Smith Road Middle Section: John Smith and Dorothy Shipley
The middle section of property, south of Smith Road, was the homestead of Captain John Smith (1780-1819) and his wife Dorothy Shipley (1779-1864). John and Dorothy were the parents of Francis, John, and Thomas Smith who purchased the lots north of Smith Road. Shipley family members purchased lots south of the property. John Smith was lost at sea in 1819 but his widow Dorothy was still living on the property in 1837.
In 1823, Stephen Read (1796-1846) of River Philip, grandson of the original owner Stephen Read (1721-1801), sold James Shipley (1788-1874) the 91-acre property on which John and Dorothy Smith had been living. James Shipley was Dorothy's brother and likely acting as executor of John's estate. However, it's unclear why James Shipley was purchasing the property. Perhaps it had previously been leased or mortgaged and James Shipley was simply paying off the mortgage. James Shipley was also the uncle of the Stephen Read who sold the property as Stephen's mother Sarah (Shipley) was James's sister.
According to the deed, the property was bounded on the northwest by lands of the Messrs. Cochran and on the northeast by Robert Coates deceased, likely the Robert Coates (1773-1817) married to Jane Ripley (1772-1843). Cornelius Read had sold a property Robert Coates in 1810 but I have not yet viewed that deed. The property was also bounded on the southeast and northeast by Messrs. Cochran and by the Sunken Creek. This is the same Sunken Creek that formed the western boundary of land later sold to Francis Caleb Smith as the Smith deed mentions sharing a border with Widow Smith. So this property lay south of today's Smith Road between the railroad tracks and the creek that formed the western boundary of Francis Smith's homestead. It was likely part of Lot 24, originally owned by Stephen Read.
See Thomas Cochran's Map and Francis Caleb Smith on this website for additional context and information about the location of this property.
In 1823, Stephen Read (1796-1846) of River Philip, grandson of the original owner Stephen Read (1721-1801), sold James Shipley (1788-1874) the 91-acre property on which John and Dorothy Smith had been living. James Shipley was Dorothy's brother and likely acting as executor of John's estate. However, it's unclear why James Shipley was purchasing the property. Perhaps it had previously been leased or mortgaged and James Shipley was simply paying off the mortgage. James Shipley was also the uncle of the Stephen Read who sold the property as Stephen's mother Sarah (Shipley) was James's sister.
According to the deed, the property was bounded on the northwest by lands of the Messrs. Cochran and on the northeast by Robert Coates deceased, likely the Robert Coates (1773-1817) married to Jane Ripley (1772-1843). Cornelius Read had sold a property Robert Coates in 1810 but I have not yet viewed that deed. The property was also bounded on the southeast and northeast by Messrs. Cochran and by the Sunken Creek. This is the same Sunken Creek that formed the western boundary of land later sold to Francis Caleb Smith as the Smith deed mentions sharing a border with Widow Smith. So this property lay south of today's Smith Road between the railroad tracks and the creek that formed the western boundary of Francis Smith's homestead. It was likely part of Lot 24, originally owned by Stephen Read.
See Thomas Cochran's Map and Francis Caleb Smith on this website for additional context and information about the location of this property.
1848 James Shipley to Francis Caleb Smith
On 5 Jan 1848, James Shipley sold Francis Caleb Smith a portion of the land previously "laid off to Dorothy Smith, widow of John Smith, for her Dower". The parcel included approximately 13 acres of marsh and 30 acres of upland "bounded on the east by a Sunken Creek, on the west by Joseph Coates' land, on the south by lands of William Humphrey and others, and on the north by the remaining part of the lot now in possession of Thomas Smith and his family." (Deed Book U, p. 479). The original property was 91 acres, so Thomas Smith retained 48 acres.
On 5 Jan 1848, James Shipley sold Francis Caleb Smith a portion of the land previously "laid off to Dorothy Smith, widow of John Smith, for her Dower". The parcel included approximately 13 acres of marsh and 30 acres of upland "bounded on the east by a Sunken Creek, on the west by Joseph Coates' land, on the south by lands of William Humphrey and others, and on the north by the remaining part of the lot now in possession of Thomas Smith and his family." (Deed Book U, p. 479). The original property was 91 acres, so Thomas Smith retained 48 acres.