Jacob and Abraham Smith

Jacob Smith's Will

The estimated death date 1768-1769 for Jacob Smith prompted a search for estate documents as he did own land. I did find in the Recorder of Wills Office in Northampton County a Will for Jacob Smith (WB 1-52 1769). This Will was written in Lower Smithfield Township and was dated 8 August 1761 and included Abraham as one of the seven children. My first reaction was to establish that this was another individual but the tax records did not agree.

In 1761 when the Will was executed in Lower Smithfield Township, Jacob Smith was listed on the Lower Smithfield tax list and not in Towamensing Township (Chestnut Hill was not yet formed). The same situation occurred in 1762. There is no tax list available for Lower Smithfield in 1763. The following year, 1764 Jacob is not listed in Lower Smithfield or any time thereafter but is listed for the first time in Chestnut Hill, where he had obtained a warrant for land, twelve years earlier. As mentioned Jacob is listed in Chestnut Hill for all available years from 1764 through 1768 and does not appear in Lower Smithfield during that period. These tax lists give a strong indication that the Jacob Smith executing a Will in Lower Smithfield in 1761, returned to Chestnut Hill in 1763-1764 and is the father of our Abraham Smith.

The Will tells us considerable more information about the Jacob Smith family than has been previously known. Jacobs’ wife is Magdalena and his children as listed are: Johannes, Michael, Abraham, Frederick, William, Elizabeth and Catherine. Jacob identified the last four as “Children” implying that they are still minors in 1761.

Of interest is the following statement in the Will, “first I give to my three sons, named Johannes Smith, Michael Smith, and Abraham Smith to each of them English shilling Sterling, to be paid to each one of them said sons six months after my decease, because them three of my said sons not obaid (sic) me as they should do” I interpret the phrase “English shilling Sterling” to mean “one shilling”. Abraham was married about four years before this Will was written. This Will sheds considerable light on Jacob Smith and his family.

Jacob Smith’s Will

In the name of God, amen. I Jacob Smith of Lower Smithfield township in the County of Northampton and Province of Pennsylvania being ____ of good health in body and of sound and perfect memory (blessed by God) do this day which is the eight day of August in the year of our Lord 1761, make and publish this my last will and testament in the manner following,. That is to say: first I give to my three sons, named Johannes Smith, Michael Smith, and Abraham Smith to each of them English shilling sterling, to be paid to each one of them said sons six months after my decease, because them three of my said sons not obaid me as they should do. Secondly I give to my dear and loving wife, Magdalena that this third part of my whole estate, Real and Personal, and I also give to her all that Messuantage Tenamant on Tract of Land I now live on situate in Lower Smithfield Township to hold her during her life, or as long as she keeps my name being a widow and after her decease and as it is now mentioned, I give it to my son Frederick, William, Elizabeth and Catherine Smith, to be divided equally among them, and also I give to my said wife the use of my household stuff and also all the rest and residue of my Goods, Cahattel, personal Estate during her life and after her death or as long as she keeps my name as above mentioned. I give it to them four above mentioned Children to be divided as above said that is equally, and I make and ordain that my said wife Magdelana sole executrix of this my will in____ for the intent and purposes in this my will conbained and I make my loving friend Steven Horn overseer of this will top take care of and see the same performed according to my true intent and meaning. In Witness whereof, I the said Jacob Schmith have to this my last will and Testament set my hand and seal the day and year above written.

Abraham’s Mill

All of this to get us to the original question, did Abraham build the first Kunkletown mill.

Fortunately, the Chestnut Hill Township Assessment records list the assets of each freeman and mills were always a reported item in their own column. On three different Assessment lists between 1768 and 1776, Abraham Smith is listed as having a mill and it is identified as a grist mill in 1776. No locations are given. After 1776, Abraham was never listed as having a mill. In 1787 Nicholas Correll, who was the first recorded purchaser of the mill site in Kunkletown, is listed as having a mill site three years before he purchased the property. In 1782 there are two grist mills listed in the northern end of the township and in addition 7 saw mills and one non-described mill owned by a Jacob Holly. Abraham definitely had the first grist mill in Chestnut Hill Township for at least 8 years. The mill purchased by Nicholas Correll in 1790 and operated by him in 1787, could have been built by Abraham Smith in 1768, with ownership between 1776 and 1887 being by others by unrecorded deeds and maybe Jacob Holly was one of those intermittent owners.

We now know considerable more about the Jacob Smith family; Abraham’s property, and Abraham building a mill. It is my opinion that this information supports the stories told by Rev Perry Smith in the book “The Story of Kunkletown” and does not conflict.

This document may be quoted for local and family research but not for commercial use.
Credit must be given with name and date.
Bob Rowland
3 Cornell Drive
Camp Hill PA 17011
Goofybob@aol.com