Sons of Sylvanus Wade Smithson

Sylvanus Wade Smithson was a son of John B. Smithson and Elizabeth Knott (John was a brother of Nathaniel B. Smithson, and son of John S. Smithson).

This is a photograph of four of Sylvanus' sons. In the front row, from left to right are Richard Smithson and Patrick Gibson Smithson by Sylvanus' first wife, Mary Jane Gibson.

In the back row are Thomas Walter Smithson (by Sylvanus' second wife Elizabeth C. Steagall), and Joe Smithson (mother - Mary Jane Gibson).

Patrick Gibson Smithson, was a Confederate soldier. He was known as Capt Pack.

This photograph is of Patrick Gibson Smithson (on the left) and his half-brother, Richard Smithson, standing on the porch of the Smithson store Smithson storeon Peytonsville Rd in Tennessee.

Several years ago, Frank W. Smithson (of Nashville, TN) sent me a story about his grandfather, Elijah Knott Smithson. In that story, this is what he said about the Smithson store: "Two generations of Smithsons had owned and operated a country store that provided well for the family from 1830 until 1861. After that, the devastation of the war and the occupation overtook the family. In 1865, his father's (Nathaniel N. Smithson) farm* was confiscated and his citizenship and the right to vote taken away from him, not to be returned until 1872. The family lived on the same farm, as tenants there. They worked in the same store, as employees now of a cousin, Captain Patrick Gibson Smithson. Captain "Pack" had buried some gold in 1859."

Frank goes on to give a description of the store and the social life associated with it: "A well-stocked country store of the 1800's sold clothing, shoes, dry goods, hardware, and farm equipment, as well as groceries, toys, candy, and imported dolls. It bartered with the farmer and shipped out livestock, eggs, wool, cotton (in bales), tobacco (in hogsheads), and animal hides, with wheat, barley, oats, and corn. On Saturday night, the store was the gathering place for the unattached men of the village who met to play whist, poker, pinochle, and checkers. They were also there to tell tall tales and to swap "war stories". Only fourteen per cent of the famous 20th Tennessee Regiment returned home to tell any stories. The rest were buried where they fell."

*This is the house built by Nathaniel B. Smithson, shown on the previous page.

These photos are in the possession of Bud Smithson, grandson of Thomas Walter Smithson. He has kindly given us permission to publish them. All Smithsons from the TN area owe Ronny Mangrum of Peytonsville, TN, a mighty big "thanks" for tracking down the photos and getting them identified.

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