Arthur Smith (captain)

Arthur Smith IV (c. 1680 – 1755) was a British colonial landowner, politician, and captain who incorporated Smithfield, Virginia, served as one of the town's founding trustees, and briefly represented Isle of Wight County in the Virginia House of Burgesses.[1][2][3][4]

For other people named Arthur Smith, see Arthur Smith (disambiguation).
Arthur Smith
Bornc. 1680
Isle of Wight, Virginia Colony
British America
Died1755 (aged 75)
Bacon's Castle
Surry County, Virginia
Known forFounder of Smithfield, Virginia
SpouseElizabeth Bray-Allen
Parent(s)Arthur Smith III, Mary Bromfield

Birth and family

Arthur Smith was born around 1680 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, the eldest son of Colonel Arthur Smith III and Mary Bromfield Smith.[5] Smith came from two prominent Isle of Wight families. Smith's father was appointed High Sheriff of Isle of Wight County by Acting Governor of Virginia, Francis Nicholson.[6] Smith's maternal grandfather was John Bromfield (1630–1680), the Isle of Wight Clerk of Court. Smith's paternal grandfather was Arthur Smith II, a judge and member of the House of Burgesses. His great-grandfather was Arthur Smith I, also a member of the House of Burgesses who was granted a land grant from King Charles I of England in 1637.[7]

By the 1730s, Smith married widow Elizabeth Bray-Allen, but they did not have any children.[1]

Life and career

Smith served as a member of the House of Burgesses representing Isle of Wight County from 1720 to 1722, succeeding his father in the seat he had previously held.[4][8]

Smith inherited a 1,450 acre farm and plantation after the death of his father.[9] In the 1740s,[10] Smith built the current Windsor Castle estate on his family land.[11][12][13] Smith owned at least four enslaved persons during his adulthood.[14]

In 1750, Captain Smith petitioned the Virginia General Assembly to dock part of his entailed estate to create a town which he would call "Smithfield." The original survey and plat of the Town of Smithfield was made by Jordan Thomas, County Surveyor.[15] The town of Smithfield was established as a colonial seaport in 1752[16] by Smith, which had four streets and 72 lots to house British merchants and ship captains.[5] Each lot sold for four pounds, six shillings.[17]

When establishing the town, Smith also donated a plot of land to become a free public school for children.[18] The settlers brought hogs with them and quickly found that the climate of the town was ideal for curing ham and bacon.[19]

Upon the establishment of the town of Smithfield by the General Assembly, Smith was appointed as one of the first voting trustees of the town, serving alongside Robert Burwell, William Holden, James Baker, James Dunlop, James Arthur, and Joseph Bridger.[3]

Death and burial

Smith died in 1755 at Bacon's Castle in Surry County, Virginia around 75 years old, just three years after the founding of Smithfield.[20]

Smith is believed to be buried at the Windsor Castle family burying ground. In recent years, the town of Smithfield has discussed performing DNA testing and forensic analysis at the Smith burying ground to identify the grave of Captain Smith.[21][22]

See also

References
  1. Boddie, John Bennett (1973). Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia: A History of the County of Isle of Wight, Virginia, During the Seventeenth Century, Including Abstracts of the County Records. Genealogical Publishing Com. pp. 249–251. ISBN 978-0-8063-0559-2.
  2. "Living in Hampton Roads: Smithfield". Daily Press. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  3. An Act for Establishing the Town of Smithfield, in the County of Isle of Wight. 1752. p. 29. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. "House History - Arthur Smith". history.house.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  5. Evans-Hylton, Patrick (2004). Smithfield: Ham Capital of the World. Arcadia Publishing. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-7385-1742-1.
  6. Des Cognets, Louis (1958). "English duplicates of lost Virginia records". Internet Archive. Princeton, NJ. p. 2. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  7. Mary Ruffin Hanbury (April 2000). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Windsor Castle Farm" (PDF). Virginia Department of Historic Resources. and Accompanying photo
  8. Whichard, Rogers Dey (1959). The History of Lower Tidewater Virginia. Lewis Historical Publishing Company.
  9. Marshall, Mike. "Will of Arthur Smith III, dated 2 December, 1696; probate 10 June, 1697". Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  10. Virginia, Justin Sarafin, Preservation (2014-12-23). Preservation Virginia's Most Endangered Historic Sites List:: Updates on Past Listings 2000 through 2014. Preservation Virginia. p. 19.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. "Windsor Castle Information". Isle of Wight County (Virginia) Historical Society. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  12. "Windsor Castle". Isle of Wight County Museum Smithfield, Virginia USA. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  13. "A Brief History of Smithfield's 250-year old, Twelve-Room Treasure". Daily Press. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  14. "Kitchen and Laundry Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  15. Isle of Wight County Clerk's Office
  16. "About Our Town". Smithfield, Virginia - Town of Smithfield, Incorporated in 1752 - A Hampton Roads Community in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  17. "Part II: Genuine Hams, History, Hospitality & HeART (Genuine History) - Hambassadors |". www.genuinesmithfieldva.com. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  18. "History of Mason Street, Smithfield, Isle of Wight County, Virginia" (PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey.
  19. Renove, Norman (2000). Romantic Weekends in Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland. Hunter Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-1-55650-835-6.
  20. "Kitchen and Laundry Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
  21. Bourne, Victoria. "Millions in restoration work turns back the clock at Windsor Castle in Smithfield". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
  22. Lee, Frederic (2019-12-03). "Hunting down Arthur Smith's DNA". Smithfield Times. Retrieved 2022-12-27.
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