NESMITH (and ROBERTS) FAMILY of Roane TN and Alabama
Source: I have copied some of the Nesmith tree from the web, and cannot personally document it. My personal interest is the connection to ROBERTS women, which is discussed in the book, "Roberts Families of Roane County, TN 1794-1969" by Snyder E. Roberts. Additions/corrections are welcomed. Pat Mc mmcdonald3@houston.rr.com
It appears all these Nesmith-Roberts families removed from Roane County, TN to Morgan County, AL, and nearby, in the late 1820s. Others from the Roane County Roberts/Brashear clan were there too. One family legend is that Isaac Roberts, son of Zaccheus, located a flatboat and took his two married sisters with him to AL. His cousin, Phoebe Roberts Nesmith, might have been in the same boat--or followed soon thereafter. Also, his cousin, Edward Roberts, appears to have been in Morgan and Franklin Counties.
A tidbit from "The Alabama Enquirer" - January 9, 1980 - Reminiscences of Morgan County, No. 12 - courtesy of Carolyn Roberts Lane
".........SOLOMON LONG settled four miles north of Danville. He is still living, now 80 years old. Has been slightly paralyzed, but is right well preserved in both mind and body; and looks well after his business. He owns more land than any one in this county, and a good personal property. He has for many years been one of Morgan's most successful farmers and stock raisers. His last wife was the daughter of Rev. John C. Jones.
Near Capt. Long, THOMAS NESMITH SR. settled. He was a man of fine mind and much thought. His wife was a sister of ISAAC ROBERTS Esq. and a woman of fine intellect and great moral worth and sterling piety. Mr. Nesmith was a wagon maker by trade, and put up the best wagons ever built in the county. So faithful was he and particular, that his friends used to say that he would work half a day on a wagon wheel after it was finished. I believe his children were all sons. All were talented and gifted. COL. T. H. NESMITH is the leading member of the bar in Lamar and adjoining counties. C. C. NESMITH is a man of good intellect and great energy. He has located much mineral lands, and established a large emigration syndicate in Ark., and founded the famous city of Manchester on the Tennessee River. The REV. BURNS NESMITH married the daughter of SOLOMON LONG. He was a man of sterling integrity, and great possibilities. But alas, the late unfortunate war came and he fell a victim to its cruel demands. His family are most of them living now in the east Fling valley. Another son married a daughter of Mr. McCollum, and died during the war. One other son was a Lieutenant in the army and died and we buried him at his father's old burying ground at his boyhood home. The old gentleman died many years ago. And his widow made her home in her extreme old age with her honored son, THOS. BENTON NESMITH, Esq. Died great loved."
Descendants of Thomas Nesmith
1 Thomas Nesmith b: 22 Nov
1741 Abington, Phila PA
d: 07 Oct 1814 in Madison, AL
+Jennett Robeson b: 17 Sep
1751 Brandywine, Chester Co. PA
d: 16 Jul 1821 m: 1770
in Mecklenburg, NC
2 Dorcas Nesmith b: 1771
2 William Nesmith b: 02 Dec
1772
2 Alexander Nesmith b: 1779
York, SC d: 1852 in Lawrence Co. AL
+Jennie Martin b: 09 Nov 1777
d: Abt. 1821 in Roane County, TN m: Abt. 1801 in
York SC
Alexander served in Capt. Allen Bacon's Company, Col. John Brown's Regt. of TN Militia in the war of 1812. He was a Justice of the Peace of Roane County, TN and performed many marriages--usually writing a poem on the back of the license. By 1830, the Nesmiths had moved to Lawrence Co. AL. Ancestors of the late Mrs. Memory Lester, a noted genealogist in her time.
3 Thomas Nesmith b: 12 Dec 1802
+Elizabeth Roberts b: 04 Sep 1802 Roane Co. TN
m: 29 Jan 1829 in Roane County,TN, by Wm. McGill, JP
Father: Zaccheus Roberts Mother: Nancy Brashears
4 Robert Burns Nesmith b: 10 Nov 1829
+Long
4 Thomas Benton Nesmith b: 13 Jun 1832 Morgan Co. AL
4 Christopher Columbus Nesmith b: 1835
[Tim Newman found headstone in Hartselle (AL) City Cemetery: "Col. Christopher C. Nesmith born 1835, died March 28, 1906." Wife buried next to him.
4 Alexander Nesmith b: 1838
4 Isaac Nesmith b: 1841
4 George Bryson Nesmith b: 1845
*2nd Wife of Alexander Nesmith:
+Nancy Roberts
b: 01 May 1800 Roane County,TN
d: 1867 in Lawrence, AL
m: 11 Nov 1823 in Roane Co. TN
Father: Zaccheus Roberts
Mother: Nancy Brashears
3 Isaac Nesmith b: 31 Aug 1824
3 Oliver Perry Nesmith b: 11 May 1826 - served in Confederate Army, was captured and died in prison at Rock Island, IL where he is buried.
3 Benton Nesmith b: 13 Feb 1828 d: 3 Sep 1919, age 91
+Elizabeth Jane Bond both buried Marysville, TX
3 Caroline Nesmith b: 11 Oct 1830
+James Watterson
3 Francis Marion Nesmith b: 05 Oct 1833 AL
+Nancy Jane (Wilkes) Rummage , a widow.
Francis enlisted in the 9th Arkansas Cavalry and became a Sergeant.
3 Eliza Nesmith b: 22 Nov 1836 AL d: 7 Aug 1923, AL, 86 years old
+Joseph Jolly
*2nd Husband of Eliza Nesmith:
+John Leander Watterson b: 18 May 1830
3 Sam Houston Nesmith b: 15 Apr 1838
3 Melinda Burleson Nesmith b: 05 May 1840
+William Clardy
2 Isaac Nesmith b: 10 Oct
1781
2 Mary Nesmith b: 09 Dec 1786
2 John Nesmith b: Jul 1777
d: 25 Dec 1847 in Lawrence Co., AL
+Phebe Roberts
b: Abt. 1800 Roane County,TN
d: Abt. 1828 m: 02 Jan
1824 in Roane County,TN
Father: Elias Roberts
Mother: Rebecca Brashear
3 Jane Nesmith b: 1828
Source: "Roberts Families of Roane County, TN"
Alexander Nesmith enlisted in Capt. Allen Bacon's Company in Col. John Brown's Regiment, September 30, 1813 and served until December 30, 1813. He was very active as a Justice of the Peace in Roane County. He appears as the officiating magistrate in many Roane marriages. He usually composed a verse on the back of the marriage papers forwarded to the County Court Clerk. The Nesmith name is well-known in legal circles in the state of Alabama. Nancy and Alexander are ancestors of Mrs. Memory A. Lester, a well-known genealogist.
The families of Zaccheus Roberts/Nancy Brashear and Elias Roberts/Rebecca Brashear may be seen by clicking on the link.
[We have no proof, but suspect, Elias and Zaccheus Roberts to be brothers or close kin. If so, these children were "double cousins." ]
Rebecca and Nancy were daughters of Robert Samuel Brashear(s) and Phoebe Nicks. Their older brother, Isaac Brashear, had a granddaughter, Eleanor, who also moved to Morgan County, AL.
Eleanor (Brashears) b.1811 Roane Co. and William Jones removed to Lawrence Co. TN, then lived most of their married life in Morgan Co, AL. Eleanor died prior to Aug 1852, for their six children were named in the settlement of her father's estate: Robert Jones, Frances Jones, Sarah Jones, William Jones, Jesse G. Jones, b. Feb 1842, and Mary Jones. Jesse G. Jones had a son named Jesse Brashears Jones. (I don't know if William was a kinsman of the Rev. John C. Jones, mentioned in article above.)