Notes for: Watters Smith, Jr.

The family of Watters Smith Jr. lived on the farm later owned by Albert McWhorter (kin) in 1971 on Duck Creek near the "new" school house. He was a Confederate sympathizer, although this is disputed by some family members. As Union soldiers arresting him took him away from home, he pulled a silver dollar from his pocket and threw it to his son Edward, who vowed to hold it till his father's safe return. As a prisoner, he was sent to Camp Chase, near Columbus, OH, where he became ill with dysentery. Union neighbors signed a petition for his wife and helped her to get to the camp, where she nursed him back to health. When she was able to bring him home, he weighed only 75 pounds. The silver dollar, dated 1799, has been passed down through the years and remains in the family.