John Smith was the youngest of the 3 Smith brothers that I’ve found in the Harrodsburg area. John did not earn this warrant himself, but it became his about the same time as the other Smith men.
Warrant:
Kentucky County (pct?)
We do hereby certify that James Willy is entitled to four hundred acres of land in the district of Kentucky on account of settlement made in the year 1774 and raising a crop of corn in the year 1776 lying at a sinking spring about three miles from the place and nearly and east course joining Jacob Freemans land to the south and that the said James Willy is also entitled to the preemption of one thousand acres of land adjoining the said settlement given under our hands at Harrdosburgh this 27th of October 1779. (Eventually to John Smith, Nov 1779)
Grant:
Grant Book 1, pg. 513
John Smith 1400 Acres
Kentucky
Benjamin Harrison Esquire Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, to all to whom these presents shall come greeting. Know ye that in consideration of the ancient composition of two pounds sterling and the sum of four hundred pounds paid by John Smith into the Treasury of this Commonwealth there is granted by the said Commonwealth unto the said John Smith assignee of James Willey a certain tract or parcel of land containing fourteen hundred acres, surveyed the 23rd day of October 1780 four hundred acres of which is by virtue of a certificate in right of settlement lying and being in the County of Kentucky on the waters of Cain Run and joining Richard Hogan and Azor Rees on the North and bounded as followeth, to wit, Beginning at a small swamp white oak saplin in a small draft in Hogans line, and running north one hundred and twenty poles to a black oak and Elm saplin north west corner to Hogan’s settlement, thence with his line East one hundred poles to two cherry tree saplins, thence north two hundred and twenty poles to 3 white oaks, thence west two hundred and twenty four poles thence south three hundred and forty poles to Azor Rees’s line thence with his line East one hundred and twenty four poles to the beginning. Also one thousand acres on a preemption Treasury Warrant No. 33 and issued the 19th day of February one thousand seven hundred and eighty and bounded as followeth, to wit, beginning at a Hickory and Buckeye in his settlement line and running from thence north forty five degrees west two hundred and fifty three poles along John Grisham’s line to a Black oak, white oak corner to said Grishams land, then west two hundred ____ sixty poles to two white oaks, then south five hundred and twenty poles to two Spanish oaks and ash in Azor Rees’s line, then with his line East two hundred and eighty six poles to the corner of the said settlement, then with the settlement line north three hundred and forty poles, then east one hundred and forty nine poles to the beginning with its appurtenances to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land, with its appurtenances to the said John Smith and his heirs forever. In witness of the said Benjamin Harrison Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, hath here unto set his hand, and caused the lesser seal of the said Commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond on the first day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty two and of the Commonwealth the (smeared)
Benjamin Harrison
