Notes for Martha Archer Rudder: 5/13/1852 Martha filed a claim to receive land for her late husband, Sterling Smith's service to his country in the War of 1812. This Act was passed in 1850. Her husband died in 1839 and he was a private in the company commanded by Captain Hendrick. She states that he was drafted in Greenville, Greene Co., TN on or about 11/1814; he continued in the service of and was honorably discharged at Mobile, AL. She wishes to obtain the bounty land for her husband's military service under the Military Service Act of 9/1850 (Archive Doc. #455)
6/15/1852 Joel Rudder (don't know who he is) made an affidavit stating that he knew the late Sterling Smith and his widow, Martha, and that he was aware that Sterling Smith had died about the year 1839.
6/24/1853 Martha received 80 acres of land under the Military Service Act of 9/1850; however, I don't know where it was located (Archive Doc. 455)).
9/5/1853 Martha filed an Affidavit that she is the widow of Sterling Smith who served his country during the War of 1812 (Claim #WC191, Archive Doc. #455)
6/9/1853 Catherine Courtney ( Martha's sister) filed an affidavit stating that Martha married Sterling Smith in Hawkins Co., TN on 6/6/1807. She also stated that she had knowledge that Sterling died about 9/14/1841 (Archive Doc. #455)
6/9/1853 James Ferguson (probably her cousin) also filed an affidavit stating that he was at the wedding of Martha Rudder and sterling Smith on or about 6/6/1807. he also states that he has no doubt of the death of Sterling & that Martha has remained a widow (Archive Doc. #455).
4/21/1855 Martha filed a petition for an additional land bounty under the Military Service Act of 1855. It was filed at Knox Co., TN. She stated that her husband, Sterling, served in the War of 1812 in a calvary unit commanded by Correll. That he served for 6 months that he entered the service at Greenville, TN and was honorably discharged at Mobile, AL June 1815. She stated that she married Sterling Smith at Greene Co., TN 6/28/1807 before J.P.> Payne. She further stated that her husband, Sterling Smith, Died 9/20/1839 at the house of Jacob Barger. Martha declared that she had made application for bounty land under the act approved 9/8/1850 & had obtained a land warrant for 80 acres which she legally disposed of, & it cannot not be returned. Jacob & Eviline Barger signed an affidavit that they knew Martha to be the widow of Smith, & they had knowledge of Sterling's death (Archive Doc. #455)\ 12/17/1855 Haney N. Dale & Stephen Ault (Martha's son-in-law) filed a affidavit swearing that they have known the said Martha Smith for many years, and that she is the widow of the said Sterling Smith, and that Martha has never been married to anybody but the said Sterling Smith (Archive Co. #455)
Martha received another land warrant of 80 acres of land (don't know where it is).
5/20/1924. There was a letter to a Mrs. F.M. Smith of Chattanooga, TN who inquired about Martha Smith's p[pension File. Mrs. Smith was the wife of Frances Marion Smith s/o Monroe Smith. Martha B. (Rudder) Smith would have been Frances Marion Smith's grandmother; he was born in 4/8/1844, so he would have know his grandmother She lived just down the road form the James Monroe Smith plantation. I believe this gives me the prove positive that this is the Sterling Smith who married a Rudder. Descendants we had talked to had said that Sterling Smith's wife was a Nancy Rudder; however, it is certain that Sterling Smith's wife was a Martha B. Rudder (Archive doc. #455)
4/21/1933 There is another letter in the file written to Mrs. Rachel S. Cox (I believe that this is the daughter of Frances Marion Smith & Annie (Nott) Smith):: the letter is signed by A.D. Hiller. This letter goes through the information that is in the above file (Archive Doc. #455)
More About Martha Archer Rudder: Census: Moved to Knox Co..1347 Military service 1: 1830, Lived next to Robert Rudder in Blount Co..1347 Military service 2: 1871, applied for husband's pension for service of War of 1812.
More About Martha Archer Rudder and William H. Smith: Marriage 1: June 28, 1807, Hawkins Co., TN.1348 Marriage 2: September 19, 1842, Mecklenburg, VA.1349
Children of Martha Archer Rudder and William H. Smith are:
Martha Archer Rudder (b. 1791, d. January 21, 1851)
Notes for Martha Archer Rudder: