My 8X-great grandfather, Captain Richard Smith Jr., was the son of Richard Smith, the immigrant ancestor of this branch, the Attorney General of Maryland and one of the Burgesses for Calvert County.
Captain Smith was one of the few Protestants to side with Lord Baltimore, leading his militia company in a losing battle against the rebels. When the new Protestant government tried to hold an election of Burgesses, Smith urged the people of Calvert County to hold no election, claiming that the writs were illegal. Smith was imprisoned for his efforts.
Captain Smith, who was born in England and regarded himself as a loyal subject who had broken no laws, protested vehemently, but to no avail, to the British authorities for his release. Gentlemen who tried to carry reports of the trouble to England were not allowed to board ships. Their letters were withheld from the mailbags of the sailing masters.
30th Decer 1689.
Upon the 25th of March last a rumour was spread abroard about the mouth of Puttuxent River that Ten Thousand Indians were come down to the Western Branch of the said River. whereupon my husband went up to the said Western Branch where he found noe Indians but there a strong Report that nine Thousand were at Matapany and at the mouth of Puttuxent [Patuxent] and that they had cutt off Capt BOURNES Family and had inforted themselves at Matapany, which was all false, upon these rumours the Country rose in Arms, but after diligent search and enquiry in all parts of the Province this rumour was found to be only a sham and noe Indians anywhere appeared to disturb or molest any the People of our Province. All which reports I do verily believe were designedly spread abroard to incite the People to rise in Armes as afterwards by the like Sham they were induced to doe. For in the latter end of July following one Capt CODE, Coll. JOWLES, Majr BEAL Mr BLACKISTON 1 with some others appeared in Armes and gave for their pretence that the Papists had invited the Northern Indians to come down and cutt off the Protestants and that their descent was to be about the latter end of August when roasting Eares were in season and that they therefore rose in Armes to secure the Magazine of armes and amunition and the Protestants from being cutt off by the said Indians and Papists, this was their pretence to those they found very apprehensive of the said Indians to others they said their design was only to proclaim the King and Queen, but when the aforesd persons with some others had gathered together a great number of People together they then came out and seized upon the Government, who withstood them first at St Maryes in the State House where the Records are kept, whom the said CODE and his party soon overcame and seized upon the Records, from thence he proceeded with his party to Matapany House, wherein Coll. DARNALL 2 with some Forces as many Protestants as Papists had garrisoned themselves, but were soon forced to capitulate, surrender and yeild, to the said CODE and his party. They having thus possessed themselves of the Government one JOHNSON Master of a Ship being bound for England, they gave him charge he should carry noe Letters but what was sent for themselves, and my Husband they arrested and put in prison for fear he should goe for England with the said JOHNSON to give an accompt of their proceedings and as soon as the said JOHNSON was gone they released him again. The said CODE and his Complices then sent out Letters to all the Countys of the Province to choose an Assembly; what was done in the rest of the Countys besides Calvert and Ann Arrundell I am not acquainted with, 3 but when the said Letters for the choosing of Burgesses came to our Sheriff to summon the people for that purpose he refused the same, they then went to Mr CLEGATT Corroner and he also refused (who are both Protestants) whereupon Coll. JOWLES rode about to give the people notice himself. When the County were come together most of the House Keepers agreed not to choose any Burgesses, and drew up an abhorence against such proceedings, the which Election was alsoe much opposed by our Sheriff, whereupon Coll. JOWLES gathered his soldiers and caused the Election to be made by the number he had which was not above Twenty and of them not above ten that were capable of Electing. Coll. JOWLES himself and Majr BEAL his next Officer were returned for two of the Burgesses elected, and because Mr TANEY the Sheriff and my Husband endeavoured to oppose the said Election, the said CODE caused them to be put in prison. Neither for this Election nor in their Cause did almost any of our County appear that were men of Estates or men of note, but they to the contrary published an abhorence against such proceedings and were themselves as are most of our County Protestants. The County of Ann Arrundell which is accounted the most populous and richest of the whole Province, and wherein is but one papist Family unanimously stood out and would not Elect any Burgesses. About the 21st of August, the Assembly of their calling mett before whom was brought Mr TANEY our Sheriff and my husband, and Capt CODE and his Complices having pretended they had the King's Proclamation for what they did my Husband demanded to see the same, but their Answer was take him away Sheriff Mr TANEY likewise asking them by what authority he was called before them, CODE answered, what, this is like King Charles, and you are King TANEY, take him away. Notwithstanding upon the said Code's riseing as before is said, their pretence was chiefly to secure the Country against the Indians, yett all this while not until my coming away which was the 26th of September last there was not the least appearance of any foreign or Home Indians coming to disturb us. What was there furthur proceedings in their Assembly I am not able to give any Account of but Mr TANEY and my Husband were detained Prisoners at my coming away.
Barbara SMITH.
In London the 30th of December 1689.
Mrs Smith's Narrative of the
trowbles in Maryland.
To the Right Honble the Lords Commns
of their Majties Plantacons.
The humble Petition of Barbarah
Smith the wife of Capt Richd Smith
in their Majties Province of Maryd
Sheweth.
That your Petitionrs said husband together with Mr Michaell TAWNEY high Sheriff there, upon the rising in Maryland for choosing Burgesses in July last having had no knowledge of their Majties accession to the Crown, & altogether ignorant of any change of Government in England they chanced to oppose the Elections purely to the end of keeping the Peace, and are well knowne to be very good Protestants not repugnant to Protestant Government.
And for as much as your Petitioner's said husband and Mr. TAWNEY are now Prisoners, and have been ever since the 25th of August last having a great charge of Children neere 100 miles of their habitacon and in a very indigent Condicon. Therefore humbly prays your Lordspps Consideracon of the premises, and in your great pity and compassion grant your Lordpps. speedy Order for their Discharge. And your Petr as bound shall ever pray etc.
The Peticon of Barbarah Smith.
1689
Now, where did this brave woman come from? Barbara Smith was the daughter of Henry and Frances Morgan, sheriff of Kent County MD. Her first husband was John Rousby, the brother of Calvert County Sheriff Christopher Rousby. After Rousby's death, Barbara married Captain Smith in 1686 as his second wife. Richard and Barbara lived at St. Leonard's Creek in Calvert County MD, now the site of the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. Based on archeological work, the Park has provided a sketch of the Smith's residence.
Richard and Barbara Smith had a son: Walter Smith and three daughters: Frances, Susanna, and Barbara, who were raised at St. Leonard's along with Barbara's Rousby children from her first marriage (Elizabeth and John Rousby) and Richard's children from his first marriage (Ann, Richard, and Elizabeth Smith). Interestingly, both my mother and my father are descendants of Captain Smith by his two sons, Walter and Richard.
Barbara Morgan Smith died about 1695 and Captain Smith married for the third time to Maria Johanna Somerset in 1697. She died a year later, giving birth to her only child, Charles Somerset Smith.
Captain Richard Smith died in March 1714, leaving the St. Leonard's property to his son Walter.
So, thanks to the courage and determination of grandmother Barbara Smith, Captain Richard and his family went on to thrive in Maryland. And I mean that literally, because all of Barbara’s children with Richard came after his release from prison.
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