Jonathan Smithers
Jonathan Smithers was a Union soldier from Scott County who died during the Civil War.
See Also: Scott Countians killed in war
Biography
Born about 1839, Jonathan Smithers was the husband of Sarah “Sally” Newport, but it isn’t certain who his parents were. His wife is usually listed as being the Sarah “Sally” Newport who is the daughter of Richard Newport (1812-1864) and Anna Goad (1815-1900), born 1840 and died 1811. However, this is not true. Sarah “Sally” Newport who married Jonathan Smithers was a separate Sarah “Sally” Newport (see below).
The 1860 census finds 21-year-old Jonathan Smithers and 20-year-old Sarah living together in District 3 of Scott County. A marriage record shows that they were married on Jan. 23, 1860, in Scott County.
There are some indications that Jonathan Smithers was the son of William Smithers (1807-1881) and Eva Richards (1808-1881), both of whom were buried at Kilbeck Cemetery in the Black Creek community. The only child listed in their home when the 1850 census was taken was 22-year-old Reubin Smither(s). However, when the 1860 census was taken, several other children born before 1850 were listed in the home — including Nancy, Jane and Ephraim. All three of them were listed as living in a household that also included Jonathan “Lowders” when the 1850 census was taken, the household of Stephen and Elizabeth Jeffers. The only other person in the expansive household with a similar surname was 14-year-old Elizabeth “Lawder.” Jonathan “Lowders” is believed to be Jonathan Smithers. If so, he is almost certainly the son of William Smithers and Eva Richards. The three aforementioned children — Nancy Smithers, Jane Smithers and Ephraim Smithers — would be his siblings, along with Elizabeth “Lawder” (Smithers), William “Smith” (Smithers), John “Smith” (Smithers), Maryan Smither and Jessee Lowders (Smithers).
Civil War
According to Paul Roy’s Scott County in the Civil War, Smithers was a private in Co. F, 1st Tennessee Infantry. Roy stated that Smithers died during the war, “but his widow, who was Sarah Newport prior to her marriage, included his name and service information in the 1890 Civil War Veterans Census. At the time of the census she had a Robbins, Tennessee, Post Office address. After her husband’s death, she married another Union Army veteran of the Civil War, Martin Parker. That marriage took place in 1870.”
According to that 1890 Veterans Census, Smithers enlisted in the Union army in 1861. A separate record shows that he enlisted on Aug. 9, 1861 at Camp Dick Robinson in Kentucky, at the age of 22.
Jesse Smithers (Co. H, 1st Alabama Cavalry) who served in the Civil War is very likely Jonathan’s brother. He is buried at Kilbeck Cemetery (died 1883). Reuben Smither (Co. F, 1st Tennessee Infantry) may have been Jonathan’s brother, as well.
Aftermath
Sarah Smithers’ FindAGrave profile page states that she first married Jonathan Smithers, then married Joseph “Sugar Joe” Griffith (1838-1917) in 1860, before later marrying Martin Parker (1836-1920). This report, and others like it, are confusing two separate women of the same name.
Joseph “Sugar Joe” Griffith, the great-grandson of Revolutionary War veteran Joseph Griffith of Brimstone, did indeed marry Sarah “Sally” Newport (1840-1911), the daughter of Richard “Hicks” Newport and Anna Goad. However, this was a different Sarah “Sally” Newport. According to the 1860 census, Sarah Newport, daughter of Richard and Anna Goad Newport, was living in their household. However, Jonathan Smithers and Sarah “Sally” Newport were married on Jan. 23, 1860, according to old courthouse records. The same 1860 census finds that Jonathan and Sarah Smithers were living together in District 3 of Scott County. Sugar Joe Griffith and his wife, the other Sarah “Sally” Newport, were married on Nov. 23, 1860.
The Sarah Smithers, wife of Jonathan, later filed a pension petition on behalf of her son, J.C. (Calvin) Parker, who she listed as being Jonathan Smithers’ child. The 1870 census found Sarah Parker living with Martin Parker and 9-year-old Calvin Parker. She and Martin later had two daughters, Sarah A. Parker, born about 1873, and Rosey J. Parker, born about 1875. In later censuses, Calvin was listed as Calvin Smither(s).
Martin Parker served in Co. I, 30th Kentucky Infantry during the war. He is buried at Black Creek Crossroads Cemetery. His mother was Sarah Parker.
Martin and Sarah apparently had another child much later, William Parker (1897-1918), who died at age 21 of typhoid fever. He’s also buried at Black Creek Crossroads.
While we can say conclusively that the Sarah “Sally” Newport who married Jonathan Smithers (and, later, Martin Parker) was not the same Sarah “Sally” Newport who was the daughter of Richard “Hicks” Newport and Anna Goad, and who married Sugar Joe Griffith, it is unfortunately not clear who she was — or what became of her. She and Martin were still living together when the 1910 census was taken. Ten years later, in 1920, Martin Parker was listed as widowed and boarding with Melvin Foster on Fentress County Road in Scott County (near the Black Creek Crossroads community). So, Sarah Parker died sometime between 1910 and 1920. It isn’t known where she was buried.
Rosey (Rosa) Parker married Alex Lackey. She was buried at Black Creek Crossroads in 1952. Calvin married Polly Ann Hatfield and eventually moved away from Scott County. It isn’t clear what became of the other child, Sarah A. Parker.