Submitted by Casey Smith
Jasper Nix Smith was born September 18, 1832 in Habersham County, Georgia to Jesse Posie Smith and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Thomas. Jesse Posie Smith was born March 3, 1801 in South Carolina and died May 11, 1879 in Lumpkin County, Georgia. Elizabeth Thomas was born May 8, 1806 in South Carolina and died December 17, 1885 (according to her grave marker) in Lumpkin County, Georgia. Jesse and Elizabeth are buried at the Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery on Porter Springs Road in Dahlonega, Georgia which is in Lumpkin County.
Jasper had several siblings. Listed in the 1850 Lumpkin County, Georgia census are: father, Jesse, aged 49 years from South Carolina, mother, Elizabeth aged 44, and children, Artemisia aged 21 female, Jasper aged 19, Marion aged 13 male, Sarah Ann, aged 10, Martha aged 7, and John aged 4. Mary Ann Smith was born in 1852.
Artemisia Smith married Newton Jones on January 11, 1866. The ceremony was performed by D. S. Moose. Reverend Moose is buried near Jesse Smith. Martha Ann Smith married E. L. Duckett on December 6, 1866. Mary Ann Smith married John Fitts, and John P. Smith married Cenitha Dyer on December 25, 1878. James O. Waters, O. M. G. married John and Cenitha.
Jasper N. Smith married Cassander E. Allison on January 8, 1857. Cassander was born July 5, 1837 in Georgia and died November 24, 1908 in Lawrence County, Alabama and they had the following children: Joseph Carroll, born March 5, 1858, died 1933; Henry born 1859; Georgian, born April 1, 1860; Mary Elizabeth, born May 6, 1862, died 1887; William Riley, born December 16, 1865; Rozetty Jane, born January 22, 1868, died 1887; Lucinda Avaline, born October 28, 1870, died June 1, 1924; Jessie Benton, born November 29, 1872, died November 25, 1948; Thomas Pink, born February 11, 1875, died August 31, 1941; Martha Emiline, born 1878, died 1905; and Millie Melinda Smith, born 1880.
In the 1860 Winston County, Alabama Census, Jasper was married to Cassander and they had two children, Joseph and Georgian. In 1870, they were living in Lawrence County, Alabama in the household of Willis and Marion Evans and they had five children. In 1880, they were living in Moulton, Lawrence County, Alabama with ten children in the household (Georgianna was not mentioned in this census. She may have married or died). In the 1900 Town Creek, Lawrence County, Alabama Census, Cassander was listed as age sixty-three (63) with one child, Benton, in the household with her. She was shown as a widow who had had ten (10) children but only seven (7) were still living. NOTE: According to census records, she had a total of eleven children.
In the Lawrence County, Alabama Land Records Book, it states that Jasper N. Smith bought land in these locations:
N ½ of SE ¼ of Section 25, Township 8 South, Range 8 West Huntsville Meridian, 80.25 acres
NE ¼ of SW ¼ of Section 25, Township 8 South, Range 8 West, 40.12 ½ acres
SE ¼ of NW ¼ of Section 28, Township 8 South, Range 8 West, 40.10 ½ acres
N ½ of SE ¼ of Section 28, Township 8 South, Range 8 West, 80.21 acres
NE ¼ of SW ¼ of Section 28, Township 8 South, Range 8 West, 40.10 ½ acres
All this land was purchased on December 18, 1858. The certificate or warrant number was 29545 and was the same on all five pieces of property.
This information also appears in the same Lawrence County Land Records Book:
BLM-cancelled entries in this section:
W ½ of SW ¼ of Section 33, Township 8 South, Range 8 West Jasper N. Smith 7 January 1868 Hd. 1436 Can 1875. Susp. App. Made before Probate Judge, see letter R & R 2 Oct. 1868.
A Homestead document dated January 7, 1868, states Receiver's Receipt #1436, Application # 1436: Received of Jasper N. Smith, Lawrence County, Alabama the sum of $2.00 being the amount of fee and compensation of Register and Receiver for the entry of W ½, SW ¼ of Section 33, in Township 8, of Range 8 West under the acts of Congress approved May 20, 1862 and March 21, 1864, entitled, "An act to secure homesteads to actual settlers in the public domain." (It appears to be) 81.05 acres. D. M. Bradford, Receiver.
The History of Providence Baptist Church, Lawrence County, Alabama states: The earliest record of a church at the present site of Providence Baptist Church dates back to June 27, 1890. On this date a deed was recorded, transferring property from J. L. and Matilda Young to J. N. Smith, H. R. Frost, and C. A. Bowers, who were the trustees of Providence Primitive Baptist Church. This is where Jasper N. and Cassander Smith and many other family members are buried.
Jasper N. Smith enlisted in Company G of the 1st Alabama Cavalry, USV as a Private on March 10, 1864, in Decatur, Alabama at age twenty-two (22) by Lt. Pease for three years and was mustered in on April 13, 1864 in Decatur. The muster roll stated he was born in Habersham County, Georgia. A Descriptive Roll stated he was five-feet and eight-inches tall, had a fair complexion, Blue eyes and dark hair. Another muster roll stated he had never been paid any bounty.
A Company Muster-Roll dated November and December 1864, reported him to have deserted at Atlanta, Georgia on November 17, 1864 with Sabre Belt and Boxes. A Descriptive List of Deserters dated November 30, 1864; In the Field in Georgia stated he deserted with side arms. Another Descriptive List of Deserters dated December 27, 1864 from Thunderbolt, Georgia stated he deserted from camp. He was listed on the Company Muster-Out Roll in Huntsville, Alabama dated October 20, 1865, stating he was due a Clothing Allowance of $45.01, and that he deserted at Atlanta, Georgia. A Notation from the Adjutant General's Office of the War Department stated "Application of Removal of the charge of desertion and for an honorable discharge has been denied. Jasper was able to sign his name on his Enlistment Forms.
The Moulton newspaper, Concord News section, dated Friday, September 17, 1897 stated:
Jasper Smith, an old and reported Christian gentleman, was killed on the Courtland and Russellville Road last week by his horse falling on him. Mr. Smith was driving a flock of sheep he had purchased when the distressing accident happened.
After Jasper Smith died, his widow, Cassander, filed for a Widow's Civil War Pension #690.880 from Town Creek, Lawrence County, Alabama, but it was rejected February 20, 1909, stating he was not honorably discharged.
A General Affidavit dated February 20, 1899, and signed by S.B. Slaton and Absolem M. Crisler stated the following: "Jasper N. Smith died on August 26, 1897. He died from the fatal effect of injuries received by being thrown from his horse. Complained of pains in hips and bowels. He lived about 48 hours after he was hurt. We were present with him until his death. Interrogatories were resumed on March 16, 1899. By reference to the family record of the late Jasper N. Smith, we find that he was married to Casander Allison on January 8, 1857. Neither Jasper N. Smith or Casander Smith were ever married only to each other."
A General Affidavit completed and signed by Dr. B.T. Etheredge, aged 39 years, a citizen of Town Creek in Lawrence County, Alabama stated the following: "Mr. Jasper N. Smith was thrown from his horse the 24th day of August 1897 and received internal injuries of abdomen which proved fatal on the 26th day of August 1897. No Post-Mortem."
A Declaration for Widow's Pension filed January 18, 1899 with J.L. Lyndon, Justice of the Peace, stated: Casander Smith, aged 61 years, a resident of the town of Town Creek, County of Lawrence, State of Alabama, stated she was the widow of Jasper N. Smith, who died August 26, 1897. She stated she married Jasper N. Smith January 8, 1857, and they were married by Jonas Seabolt, Esq. at Lumpkin County, Georgia. She also stated she had not remarried and that she was without other means of support than her daily labor, and they had no children under the age of sixteen (16) years of age. Her claim was rejected February 4, 1899. Cassander E. Allison Smith died November 24, 1908 in Lawrence County, Alabama.
Descendants of Jasper Nix and Cassander Allison Smith still live at the old home place. Last year my husband, Donald Curtis Smith Sr. and I visited there. Don is a great grandson of Jasper and Cassander. The family that lives there now descends from the Thomas Pink Smith line. They had the original rocks from the old fireplace in their flowerbeds. This is a beautiful, tranquil place with trees, hills, and hollows to enjoy. I feel sure that Jasper and Cassander would be happy and honored to know that so many of their descendants desire to keep their legacy alive.
Information provided by: Casey Smith (2nd great grandson), Glenda McWhirter Todd, and Yolanda Morgan Smith.
Service records compiled by Glenda Todd and used with her permission. This and other information about the history of the First and the men who fought with the unit
can be found in her book, First Alabama Cavalry, USA: Homage to Patriotism.