John Smith of Purton, VA - Bible reference of Alexander wife of "a son" of John Smith of Purton

Queen Elizabeth is descended from Mary Warner Smith 8 Generations after her. Did professionals eliminate John
from being a candidate for the "a son" who married Ann Alexander? Would anyone know?

I take no joy in disappointing my cousins, but John Smith 1685-1712 of Purton is indeed a documented son of John Smith and Mary Warner. He inherited the Purton estate which belonged to his father and grandfather, and passed it on to his son, also named John Smith.

Sources include court records, wills, and a family Bible register passed from Augustine Warner Smith "of Shooter's Hill" to his grandson Gen. John Smith "of Hackwood."

FAMILY BIBLE

The original has been lost, but a copy is transcribed in the William & Mary Quarterly, said to belong to Gen. John Smith of Hackwood (1750-1836, son of John Smith 1715-1771 of Shooter's Hill, grandson of Augustine Warner Smith 1689-1756 of Shooter's Hill, great-grandson of John Smith and Mary Warner). General Smith is said to have copied the Bible register of his grandfather Augustine Warner Smith.

"The Smiths of Virginia"

Lyon G. Tyler
The William and Mary Quarterly
Vol. 4, No. 1 (Jul., 1895), pp. 46-52

[excerpts]

18 Jul 1685: John Smith was born y 18th of July 1685 about a quarter after one in ye morning - it being Saturday.

18 8bry 1711: John Smith and Ann Alexander were marryed 8br y 18th 1711.

See article here:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1916182?seq=3#page_scan_tab_contents

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PURTON ESTATE

The only son of John Smith 1685-1712 and Ann Alexander, John Smith 1712-1735, inherited Purton from his father John Smith, who likewise inherited it from his father John Smith.

The Purton estate in Gloucester, Virginia being passed from one John Smith to the next is pretty good evidence all by itself.

I'm still looking for a copy of the 10 May 1735 will of John Smith (son of John Smith and Ann Alexander), but his will is referenced here. He left "Purton" to his fiance Mary Willis, who married Lewis Burwell, died without heirs, and passed the estate on to her niece Mary Willis, who married William Daingerfield.

1.
John Smith, stepson of Col. Henry Willis was born December 17,1712; died without issue, and left estate (included Purton) that descended to Mary Willis, who married Col. Wm Daingerfield.

A sketch of the Willis family of Virginia : and of their kindred in other states : with brief biographies of the Reades, Warners, etc. Willis, Byrd Charles,. Richmond, Va.. Whittet & Shepperson. 1898. Online at Ancestry.com

2.
John Smith, b. December 17, 1712. He made his will May 10, 1735, and shortly afterwards died, unmarried. He was affianced to Mary Willis, daughter of Col. Francis, and he willed to her his estate, "Purton." In 1736, Mary Willis was married to Col. Lewis Burwell, "President of His Majesty's Council in the Colony of Virginia."

Louise Pecquet du Bellet, Edward Jaquelin, Martha Cary Jaquelin, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Vol IV, J. P. Bell Company, Lynchburg, VA, 1907, p. 34, Google Books, online

3.
10 May 1735: That John Smith, Gent., of Gloucester County, being in his lifetime and at his death seized of 3,333 acres of land in Spottsylvania, where the said William Daingerfield now lives, did by his will, dated May 10, 1735, make a residuary clause, item: "I give to my grandmother Anne Alexander (Anne Morgan, wife of David Alexander), all my other lands not bequeathed, negroes, money, stock, etc., during her life, and after her death to my brother Henry Willis (son of Anne {Alexander} Smith, his mother and Henry Willis, her second husband), and his heirs, but in case he dies without issue, to my borther, John Willis" (brother of Henry, last named), "and soon after making said will the said John Smith died, and the aforesaid tract passed to Anne Alexander, his grandmother, and was enjoyed by her during the remainder of her life, and after her death the said Henry" (son of Anne Alexander and her second husband, Col Henry Willis) "inherited it and was seized as a tenant entail, and the said Henry Willis dying without heir or heirs of his body, the estate entail came to his brother, John Willis, who also died and the estate descended to Mary Willis, now Mary Daingerfield, daughter and heiress of the said John Willis."

Louise Pecquet du Bellet, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Vol 2, J. P. Bell Co., 1907, Lynchburg, VA, Vol 2, p. 36-37. Google Book, online.

4.
See also multiple references to the Purton estate in Hening's Statutes.

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SOURCES RELATED TO ANN ALEXANDER M. 2) HENRY WILLIS

John Smith's widow, Ann Alexander Smith, married Henry Willis--her first marriage to John Smith of Purton is mentioned in various Willis genealogies:

"Among the most attractive belles of the period were two cousins of the Washington family, Mildred Washington and Mildred Howell, and Ann Alexander, who was their mutual friend and neighbor. They were gay and social and therefore very popular with the beaux. One of these beaux, Henry Willis (b. 1691-2; d. Sept. 14, 1740), was a youth of impetuous character and determined will. He courted all three girls at the same time, and so impartial was he in his attentions that they all three laughed at him, declaring that he did not know his own mind, and turned his pretensions into ridicule. Whereupon he vowed that he would not rest until he had married all three of them. In due process of time Ann Alexander married John Smith, of "Purton." Mildred Howell married John Brown, and Mildred Washington married Roger Gregory. John Smith, of "Purton," was the first to die, and Henry Willis, as soon as he dared, came over and laid seige to the widow, and they were married November 2, 1714. Ann (Alexander) Willis, the widow of Smith, died about 1726, having borne to Henry Willis six children: (children listed) Mildred Howell was the next of the three girls to lose her husband, and Henry Willis immediately laid seige to the widow Brown, whom he married October 30, 1726. She died October 17, 1732, having borne to Henry Willis three children. (children listed)."

Louise Pecquet du Bellet, Some Prominent Virginia Families, Vol 2, J. P. Bell Co., 1907, Lynchburg, VA, Vol 2, p. 37-38. Google Book, online.

Ann Alexander's first marriage to John Smith of Purton is also mentioned on p.25 of "A sketch of the Willis family of Virginia, and of their kindred in other states. With brief biographies of the Reades, Warners, Lewises, Byrds, Carters, Champs, Bassetts, Madisons, Daingerfields, Thorntons, Burrells, Taliaferros, Tayloes, Smiths, and Amblers" by Willis, Byrd Charles, 1847-1912; Willis, Richard Henry, 1849- joint author, Published 1898

"Col. Henry Willis, the founder of Fredericksburg,.....His first wife was Ann Alexander, widow of John Smith, of 'Purton," Gloucester county, where he married her November 2, 1714. "

Auto-scanned copy here--looking for a https://archive.org/stream/sketchofwillisfa00will/sketchofwillisfa0...

See also the journal article "Willis Family"
in
The William and Mary Quarterly
Vol. 6, No. 4 (Apr., 1898), pp. 206-214

https://www.jstor.org/stable/1915875?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

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So we have his parents, birth date, wife, and marriage date in the Purton-Smith family Bible. We have the Purton estate itself passed from John Smith m. Mary Warner to son "John Smith of Purton" 1685-1712, who passed it to his son John 1712-1735. John 1712-1735 specifically mentions the Purton estate in his will, and bequeathes his remaining estate to his grandmother Anne (Morgan) Alexander, further showing that he is the son of Anne Alexander Smith.

I'm curious: what sources support Col. John Smith of Smithfield NC as a "son" of John Smith and Mary Warner?

Some Prominent Virginia Families, Vol II, Chapt I, pp 1-7, On-Line Genealogy Library database: “Bernard Smiths of Purton. . .derived from a large estate, ling on the York River, in Gloucester Co., Va., which came to them through the marriage of Speaker John Smith, son of Thomas Smith, emigrant, and Anna Bernard, daughter of Richard Bernard and Ann Corderoy. . . ‘John Smith,’ of Purton, Sr., son of Thomas Smith, emigrant, was Lieut.-Colonel and Speaker of the House of Burgesses in 1657. Speaker John Smith had occasion, March 13, 1657, as presiding officer of the House of Burgesses, to voice the refusal of the members to accept the order of dissolution by the Governor. They continued sitting, and won the case. Their declaration signed by ‘John Smith, Speaker, ‘ wins. . .During Bacon’s Rebellion, Speaker John Smith was one of the prominent men whom Bacon compelled to take the oath at Middle Plantation, August 3, 1676. The King’s commissioners classed him among ‘the eminent sufferers by the Rebels.’ . . .In 1670, Speaker John Smith, son of Thomas Smith, emigrant, became guardian for the orphans of Col. Samuel Mathews in the place of Madam Bernard. . .Speaker John Smith of Purton had a son, John Smith of Purton, Jr., b 1662; d. 1698. He was captain in the Provincial Service, burgess from Gloucester Co., and vestryman in Petsworth Parish. (Ref. William and Mary College Quarterly, Vol IV, No. I, July 1895.) . . .Captain John Smith, Sr. [Jr ?] of Purton, d. ye 14 of April, 1698 (Warner Family, Chapter I, Volume IV.)

Some Prominent Virginia Families, Vol IV, Chapt II, p 32, On-Line Genealogy Library database: “Capt. John Smith, of ‘Purton’, born at ‘Purton,’ Gloucester County, 1662, son of Colonel John Smith, Speaker House of Burgesses, and Anne Bernard, his wife, both of ‘Purton’; died at ‘Purton,’ 14th April, 1698. He was trustee and governor of William and Mary College from the date of its charter until his death. He married, 17th February, 1680, Mary, daughter of Col. Augustine Warner, of Warner Hall, Gloucester County, Va., Speaker House of Burgesses, and his wife Mildred Reade. Mrs. Mary Smith died Nov. 12, 1700.”

Tagging the two competing John Smiths:

Col. John Smith of Smithfield NC:

Hon. John Smith of Smithfield

and John Smith of Purton VA 1685-1712:

Captain John Smith, of Middlesex, Virginia