Correspondence about Mary Benjamin Smith & Anne William Smith

Dear Becky,

How wonderful that you have the painting and the inheritance tradition.

To refresh my memory, I've pulled out the Tillett book (pp. 94, 96) to check the women's names again. The mother of our grandparents was Mary Benjamin Smith Tillett, who apparently was called "Mamie," at least by her husband. She in turn was the 8th child of Benjamin Men Smith and Anne William [or Williams] Smith. Before the Civil War the Smiths had moved from the vicinity of Granville County, North Carolina, to Dallas County, Arkansas, taking their slaves with them.

Anne Smith died two months after her 13th child was born, in 1871. The next year, when Mary was about 12 years old, her father married "Annie Wilson Smith, a cousin of his first wife." Annie Wilson Smith "held together and reared this large family of children."

Here is what Aunt Mame wrote about her and Poppa Henry's mother's youth: Mary had gone through the Reconstruction days, had seen her father's slaves leave when they wished to; had learned to cook and sew; she could paint pictures, and had God's gift of growing beautiful flowers; she could make little go far. She was a devout Presbyterian, a profound student of the Bible and a devoted helpmate to her young husband.

Well, now it's midnight. Becky, now I'm even more excited about your painting; because I realize that it must indeed be of Anne William(s) Smith! Mary was born in 1860, according to what Sandra wrote down; Anne was born in 1830. So, if the portrait was painted around 1848, Anne [who was destined to live only about 41 years] was a young woman of 18, presumably from N.C. like her husband. The fact that she attended a "female seminary" school is fascinating, too; perhaps it was the equivalent of a college education. And holding sheet music!

Love,
Sandi

On Mon, Jan 5, 2009 at 11:40 AM, Becky wrote:

Sandi – What lovely, wonderful photos! Thank you for sending them. I have a beautiful portrait of my great-great grandmother (Mamie Augusta Tillett's grandmother) and I think it may be Mary Benjamin Smith (or her mother), painted in about 1848. I have a file on it at home and will check.

This painting hung in Gamama (Mamie)'s home until she died, when it went to my mother. When Mama died, it came to me (it is to go to the oldest daughter in each generation, which I love). So it will go to Jeannie's daughter Leigh when I die. We had the painting cleaned and restored and discovered much more color in it than it had before. Jeannie and I always thought it looked rather grim, but now she has pink cheeks, a sparkle in her eyes and yellow sleeve lining. I will try to scan in a photo of it and send it to you. The portrait was painted by a traveling German artist (we have his name), while she was a student at a "female seminary" somewhere up north. The story is that he chose her to paint because of her beautiful hands. In the painting, she is holding some sheet music. It is very unusual for a portrait of that era to include the hands, because they are hard to paint.

I'll get back to you, probably tomorrow after I find the file!

Becky

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From: Sandi
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2009 7:10 PM
To: Sandra
Cc: Jeannie; Becky
Subject: 3 photos that I received from Boulder

Dear Sandra,

Are these pictures of Mary Smith Tillett, your grandmother? There was a Post-It note written by Mom that said something like, "I think these are of Mary B. Smith Tillett."

Love,
Sandi