Chesterfield County SC Estates~Estate Folder #13–Rilah Smith

This is a new series of posting, appearing every Sunday, on selected Estate Folders from the Estate files of Chesterfield County. No known estates exist for the period before the Civil War. They were destroyed with the burning of the Courthouse. There are a few “Equity Records” in the State Archives. Do not overlook this valuable resources if you are looking for ancestors in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.  

Today we will be looking at the following Estate folder:


Folder #13
Rilah Smith

The estate folder begins at image 183 of 493. There are 29 images within the estate folder. (images 183-211)

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19383-24055-35?cc=1911928

The very first image (184) after the title page states that:
These papers are copies not to be recorded----The heirs settled the Estate by compromise among themselves.

Rilah Smith was born  Aug. 26, 1788, in the Cheraw District of what is now Chesterfield County. His parents are unknown. He married Timmey Spencer about 1809. This date is based on the birth of their first born Jerusha Ann Smith in 1810 followed by Isaac Benjamin Smith in 1811 and for whom we have a more precise birth date of 26 August 1811.

Rilah Smith and Timmey Spencer had the following children:

i. Jerusha Ann Smith, born 1810, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina, United States; married Rev. Joel Gulledge, abt 1856, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married John Matthew Sellers; died 13 Feb 1885, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
ii. Isaac Benjamin Smith, born 26 Aug 1811, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Rebecca Jane Boatwright; died 10 Aug 1882, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
iii. Ferguson Hale Smith, born Sep 1815, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Catherine Melton, abt 1841; married Mary Ann Graves, btn 1863-1867; married Ann Rebecca Powell, abt 1871; died 14 Jan 1902, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
iv. Sarah Smith, born 22 Jul 1817, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married William B. Duncan; died 15 Jul 1907, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
v. Caroline Elizabeth Smith, born 9 Dec 1819, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Alfred L. White; died 27 Sep 1882, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
vi. Elisha Brown Smith, born 11 Feb 1822, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Delilah M. Wallace, abt 1844; died 11 Jan 1873, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

Rilah was a wealthy man when he died in 1864. The exact date of his death is unknown; but, based on the probate of his estate we know that he died in 1864. 



According to his FindAGrave Memorial the Deep Creek Church Minutes also states that Rilah Smith died in 1864.
 
His wealth was primarily in land and slaves. I wrote about his slaves and their distributions back in November 2013. That article can be access through this link. 
 
http://carolinafamilyroots.blogspot.com/2013/11/friend-of-friends-fridaydistribution-of.html

The slaves along, without any other property, was valued at $64,300.00 (Image 211). This left his children well off provided they didn’t take all the cash in Confederate notes.  

Appraisers of the Rilah Smith estate were:
Kenneth Pittman
Welsey K. Streater
John W. Swinney

Executor of the Estate was Elisha Brown Smith, son of the deceased. Shortly after closing his Father’s estate in October 1866; Elisha Brown Smith passed away on 11 January 1873.





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[1] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19383-24055-35?cc=1911928&wc=MMBR-QR9 : accessed 02 Jun 2014), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0001-0022 > image 183 of 493.
[2]  Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 14 March 2014); Memorial page for Rilah Smith; (26 August 1788–1864); Find a Grave memorial # 50034426, Citing Smith Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.