Smart Family

William Smart, Sr. 
1720- 1795

The first settlement in North Carolina was established in 1650 on the eastern seaboard.  Groups of settlers came from Virginia down the coast to occupy the north of Albemarle Sound.  The Colony of North Carolina was then founded in 1653 and given a charter in Virginia because of domination by big plantation aristocrats belonging to the church of England.  Between 1653 and the early 1700's, the influx of new settlers was so limited that the population increase was very small.  After 1746, Highland Scot immigrants in addition to large groups of 'Scotch-Irish' settlers brought with them ministers as well as teachers and in 1768 erected the Brittian Presbyterian Church, or Little Brittian as it was known.  There were two tribes of Indians in western North Carolina that were a menace to the new settlers.  The Catawba and Cherokee tribes continued to give trouble with periodic raids and foraging parties on through the Revolutionary War period.  Fort McGaughey was erected and stood for many years near the present Brittian Presbyterian Church.  

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Brittain Presbyterian Church
Rutherford County, NC

This was the area where William Smart Sr. brought his family in the 1860's.  Documented evidence points to the probability that William came from Pennslyvania with others who settled in this area.  

William Smart, Sr.'s  first wife (name unknown) had 3 children.  Second wife's name was Jean (Isabella), but no maiden name is known at this time.   William was born in New Castle County, Delaware.   From the information found in William's will we find that William and his second wife had 9 children.  William Jr., John, (John died at the Battle of Kings Mountain, he was a Whig)  Elizabeth, Margarett, Jane, Mary, Thomas, James, and Isabella.  

William appointed his two son-in-laws, John Reed and William Long, his trusty friends, executors of his Last Will and Testament.    William died in Rutherford County, NC.