Jacob Smith

GEDCOM Note

Emigrated Aug 1788 at Niagara River, Ontario U.E.L. Cemeteries Jacob Smith Cemetery, Hamilton by Harley Smith (from November 1964 Loyalist Gazette) It is regrettable to have to record the fact that one of our earliest cemeteries, a large pioneer and private one, has fallen into dire decay. Recently stones were moved to Bowman Churchyard. Its location at the junction of highways No. 6 and 53 south of Hamilton limits, on present property of J. W. Cooper, Ryckman’s Corners, Lot 4, Concession 1 of Glanford was the home of the township’s first settler, Jacob Smith in 1788. He and his family fought not only with the British forces in the American Revolution but three members succumbed to wounds in the first year’s fighting in the 1812 invasion. Dozen of early pioneer settlers are interred there, in fact the writer knows of none being exhumed, although the majority of its markers are gone. Much could be related of these early settlers, but it suffices to state that Jacob was the acknowledged patriarch of the original influx to the Head of the Lake, who fled from New Jersey to form the nucleus of those honored United Empire Loyalists perpetuated in the monument on Wentworth County Court House Square in Hamilton.

"Jacob Smith Sr. of Glanford and Saltfleet townships came from New Jersey to Canada in 1788 with his wife Elizabeth (Lewis) and fourteen children - three of his sons grown to manhood. They crossed the Niagara river from Lewiston to Niagara on rafts and paid a York shilling per head for each person. His petition for land - No. 119, 12, July, 1796, reads: - 'Jacob Smith stating that he came into the Province in 1788 with a wife and eleven children, that he had received 200 acres for himself and 400 acres for his family praying for an addition thereto. Recommended to be completed if not received before.' It is now generally believed by family historians that Jacob was of German descent. Chambers in his book 'Families of the German Valley' New Jersey writes: - 'Mathias Schmidt of Amwell, Sussex County, New Jersey was naturalized in 1730. His will probated 26th of June, 1765 names wife, Christiana and children - John, Lodwick(Lewis), Abraham, Jacob and Christian.' Jacob Smith Sr. was the first settler in Glanford township and his name is on the first map of Saltfleet township on Lot 8, Concs. B.F., I, II, III, and IV (from lake to hill). Also on Lots 9 and 10, Conc. 11, in all close to 700 acres." Annals of The Forty