleshy and rosy as when he was at our house. He and George both appear cheerful and we all appear to enjoy ourselves well together - I have scarcely seen Eldred since the day of my arrival. He is mostly at Conference thro’ the day -
We have not made any new arrangement since my last letter from this city, namely for you to send by Nye’s for us on Tuesday the 25 - I think we are both growing a little homesick, and I shall be glad when the day of starting comes - Give my love to all and accept the assurance of my sincere affection
Your devoted husband
John T. Smith
John Henry Anderson Smith, the tenth and only survivor of the twelve children of Dr John Taylor Smith and Mary Douglas Anderson was born July 28, 1847 in Russell County. He attended Emory and Henry College for ten months and was a captain in a company of Russell County volunteers at age 15 and was elected Major in 1864 at the age of 17. He served Russell County in the House of Delegates from 1869 to 1871, and the Virginia Senate from 1871 to 1875. On October 22, 1872 he married Florence Gertrude Hutcheson of Richmond. (this was grandmother Watts that we talked about last time. Anyone want to guess her religion. He broke president and married a staunch Baptist and she founded the Elk Garden WSCS). This union produced four sons, Douglas Hutcheson, James Thomas, John Henry Anderson and Taylor Garnett. Major Smith died at Smithfield on July 6, 1879 twenty-two days before his thirty-second birthday and is buried in the family cemetery. He left behind a strong and loving wife and sons ages 6—4—3—1.
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