Mary SMITH Ball Lee Smith

Biography

Mary Smith was the daughter of Philip Smith, of Fleets Bay, and his wife Mary Matthews. Her date of birth is unknown; estimated as before 1720 at Petsworth Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia. She died at Cabin Point in Cople Parish, Westmoreland County between 27 November 1801, when she wrote her will, and 24 January 1803, when it was probated in Westmoreland County.

Mary Smith married three times and had no children of her own.

1. Jesse Ball (1716-d. 14 August 1747) - married 14 February 1741 at Northumberland County. Jesse Ball was the son of James Ball and Mary Conway, and Frances Fox's widower: Frances had three daughters by her first marriage to Charles Burgess.
2. John Lee (1724- d. 24 February 1767) - married December 20, 1749 in Gloucester County. John Lee was the son of Henry Lee and Mary Bland.
3. John Smith (1715-d. 1771) married on August 30, 1768 described as "old John Smith, the Innoculator" in family correspondence. Her first cousin. He was the son of Augustine Smith of Shooter's Hill, who was the brother of her father, Philip Smith of Fleets Bay. John Smith was Mary Jaquelin's widower, and they had eight children.

It is proven by John Lee's will that Mary had no children with him. There were no documented children from her first marriage. She had no children with John Smith of Shooter's Hill, as she was in her middle 40's when she married him.

Will

• 1799-1803 Westmoreland County, Virginia Deed & Will Book 20 [Mike Marshall]; Page 418.
• Mary Smith's Will
• In the name of God Amen, I Mary Smith of Westmoreland County being of sound mind and memory do make this my last will and testament.
• First, I give unto my sister Susanna Lee of Essex County my mulatto fellow Abel and my chariot and horses.
• Item I give and bequeath unto my three nieces Mary Lee, Susanna Lee and Philicia Sally Lee daughters of my nephew Philip Lee, deceased by Negro woman Mary, Alice, Moll and her children Aggy, Hannah, Beck, Angelina, Prue, Mary, George, Harriet and Peter together with the present increased of the females among them and also their future increase. But it is always understood that the aforementioned Negro by the name of Aggy, I lend to Mrs. Mary J. Lee during her life and after her death to come into the division aforesaid according to the above bequeath.
• Item I give unto my nephew Baldwin M. Lee all my books of accounts, bonds, notes, bills and debts and the money which may be due to me at the time of my death, and all the monies which my nephew may have in his possession which he may consider as mine.
• Item all the rest and residue of my estate of every kind together with the crops of every kind that may be growing on my plantation called Cabin Point at the time of my death I give to be equally divided between my nephews John P. Lee, Baldwin M. Lee and George W. Lee and my niece Susannah Lee, daughter of my sister Susanna Lee of Essex in equal division between them or the survivors.
• I do hereby appoint my three nephews John P. Lee, Baldwin M. Lee and George W. Lee executors and my niece Susannah Lee, daughter of my sister Susanna Lee of Essex County executrix of this my last will and do desire they or either of them enter on the execution of their office without giving bond and security. Witness my hand and seal this 27th day of November 1801.
• Witness: J. T. Carter, Steven Moore
• Gerard McKenney (his mark) Mary Smith
• Reuben McKenney (his mark)
• At a court held for Westmoreland County the 24th day of January 1803 the aforegoing last will and testament of Mary Smith was presented in court by Baldwin M. Lee one of the executors therein named who made oath thereto according to law and the same being also proved by the oath of Gerard McKenney a witness thereto, it is ordered to be recorded, and on the motion of the said executor and he having done what is usual in such cases, certificate is granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.
• Teste Joseph Fox, Jr. CWC

[Mary Smith d/o Philip, m 1st Jesse Ball, 2nd John Lee, 3rd John Smith]

References

1. Dorman, John Frederick. 2004. Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5. Genealogical Pub. Co. 4th edition. Vol 1, Page 332, book lookup by Hill, C. [03/18/2024]
2. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/LDY3-MNB
3. “Early Tombs in Westmoreland, Richmond, and Northumberland Counties.” The William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine 11, no. 3 (1903): 191–95. https://doi.org/10.2307/1920029. "Jesse Ball, an older brother to Jeduthan, married Mary, daughter of J. Philip Smith, who names her in his will of July 11, 1743. She was sister to Baldwin M. Smith, and was married a second time (1749) to Col. John Lee, of Westmoreland. She again married John Smith. Jesse Ball's marriage is usually incorrectly given in the published genealogies of the Balls.
4. https://www.colonial-settlers-md-va.us/getperson.php?personID=I4030...
5. Tyler, Lyon G. “The Smiths of Virginia.” The William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, vol. 25, no. 3, 1917, pp. 184–91. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1915024. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
6. "The Papers of Bushrod Washington" < link > Cabin Point was a house and property in Westmoreland County about 3 1/2 miles east of Bushfield, and near the mouth of Lower Machodoc Creek. Cites:
   1. Washington, Diary Entry, 31 Aug. 1768, in The Papers of George Washington Digital Edition (Charlottesville, University of Virginia Press, Rotunda, 2008), https://rotunda.upress.virginia.edu/founders/GEWN-01-02-02-0003-002...… [accessed 22 Nov 2021]
   2. Founders Online, (National Archives), https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/01-02-02-0003-00....