The Death of Rilah Smith

 

After 40 plus years of genealogical research I astonished at the plethora of false, misleading and inaccurate information/data that can be found on the internet.

Take for instance the death of Rilah Smith. There is no known specific date for the death of Rilah Smith. Yet, there are specific dates on-line and it doesn’t take much research to realize that the date is false and the person posting it doesn’t have a clue. There is also specific date of Birth online but they too are creations of someone imagination.  

Rilah Smith is listed in the 1810, 1830, 1840, 1850 and 1860 Census for Chesterfield County, South Carolina. Riley was borne about 1788. The 1850 and 1860 Census confirmed this birth year.

Birth Year (1788) based on reported age of 62 in the 1850 Chesterfield County Census.

Birth Year based (1789) on reported age of 71 in the 1860 Chesterfield County Census.

We also find that on 15 March 1817 Rilah Smith was baptized in Deep Creek Baptist Church and he was church clerk from 1817 until 1859. The Deep Creek Baptist Church records where he was a member shows he died in 1864. He died without a will and his property was appraised June 30, 1864 and recorded July 30, 1866. This FACT, that he died before 30 June 1864 can be found in Chesterfield County, SC Probate Folder #13.

So, what is the source of the specific date of 10 August 1864, recorded on his Find A Grave Memorial and in the majority of over 300 trees on Ancestry?

What is the source of the specific birth date of 26 Aug 1788 recorded in the same documents?

Rilah Smith was borne about 1788 and died before 30 June 1864. He was married and the Father of six children; 3 daughters and 3 sons.

Based on the age of his first known child he was married about 1809. His known first borne was Jerusha Ann Smith, born about 1810. She married John M. Sellers and after his tragic death, the Rev. Joel Gulledge.

A Chesterfield County Land Deed --The Heirs of R. Smith, dec'd to Elisha B. Smith Deed; Deed Book 2, Page 97-99 names these six children.

Rilah Smith is said to have married Timmey Spencer. No known source document containing even the first name of his wife has been found. The 1830 Census shows two females in the household; one age 5-9 and another female, age 10-14. This seems to indicate that his wife died before 1830.  

Again, what is the source of the name of his wife and her death date of 16 AUG. 1882?

Lesson to Researchers:

Beware of What you copy and propagate from online resources.