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Note: (From a descendant of David and son, Leonard) Melinda B. Price.
1994 letter: I met a woman at SLC library from Vista, CA named Priscilla Cummings who researched thoroughly the Wilkes/Burkes Co. area on Forresters and Browns. Kept seeing Spradlin(g) so culled that information too. According to what she has, Charles Spradling died 1780 old Craven Co, SC, left will naming grandson David (son of Agnes). Dtr. Agnes married Aaron Smith (RW soldier) 4 Mar 1784 Burke Co, NC. They had a dtr. Rhoda who married George Taylor. They had at least 11 children and the Smiths and Taylors ended up in Washington Co, AR while David stayed in TN. A deed which names David's children is the key document. Rachel is named as a child of David's (not a dtr in law). (Info from Marilou Werrell)
Listed in the 1840 Washington Co., AR Census, p. 260 with daughter, Rhoda, and husband George Taylor, female, age 80-90.
Named for her grandmother, Agnes.
Please forgive my "facts" since I am not quoting from the papers I know I have. The descendant had a several generations old paper that stated David was born in SC and his mother was Agnes, his father's name not given at least not in the written records so whether David ever knew wasn't known. That Agnes moved with David to Wilkes Co, NC after her father's death because she had kin there who put her to work in a mill or something like that and she subsequently married Aaron Smith. Aaron Smith was witness to David and Elitha's marriage. Everyone (all the kin) moved to TN but Aaron and Agnes wanted to go further west and ended up settling there. (Information from Marilou Werrell)
Fayetteville, Ark July 12 1843
Sirs,
Enclosed you will find a certified copy of the record of our Court, that Agnes Smith is the widow of Aaron Smith deceased a Revolutionary Pensioner, which is more fully shown by inference to a certificate found 15 Jan 1819 by the Secretary of War___And which is now on file in your office, having been sent there in May last by William G. Woodruff, Pension Agent Little Rock Ark___For the purpose of Agnes Smith drawing the amount due Aaron Smith deceased up to March 1 /40.
Mrs. Agnes Smith is a very poor woman, old very feeble, not able to do any labor whatever. Bedridden? and has been blind for fifteen years and has lived since the date of her husband Aaron Smith on the charity of her friends. If there is any law providing for the widow of deceased pensioners, I hope you will give the helpless old lady some kind of advice on how to proceed to avail herself of it. She is now in receipt of the amount forwarded her on account of her late husband Aaron Smith, Forty-seven dollars & Forty-two cents. And for which she will return receipt by sent mail. Your kind attention is most respectfully solicited to the matter as soon as possible.
With Great Respect, your able servant, Alfred Walton.
To: The Now Secretary of War, Washington D.C.
(Note: It's not clear whether Agnes ever received a pension on Aaron's service. Apparently, she had no written record establishing their marriage.)
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