Drummond Smithson Burial Site

Email from Mark Kreps to Christopher Smithson on 6/6/2008:

I'm not a Smithson but thought you might like this information and wish to pass it along. I guess I do have more Smithson info than I initially thought. Drummond Smithson was from Virginia probably Fluvanna County and might have fought from there during the Revolutionary War. There are still a good plenty Smithson Descendants that live in Randolph County, even a 16 year old, Drummond Smithson, who is a descendant.

Patriotically yours, Mark Kreps

The picture below shows the Northern Command INSSAR Color Guard at the gravesite of soldier, Drummond Smithson, on May 22, 2008 at a cemetery in Stoney Creek Township, Randolph Co., IN . Funds were raised to have the previous markers restored and a new granite marker placed.  Smithson was a Revolutionary War pensioner. 

(L to R) Mark Kreps, INSSAR President Tom Schnuck, No. Commander John "Jack" K. Carmichael and Dennis Babbitt.  You can contact Mark at mjkreps@gmail.com

Reply email from Addie Rickey to Mark Kreps:

Hello Mark Kreps,

Thanks so much for passing on the information about the Dedication of Drummond Smithson's marker, to Christopher Smithson, who passed it to me.  Several others also worked very closely with the Drummond Smithson's descendants that felt the need to remark his grave.  James Johnson of Dunkirk, Indiana spearheaded the fundraising move and purchase, Mark Smithson of Selma, Indiana and Henry Conwell of Indiana were key in getting the marker arranged for and placed at the grave.  All are descendants of Drummond or married to one.

I maintain a database of Drummond SMITHSON's descendants and relationships and am involved in the publication of the SMITHSON FAMILY EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER and the SMITHSON website.  I am always interested in locating more detailed data about this family and would love to be in touch with more of his descendants, as you mentioned.  His parent's have been found, we hope, and some of that information will be appearing in a book by Rulon N. SMITHSON.  If anyone is interested in the publication...his email is: RNSmithson@aol.com.

Here, in digest format, is a bit about Drummond SMITHSON:  I can provide the source data, if needed.

Drummond Smithson was age 85 in the 1840 census, thus projecting a birth year of 1753/54. He married Mary or "Polly" Parrott about 1775/76. In 1779, he buys land on Horsepen Creek in Fluvanna County, Virginia from Giles Allegre. The deed is dated July 12th 1779 and is recorded in Book 1, pg. 222 of Fluvanna County, Virginia deed records. Christopher Norton and John Glaspy are witnesses.

The printed 1790 "Census" of Virginia is actually a tax list of about 1782 + and shows Drummond SMITHSON with 6 whites and 1 black in his household in Fluvanna County.  If Drummond was born in Fluvanna in 1754 and is still there in 1782 -- it is likely that all of his children born by 1782 are also born in Fluvanna County.  He moved to Campbell County before 1800 and is paying taxes there, so he has probably settled there by 1784, when he sells land in Fluvanna County to Robert Pace.  A son born in 1789 and named "Campbell" may commemorate that milestone in Drummond's life.

In 1810 Drummond is living in Campbell Co., Virginia and no slaves are listed in his household. It is probable that he is Quaker in belief or at least affiliated with Quaker families who are wrestling with the slavery question. Many families are beginning to migrate out of the Virginia area to newly opened Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio lands where slavery is not an acceptable part of their religious philosophy or economy.  By 1820, Drummond and all of his known living children have left Virginia -- most of them to resettle in Highland Co., Ohio in Fairfield township.  Drummond and Mary had begun to live with their son Ira by 1817, turning over the farming equipment and operations to Ira in exchange for life maintenance.

"Cousin Addie"

 Addie Smithson Dyal Rickey,; rickeyroot@aol.com