WAR of 1812 Veteran. John K. Smith founded the village of Algonac when he settled there in 1816.
JOHN K SMITH, was one of the earliest & most prominent settlers on the river. His parents removed to Vermont when he was only 3 yrs of age, and he was raised there. He came to Detroit with the army of 1816 and he held the position of Quartermaster and the following year came up on the river to Stromney's Island and started a pottery. A discharged soldier who had followed the trade in Philadelphia did the mechanical part of the work and they took the goods down the river to Canada in canoes and sold them. In 1818 Mr Smith came up the river one mile above Algonac and started a store and during the same year he married Miss Catharine McDonald. She was a native of Scotland and was born in 1795. She came to Canada with the Belldoon Colony brought over by Selkirk. Mr Smith continued trading for some time. He bought land cleared it and made his farm. He held various important offices of trust, & he was appointed Justice of the Peace of Macomb County by Gov Cass in 1818 was appointed Justice of the Peace of St Clair County by Gov Cass in 1821 was appointed Associate Justice of this county by Gov Cass in 1826 was appointed Special Commissioner by Gov Cass in 1827 was appointed Probate Judge of the county by Gov Cass in 1828 was appointed Chief Justice for the county by Gov Cass in 1829 was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs in 1832 and held that office and the office of Postmaster until his death. The various commissions for each office signed by Gov Cass are preserved in the family in the possession of his daughter Miss Jane Smith. He was the first Postmaster first Probate Judge and first Custom House officer in the county of Algonac. He did the writing for the whole country around. The Indians had great confidence in him and called him the Big Captain and would come from a long distance for him to settle their disputes and his decisions were always accepted as final. Both he and his wife were active supporters and consistent members of the Methodist Church which was the first church except a small Catholic Church organized in this county. Mr Smith lived here until his death April 14 1855. His wife survived him & she passed on August 22 1881. Ten children survived: Abram living here; Sarah C now Mrs Russell living here; Angus a prominent business man in Milwaukee; Jane living here; Anna living here; Lydia now Mrs Hinsdale living in New York City; Catharine now Mrs Raney of Detroit; Francis Y living here; Samuel L at Lansing; and Mary now Mrs Johnson of Detroit.
1850 U.S. Census:
John K Smith 64
Catherine Smith 54
Jane Smith 22
Anna Smith 20
Latta Smith 18
Catherine Smith 15
Francis Smith 13
Mary Smith 11
JOHN K SMITH, was one of the earliest & most prominent settlers on the river. His parents removed to Vermont when he was only 3 yrs of age, and he was raised there. He came to Detroit with the army of 1816 and he held the position of Quartermaster and the following year came up on the river to Stromney's Island and started a pottery. A discharged soldier who had followed the trade in Philadelphia did the mechanical part of the work and they took the goods down the river to Canada in canoes and sold them. In 1818 Mr Smith came up the river one mile above Algonac and started a store and during the same year he married Miss Catharine McDonald. She was a native of Scotland and was born in 1795. She came to Canada with the Belldoon Colony brought over by Selkirk. Mr Smith continued trading for some time. He bought land cleared it and made his farm. He held various important offices of trust, & he was appointed Justice of the Peace of Macomb County by Gov Cass in 1818 was appointed Justice of the Peace of St Clair County by Gov Cass in 1821 was appointed Associate Justice of this county by Gov Cass in 1826 was appointed Special Commissioner by Gov Cass in 1827 was appointed Probate Judge of the county by Gov Cass in 1828 was appointed Chief Justice for the county by Gov Cass in 1829 was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs in 1832 and held that office and the office of Postmaster until his death. The various commissions for each office signed by Gov Cass are preserved in the family in the possession of his daughter Miss Jane Smith. He was the first Postmaster first Probate Judge and first Custom House officer in the county of Algonac. He did the writing for the whole country around. The Indians had great confidence in him and called him the Big Captain and would come from a long distance for him to settle their disputes and his decisions were always accepted as final. Both he and his wife were active supporters and consistent members of the Methodist Church which was the first church except a small Catholic Church organized in this county. Mr Smith lived here until his death April 14 1855. His wife survived him & she passed on August 22 1881. Ten children survived: Abram living here; Sarah C now Mrs Russell living here; Angus a prominent business man in Milwaukee; Jane living here; Anna living here; Lydia now Mrs Hinsdale living in New York City; Catharine now Mrs Raney of Detroit; Francis Y living here; Samuel L at Lansing; and Mary now Mrs Johnson of Detroit.
1850 U.S. Census:
John K Smith 64
Catherine Smith 54
Jane Smith 22
Anna Smith 20
Latta Smith 18
Catherine Smith 15
Francis Smith 13
Mary Smith 11
WAR of 1812 Veteran. John K. Smith founded the village of Algonac when he settled there in 1816.
JOHN K SMITH, was one of the earliest & most prominent settlers on the river. His parents removed to Vermont when he was only 3 yrs of age, and he was raised there. He came to Detroit with the army of 1816 and he held the position of Quartermaster and the following year came up on the river to Stromney's Island and started a pottery. A discharged soldier who had followed the trade in Philadelphia did the mechanical part of the work and they took the goods down the river to Canada in canoes and sold them. In 1818 Mr Smith came up the river one mile above Algonac and started a store and during the same year he married Miss Catharine McDonald. She was a native of Scotland and was born in 1795. She came to Canada with the Belldoon Colony brought over by Selkirk. Mr Smith continued trading for some time. He bought land cleared it and made his farm. He held various important offices of trust, & he was appointed Justice of the Peace of Macomb County by Gov Cass in 1818 was appointed Justice of the Peace of St Clair County by Gov Cass in 1821 was appointed Associate Justice of this county by Gov Cass in 1826 was appointed Special Commissioner by Gov Cass in 1827 was appointed Probate Judge of the county by Gov Cass in 1828 was appointed Chief Justice for the county by Gov Cass in 1829 was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs in 1832 and held that office and the office of Postmaster until his death. The various commissions for each office signed by Gov Cass are preserved in the family in the possession of his daughter Miss Jane Smith. He was the first Postmaster first Probate Judge and first Custom House officer in the county of Algonac. He did the writing for the whole country around. The Indians had great confidence in him and called him the Big Captain and would come from a long distance for him to settle their disputes and his decisions were always accepted as final. Both he and his wife were active supporters and consistent members of the Methodist Church which was the first church except a small Catholic Church organized in this county. Mr Smith lived here until his death April 14 1855. His wife survived him & she passed on August 22 1881. Ten children survived: Abram living here; Sarah C now Mrs Russell living here; Angus a prominent business man in Milwaukee; Jane living here; Anna living here; Lydia now Mrs Hinsdale living in New York City; Catharine now Mrs Raney of Detroit; Francis Y living here; Samuel L at Lansing; and Mary now Mrs Johnson of Detroit.
1850 U.S. Census:
John K Smith 64
Catherine Smith 54
Jane Smith 22
Anna Smith 20
Latta Smith 18
Catherine Smith 15
Francis Smith 13
Mary Smith 11
JOHN K SMITH, was one of the earliest & most prominent settlers on the river. His parents removed to Vermont when he was only 3 yrs of age, and he was raised there. He came to Detroit with the army of 1816 and he held the position of Quartermaster and the following year came up on the river to Stromney's Island and started a pottery. A discharged soldier who had followed the trade in Philadelphia did the mechanical part of the work and they took the goods down the river to Canada in canoes and sold them. In 1818 Mr Smith came up the river one mile above Algonac and started a store and during the same year he married Miss Catharine McDonald. She was a native of Scotland and was born in 1795. She came to Canada with the Belldoon Colony brought over by Selkirk. Mr Smith continued trading for some time. He bought land cleared it and made his farm. He held various important offices of trust, & he was appointed Justice of the Peace of Macomb County by Gov Cass in 1818 was appointed Justice of the Peace of St Clair County by Gov Cass in 1821 was appointed Associate Justice of this county by Gov Cass in 1826 was appointed Special Commissioner by Gov Cass in 1827 was appointed Probate Judge of the county by Gov Cass in 1828 was appointed Chief Justice for the county by Gov Cass in 1829 was appointed Deputy Collector of Customs in 1832 and held that office and the office of Postmaster until his death. The various commissions for each office signed by Gov Cass are preserved in the family in the possession of his daughter Miss Jane Smith. He was the first Postmaster first Probate Judge and first Custom House officer in the county of Algonac. He did the writing for the whole country around. The Indians had great confidence in him and called him the Big Captain and would come from a long distance for him to settle their disputes and his decisions were always accepted as final. Both he and his wife were active supporters and consistent members of the Methodist Church which was the first church except a small Catholic Church organized in this county. Mr Smith lived here until his death April 14 1855. His wife survived him & she passed on August 22 1881. Ten children survived: Abram living here; Sarah C now Mrs Russell living here; Angus a prominent business man in Milwaukee; Jane living here; Anna living here; Lydia now Mrs Hinsdale living in New York City; Catharine now Mrs Raney of Detroit; Francis Y living here; Samuel L at Lansing; and Mary now Mrs Johnson of Detroit.
1850 U.S. Census:
John K Smith 64
Catherine Smith 54
Jane Smith 22
Anna Smith 20
Latta Smith 18
Catherine Smith 15
Francis Smith 13
Mary Smith 11
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AGED 69 years, 1 month, 23 days
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