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Biographical Sketch Massachusetts Unsolved

The parentage of Constant Smith (1745-1835)

Constant was born say 1745.1  He died 07 February 1835 in Swansea, Bristol Co. Massachusetts.2  Constant married Martha GALUSHA, 06 September 1772 in Rehoboth, Bristol Co. Massachusetts, by Elder John Hix.3

His parentage and origins remain unclear. He may have been born in Rehoboth, given his early residence there, although no birth record is found in the published Rehoboth vital records.4  Early 20th century researchers claimed a family bible (perhaps the one mentioned in his will) gave a Rehoboth birthdate of 05 November 1743.5 The most common theory is that Constant was the son of Ephraim and his second wife, Abigail Bowen.6 This couple was present in Rehoboth in the time of Constant’s birth:

Ephraim, resident of Swanzey, and Experience Bowen of Rehoboth, [married] July 16, 1743.7
Experience, of Ephraim and Experience [born] Jan. 18, 1743-4.8
Experience, wife of Ephraim, [died] Feb 1, 1743-4.9
Ephraim and Abigail Bowen, both of Rehoboth, [married] April 27, 1745.10

There is no definitive proof beyond time and place correlation to suggest a connection between Constant and this couple, and nothing else of Ephraim, beyond the records above, is known. 11 If the birth date claimed from the family bible is correct, Constant was born too early to be a child of the marriage. Some change the birth date to 26 November 1745, which would fit with the marriage, but there is nothing offered for this later date.12

Two other hypotheses had been advanced by early researchers for Constant’s parentage, although both suffer from the same lack of evidence.

EIMP suggested that his father was also a weaver and came to Rehoboth from Yorkshire, England.13 The identity of EIMP is unknown, as are the reason(s) they held this belief.

Another suggestion was offered by Mary E. Stafford of Barrington, RI.14 In a letter dated 01 October 1911, she stated it is in my uncle’s papers that Constant Smith was born at North Swansea in 1746; died February 7th, 1835. He was the son of Peter Smith, a ship-builder at Barneyville, No. Swansea.15 This seems unlikely given that: (a) Constant is not known to have any connection to Swansea prior to 1774, and (b) the ship-building industry in Barneyville did not begin until the late 18th century.16

  1. Several specific dates, places, and parents can be found on the Internet and are discussed further below. []
  2. His gravestone is Memorial 115227424, found in the Thomas Cemetery (Swansea, MA).  (Swansea, Bristol Co. MA). The death is also recorded in contemporaneous newspaper accounts, see Died.  [Worcester] Massachusetts Spy, 18 February 1835, page 3: In Swanzey, Feb. 7, Constant Smith, aged 90. []
  3. Arnold, James N.  Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896. (Providence RI: Narragansett Hist. Pub. Co., 1897).  Page 333.  Hix was a Baptist Minister, suggesting Constant and Martha shared that belief.  See, i.e., Bliss, Leonard.  History of Rehoboth. (Boston: Otis, Broaders & Co., 1836).  Pages 187-9. []
  4. Arnold, supra. []
  5. Genealogical query (No. 9263) from the Boston Evening Transcript, 11 November 1929.  The will can be found at Bristol County (Massachusetts) Probate Files, case 23610, Constant Smith (1835). Bristol County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1686-1880. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2017. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives. Digitized images provided by FamilySearch.org). []
  6. For instance, Preston, Eugene D.  Genealogy of the Barney Family in America.  (Springfield VA: The Barney Family Hist. Ass’n, 1990).  pg. 75; Helgemoe, Janet G.  Galusha-Galeucia Family.  (self-published, 1968). Page 9.    This theory is also endorsed by Saxbe in the new Bowen genealogy, see, i.e., Saxbe, William B.  Richard Bowen (1594?-1675) of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and His Descendants. (Hope RI: Rhode Island Genealogical Society, 2011) 4 vols. Vol. 3, page 18. []
  7. Arnold, supra at 499. []
  8. Id. at 745. []
  9. Id. at 877. []
  10. Id. at 499. []
  11. Saxbe, supra at 3:17-8. []
  12. See, i.e., Preston, supra at 75.  If Saxbe is correct that Abigail was brought up on fornication charges, this date would make sense, however.  See, i.e., Saxbe, supra at 3:18. []
  13. Query 9263, supra. []
  14. Her relationship to Constant Smith, if any, is unknown. []
  15. Preston, supra at 75. []
  16. Nebiker, Walter.  “Maritime History” in Warren 250th Anniversary Commemorative Book. (Springfield MO: Master Services, 1998).  Page 44. []

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