Joel Smith

Birth: Dec. 30, 1798 South Carolina, USA Death: Feb. 19, 1855 Greenwood County South Carolina, USA

Joel's father, William started building the Stoney Point Mansion in 1818 and died in 1824 before it was completed. Joel bought the home from the estate and finished building it in 1829. The Flemish bond brick mansion was elegant and imposing for upcountry South Carolina. It was reminiscent of the family's Virginia roots and reflected the prestige and influence of it's 19th century owners.

Marriage record (Probate Court) revealed Joel Smith and Isabella Elizabeth Marshall married ca 1826 in Abbeville County, South Carolina.

Joel was about twenty-seven and Isabella was about seventeen when they married.

The 1830 Census revealed Joel owned twenty-nine slaves. They were living in Abbeville County, South Carolina. Household members: Joel (30-39), Isabella (20-29), Augustus (under 5), Mary (under 5) sister, Lucy (15-19) and one male (20-29).

The 1840 Census revealed Joel owned fifty-four slaves. Twenty household members were employed in Agriculture, two were employed in Commerce and two were employed in Manufacturing. Household members: Joel (40-49), Isabella (30-39), William (5-9), Augustus (10-14), Lucy (under 5), Mary & Virginia (5-9) and five males (20-29).

Joel wielded great influence in the upcountry in his various roles as a planter, merchant, banker and supporter of industries and railroads. In addition to farming, he continued the store established by his father and served as postmaster from 1824 to 1844 and from 1851 to 1853. He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1840 to 1848.

The 1850 census revealed Joel was a farmer and they were living in Saluda, Abbeville County, South Carolina. Their real estate value was $25,000. They were both born in South Carolina. Household members: Joel (51), Isabella E (41), Augustus M (23), Virginia C (18), Joel W (16), Lucy J (12), Emma E (10), George M (6) and Isabella (4).

The 1850 Slave census revealed Joel Smith owned one-hundred slaves ranging from age two months to sixty years.

Their known children:

Augustus Marshall Smith (b.1827 d.1862) Mary Elizabeth Smith (b.1829 d.1855) Virginia Caroline Smith (Aiken) (b.1832 d.1900) William Joel Smith (b.1833 d.1908) Lucy Jane Smith (b.1838 d.1927) Emma Eliza Smith (b.1840 d.1864) George Miles Smith (b.1844 d.1917) Isabella Smith (b.1846 d.1939)

They had been married about twenty-nine years and their daughter, Isabella was only about nine years old when Joel died on Feb 19, 1855 in Greenwood County, South Carolina.

Joel and family lived in the Stoney Point mansion and he was one of the wealthiest men in the state outside of Charleston at the time of his death. He owned 1,883 acres of land, part of which is the present Stoney Point Development.

The third owner of the house was his son-in-law, Wyatt Aiken. The executor of Joel's estate invested in confederate bonds which became worthless and the large plantation was broken up.

The mansion and five acres of land were listed in the National Register in June 1975.

Obituary (Charleston Courier, Feb 21, 1855)

Joel lived to about age 56.

Family links:

Parents:

 William Smith (1765 - 1824)

 Lucy Wright Smith (1768 - 1847)

Spouse:

 Isabella Elizabeth Marshall Smith (1809 - 1860)*

Children:

 Mary Elizabeth Smith Perrin (1829 - 1855)*

 Virginia Caroline Smith Aiken (1832 - 1900)*

 William Joel Smith (1833 - 1908)*

 George Miles Smith (1844 - 1917)*

Siblings:

 Thomas Smith (1792 - 1849)*

 John Skinner Smith (1795 - 1861)*

 Joel Smith (1798 - 1855)

 Nancy Smith (1804 - 1827)*

 Lucy Wright Smith White (1809 - 1890)*

*Calculated relationship

Burial: Magnolia Cemetery Greenwood (Greenwood County) Greenwood County South Carolina, USA

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Created by: Susan Pantelias Record added: Oct 10, 2012 Find A Grave Memorial# 98614242

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