This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list.
Author: kittykatmom
Surnames: Smith, Peyton, Challis, Wimbish, Bass, Bethell,
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.challis/149/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
I am a descendant of Peyton Randolph Smith b. 1789 in Rockingham, NC, son of Drury Smith
born 1748 (son of John Smith Sr, patriot of VA) and Martha Peyton. Both Drury & Martha
were b. in VA, moved to Rockingham Co, NC after the Rev. war.
We (group of Smith family researchers) have recently had a mystery present itself
-Drury's wife, Martha.
The name Martha Challis popped up thru another cousin, who is descended from Alexander
Washington Smith & Martha C. Smith (Peyton R. Smith's dau), where the intial
"C" stood for Challis in his records. (We haven't figured out the parentage
for Alexander Washington Smith yet either, but it's not Peyton Randolph Smith because
he says in his memoirs that he had six children, three boys and three girls and we have
accounted for the three sons and their families.)
We didn't have the name Challis in our database. While searching for Martha Challis,
I came across her as being a dau to Hugh Challis & Martha Wimbish of VA &
Rockingham Co, NC, b: ABT 1762.
I then came across an entire tree branch that said Martha Challis m. Drury Smith and they
had 2 children
Frances W. Smith, b.1794, m. Benjamin Jordan Bass
Martha "Patie" Smith, b. 1788, m. John Pinkney Bethell
Our information is that Drury Smith m. Martha Peyton Abt. 1778, that she was born Abt.
1756 in Virginia , and died Aft. 1820 in Tennessee . (Drury and Martha moved to Davidson
County, Tennessee in 1807 according to their son, Peyton Randolph's memoirs.)
Children of Drury Smith & Martha Peyton-
Martha Smith, b.1779; m. John Bethell
Mariah Smith, b.1783; m. Thomas Bass
Frances Smith, b.1788; m. Benjamin Jordan Bass
Peyton Randolph Smith, b. 29 Nov 1789, Rockingham co, NC; m. Nancy. S. Bass
Lucinda Smith, b. 1792; m. Drury Smith of GA
We obviously have the same people- Drury & Martha, with the same 2 dau- Martha &
Frances, who married the same 2 men- Benjamin Bass & John Bethell-
-EXCEPT that there are different birth years for Martha & Frances
Martha Smith b. 1788 vs 1779
Frances Smith b. 1794 vs 1788
-AND we have the name Martha Peyton, the others have the name Martha Challis as
Drury's wife.
Also, the birth years for Martha Peyton & Martha Challis are different
Martha Peyton, b. About 1756 in VA - Martha Challis, b. AB 1762
And as far as we can tell, Drury was married only once. Our DAR information on Drury Smith
lists his wife as Martha Peyton. If Drury Smith married Martha Challis as a second wife,
we have no information about it.
My research puts Martha Challis (widow of Hugh & mother to Martha) and her son John
Challis in Rockingham Co, NC in 1790 & 1800, at the same time our Drury Smith, born
1748, lived there.
Other problems:
Peyton Randolph Smith was supposed to be named after his mother's Peyton family;
"Patie" or "Peytie" is a common nickname for Peyton in our Smith
family;
In Peyton Randolph Smith's autobiography he talks about living "in a strange
land" (Davidson County, TN) with his "old baptist mother"- he specifically
refers to her as his mother, not step-mother;
We know Peyton Randolph Smith was b. in 1789 and, depending on which years the 2 listed
sisters were actually born, he would be younger than them. So if Martha Challis had been a
2nd wife to Drury, she would most likely have been Peyton's mother as well & he
wouldn't have been named after Martha Peyton's family.
Or so it seems to me anyway...
Does anyone have any information on this or any of these individuals???
Thanks!
Important Note:
The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply
to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.