Key Facts

Snapshot:	farmer
Parents:	unknown
Born:	circa 1776 South Carolina
Last known record:	30 March 1869 Houston County, Georgia
Buried:	may be in an unmarked grave in the Smith family cemetery, Houston County, Georgia Cemetery coordinates: N32.5839 W83.6622

96William Smith was born circa 1776 in South Carolina.1,2

The earliest record I've found pertaining to 96William is the 1850 census (even though he was already 74 years old by then), which shows him living in Houston County, Georgia with his wife Sarah, son 48William, and mother-in-law Charity Gamage. Unfortunately, I've been unable to find any record of when he married Sarah. She may have been a second wife.

1850: 96William's family in Houston County, Georgia. Full page.1

The 1850 census also collected some data about 96William's farm and the crops/livestock raised there.3

1850: 96William's farm.3 Transcription.

The 1860 census shows much the same as in 1850.2

1860: 96William's family still in Houston County. Full page.2

After the Civil War, in 1867 the U.S. Congress passed several Reconstruction Acts. These Acts divided the former Confederacy into several military occupation zones, which were ruled by Union military commanders. The Acts also directed the commanding officers to register Southerners who wanted to vote in upcoming elections. One registration requirement was to swear an oath of loyalty to the United States; the obvious intent was to disfranchise any lingering Confederate resistance. The original copy of 96William's signed oath is lost, but he undoubtably signed since he shows up on a subsequent list of Houston County registered voters.4

96William on a Reconstruction-era list of registered voters in Houston County, Georgia.4

On 30 March 1869, 96William deeded two properties to his son 48William.5 The two deeds effectively function as a will. Below I've copied part of the second deed and highlighted some key phrases, but you may see the full page or a transcription if you prefer.

Part of 96William's second deed to his son. Full page.5

By overlaying an old lot map over a modern map, I determined the location (more or less) of 96William's property and marked it on the master map.

The abovementioned property includes a small Smith family cemetery. Although there is no extant tombstone for 96William himself, he may be buried there. The cemetery is at coordinates N32.5839 W83.6622.

Sources Cited:

1: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). 5th district[?], Houston County, Georgia. Page 646, dwelling 601, family 601, William Smith household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 74. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6DM9-SWD?i=73&cc=1401638&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZYR-7LG>.

2: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Fifth district, Houston County, Georgia. Page 1053, dwelling 731, family 1 [sic], Wm Smith household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 127. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYBB-STJQ?i=6&cc=1473181&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZMD-TH9>.

3: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Agriculture Schedule). 5th district[?], Houston County, Georgia. Pages 27 and 28, entry 14, William Smith farm. NARA microfilm publication T1137, roll 2. The NARA provides a helpful template.

4: Georgia's 1867-1868 Returns of Qualified Voters. Volume 78 (Houston County Book 2), page 8, entry 84, Wm Smith. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, Returns of Qualified Voters and Reconstruction Oath Books, 1867-1869"). Although I copied the image from Ancestry.com, the corresponding microfilm at the Georgia Archives is microfilm 297/20. You can see the relevant portion of the page here.

5: Houston County, Georgia. Deed book N (1868-1874), pages 180-181. Two land deeds from William Smith to William H. Smith, both dated 30 March 1869. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-B9QS-4?i=132&cat=207572>, accessed April 2020.