SMITH (John) CEMETERY (Old Hwy 20 east of Leighton Al) COLBERT COUNTY ALABAMA

Mapping the Location

Further out Old Hwy 20 sat the old home place of Ed Crockett and his ancestors. A beautiful old home was among these old trees. Not sure what event destroyed it. Believe this is the same Ed Crockett interred in the Old Brick Church Cemetery. There was also a share cropper home that was behind that. It was abolished in a tornado killing one occupant in the 1950s: 6936 / 6937

A mile down (turn left) Fennel Road finds the original home of Jack Johnson, a farm family who lived here in early times. This was next door to his son the A. O. Johnson family home now abolished (see Shaw Cemetery - Findagrave.com.): 6938 / 6939

Area Views of the Cemetery: 6934 / 6935


SMITH, John, 7 Oct 1754 - 7 Apr 1841. Revolutionary War Soldier.  6932 / Chief Colbert Chapter of D.A.R., 1976 Plaque: 6932C
SMITH, John "Pond", Jr., 13 Apr 1786 - 24 Apr 1849. (no tombstone found 2012)
SMITH, Martha Ann Neighbours, 1792 - 1822. 6931
SMITH, Susan Rogers, 7 Jan 1805 - 25 Oct 1857. 6933
 

Dates of birth & death from John Smith's Bible Record cited in DAR application #518524 by Mildred Fennel Preuit. This application and earlier applications however says he was born and served in the Revolution in South Carolina. This has been disapproved by many documents. It would therefore appear the Bible did not give the place of birth. We now know he was born in Virginia and served in the Revolution there in Virginia. [Findagrave.com]

Alabama History Quarterly, Winter Issue 1944 pg 648-9 "John Smith died 3/18/1841 at the home of his son, John Smith Jr. at the age of 87. He was in the Revolution at its close. He was a member of the Baptist Church at least 52 years. " Huntsville, AL Advocate 8/29/41. Huntsville Democrat published death notice Aug 1841 stating " Departed this life on the 17 Aug. 1841 ...aged near 90 years..." Diary of E.A. Osborne, Charlotte, NC found in the (NC State Archives ?) Durham NC. Copy of will of John Smith filed deed Record Vol. 1 pg 66 & 67 Lawrence Co., AL Showed up in Alabama in 1812. From Osborne Diary "John Smith married a Miss Whitehead of VA. In Miss Terr. by 1809 or earlier. Bought land (150a) R 1E TWP 2 Sec 10. The 1816 Census of Madison Co. shows heads of families: John Smith, Nathan Smith, Iavan McVay (Rhoda Smith's husband and Eli Smith (Possible Elias, John's brother.  [Findagrave.com]

His tombstone was placed at the site of the Smith Cemetery in 1976 by the Chief Colbert Chapter DAR, Tuscumbia, AL. This cemetery is at the site of his son's, John (Pond) Smith Jr.'s, home, which is now in Colbert Co., and is near Leighton AL. It has been plowed up, and only one tombstone left in it original position. John Sr.'s original tombstone has not been found if there ever was one.

Because it was impossible to get from the home of John Jr. to Moulton, AL when the creeks were up (Town Creek and Big Nance) or when the road up Moulton Mountain frozen over in the winter, the area where John Jr. lived was transferred from Lawrence Co. to Colbert Co. in 1895 so residents could take care of their business in Colbert County.
 

Sources: No known book publication existed of this cemetery. Added here by C. Wayne Austin based  on a visit and photos of 22 Dec 2012 . This cemetery is also presented  exclusively on Findagrave.com  [C.W.A. 7 Jan 2013.]