John Stith (Doctor)  8th child of Richard Stith, Sr. and Lucy Hall Stith

See book by Harriet Scott on Richard Stith, Sr. family for context.

From Dave Johnson on the Stith, Haynes, VanMeter, Johnson line.
From Dave Johnson on a Kentucky connection for his Johnson line.

 


Nannie Susan Haynes
b. 2 Jun 1840, Meade Co.

d. 1932
m. Felix VanMeter
photo c. 1930 age 90


Felix Grundy VanMeter
b. 12 May 1836, Meade Co.

d. 27 Jul 1914
drawing c. 1888 age 52
member of Hill Grove Baptist Church in 1852


David Stonewall VanMeter
b. 12 Jan 1866, Meade Co.

d. 1958

son of Felix and Nannie VanMeter
drawing c. 1888 age 22


David Stonewall VanMeter
photo c. 1930 age 64

Carrie Hope VanMeter
b. 10 Feb 1889, Nebraska
d. 20 Jun 1940
d/o David S. VanMeter
m. Samuel Leonis Johnson
photo c. 1930 age 41

The above photos and portraits from Dave Johnson, November 2004.  His notes:

I have a portrait of Felix Grundy VanMeter. He was born in Meade Co., Ky on 12 May 1836. He was one of my gr-gr-grandfathers. I estimate he would have been about 52 years old in the portrait. I will discuss later that he and other members of my VanMeter line were all members of the Hill Grove Baptist Church. Felix was a member since 1852 when he was only 16 years old. He died in Oklahoma on 27 Jul 1914. He is buried in the Sumner Cemetery, Noble Co., Oklahoma. See his headstone.

I also have a similar portrait of one of his sons, my gr-grandfather, David Stonewall VanMeter, who was born in Meade County on 12 Jan 1866. I don't know exactly where he was born. I found out that in the 1860 census, before David was born, Felix and his wife, Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter were near Brandenburg, Meade Co., KY. In the 1870 census, four years after David’s birth, the family was near the Garnettsville, Meade Co., KY Post Office. I estimate that both portraits were done at the time of David's wedding in Nebraska in about 1888. Hence, David would have been about 22 years old in the portrait. David died in 1958 and is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. See his headstone.

In addition, I have a photograph taken in about 1930 that shows the wife of Felix, Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter. Nannie is a nickname for her birth name of Nancy. She is one of my gr-gr-grandmothers. She was born on 2 Jun 1840 in either Meade Co. or Breckenridge Co., KY, near Big Spring. She would have been about 90 years old in the photo. She was a daughter of Henry "Little Henry" Haynes, 1811-1875, and Jane (Stith) Haynes, 1815-1895. Both Henry and Jane Haynes will be discussed below. Nannie died in 1932, probably near Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. However, she is buried next to her husband, Felix, in the Sumner Cemetery, Noble County, Oklahoma. See her headstone.

 

In that same photo are David Stonewall VanMeter, one of her sons at about age 64, and his first child, my grandmother. My grandmother was Carrie Hope (VanMeter) Johnson. She was born on 10 Feb 1889, probably near Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. She would have been about 41 years old in the photo. In 1908, she married Samuel Leonis Johnson,1887- abt 1921, my grandfather, in northwest Missouri. They had four children together. Carrie died on 20 Jun 1940 and is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. See her headstone.

The following submitted by Dave Johnson of Washington State:

Dr. John Stith: He was born on 27 Dec 1770 in Virginia and died on 27 Oct 1840 in Big Spring, Breckinridge Co., KY. I have searched the internet in Breckinridge, Hardin, and Meade Counties plus asked the lookup person for Breckinridge County (Merle Likins) to find him without success. Merle suggested that he might be buried in Hardin County.  I have learned from Merle Likins that apparently Dr. John Stith was very wealthy for Breckinridge County since he had 10 slaves in the 1840 census. This is from a county that only had 1642 slaves for that year. Surely such a prominent person would have a well-known burial site.

His wife, Susannah (Hightower) Stith , abt 1785-9 May 1961, is buried in the Clarkson Family Cemetery in Meade County. However, there is no mention of John Stith in the same cemetery. This is according to the listing in the Meade County Public Library website.

Dr. John Stith and his wife Susan (Hightower) Stith were the parents of Jane (Stith) Haynes, 1815-1895, who was one of my gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Jane Stith was the wife of Henry "Little Henry" Haynes, described below. She was probably born near Big Spring in either Breckenridge Co. or Meade Co., KY. Jane is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. It is likely that she is buried there because she was living with her daughter, Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter, at the time of her death. Her headstone reads: Jane, wife of Henry Haynes, born Mar 9 1815, died Jan 16 1895.

Among the ancestors buried in the area are the following:

Henry "Little Henry" Haynes 1811-`1875. Born in Bedford Co. VA. Lived in Meade County, KY but may have died in Grayson Co., KY since the 1870 census shows him and his wife Jane there. His burial site is unknown to me. One of my gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Son of Milliner Haynes and Nancy (Pate) Haynes. Husband of Jane (Stith) Haynes, 1815-1895. As noted above, Jane is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, Brownville, Nemaha Co., Nebraska. Father of Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter, 1840-1932.

Milliner Haynes 1781-1856. Born in Bedford Co., VA. Buried in Haynes Family Cemetery near Brandenburg, KY. Father of Henry "Little Henry" Haynes. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Husband of Nancy (Pate) Haynes, 1790-1840.

Nancy (Pate) Haynes, 1790-1840. Born in Bedford Co., VA. Apparently lived in Meade Co. with her husband and died somewhere in KY, but unknown burial site. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Wife of Milliner Haynes. Mother of Henry "Little Henry" Haynes.

Susannah (Hightower) Stith, abt 1785-9 May 1861. Born in Virginia. Buried in Clarkson Family cemetery near Big Spring, Meade Co., KY. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Wife of Dr. John Stith and mother of Jane (Stith) Haynes.

Daniel Boone VanMeter, 1802-1880. Born in Hardin Co., KY. Buried in Buck Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Meade Co., KY. He was one of my gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Husband of Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter. Son of Jacob VanMeter Jr. and Elizabeth (Rhoads) VanMeter. Father of Felix Grundy VanMeter. Member of Hill Grove Baptist Church since 1842.

Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter, 1804-1861. Born in Hardin Co., KY. Buried in Buck Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Meade Co., KY. Wife of Daniel Boone VanMeter and one of my gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Daughter of Samuel Abell, 1783-1840, and Mary Polly McNeil, 1784-1847. Mother of Felix Grundy VanMeter. Member of Hill Grove Baptist Church since 1842.

Jacob VanMeter Jr., 1762-1850. Born in Frederick Co., VA. Buried in VanMeter Family Cemetery in Meade Co. Ky. Father of Daniel Boone VanMeter and husband of Elizabeth (Rhoads) VanMeter. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Son of Jacob VanMeter Sr., 1723-1798, and Letitia (Stroud) VanMeter, 1725-1799. One of the elders from Mill Creek who helped found the Hill Grove Baptist Church in 1822. A member of the church since 1833.

Elizabeth (Rhoads) VanMeter, 1770-1852. Born in Bedford Co., Pennsylvania. Buried in VanMeter Family Cemetery in Meade Co., KY. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Wife of Jacob VanMeter Jr. and mother of Daniel Boone VanMeter. Daughter of Henry Rhoads, 1739-1814, and Elizabeth (Stoner) Rhoads, 1744-1807.

Samuel Abell, 1783-1840. Born in Maryland. Apparently died in Hardin County, KY but unable to locate burial site. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Father of Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter. Husband of Mary Polly McNeil, 1784-1847. Son of Peter Abell and Lucy (Carman) Abell.

Peter Abell, abt 1745-abt 1785. Born in Saint Mary’s Co., Maryland. Died at Roger's Station, Nelson Co., Ky near Bardstown. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Father of Samuel Abell. Husband of Lucy Carman, abt 1750-1814.

Jacob VanMeter Sr., 1723-1798. Born in Somerset Co., New Jersey. Buried in Elizabethtown City Cemetery, Elizabethtown, KY. Father of Jacob VanMeter Jr. and husband of Letetia (Stroud) VanMeter. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. He was a Kentucky pioneer as noted on the plaque in front of his headstone in the Elizabethtown City Cemetery.

Letetia (Stroud) VanMeter, 1725-1799. Born in Frederick Co., VA. Buried in Elizabethtown City Cemetery, Elizabethtown, KY. Wife of Jacob VanMeter Sr. and mother of Jacob VanMeter Jr.. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. She was also a Kentucky pioneer. See the bottom of the plaque in the Elizabethtown City Cemetery.

Henry Rhoads, 1739-1814. Born in Pennsylvania. Buried in Browder Cemetery, Muhlenberg Co., KY. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfathers. Father of Elizabeth (Rhoads) VanMeter and husband of Elizabeth (Stoner) Rhoads. He was another Kentucky pioneer as noted on the Kentucky roadside marker.

Elizabeth (Stoner) Rhoads, 1744-1807. Born in Frederick Co., Maryland. Buried in Browder Cemetery, Muhlenberg Co. ,KY. One of my gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-grandmothers. Wife of Henry Rhoads and mother of Elizabeth (Rhoads) VanMeter.

 

My line comes from Felix Grundy VanMeter, 1836-1914, one of Daniel Boone VanMeter and Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter's sons and Nannie Susan (Haynes) VanMeter, 1840-1932, one of Henry "Little Henry" Haynes' and Jane (Stith) Haynes' daughters. Felix and Nannie VanMeter moved to Nebraska in 1881. However, one of their sons, my gr-grandfather David Stonewall VanMeter, 1866-1958, was born in Meade County, possibly near Garnettsville. I actually had a picture taken with him in 1952 when he was about 86 years old and I was 13.

I plan to get help from Bob Morris who is the president of the Buck Grove Cemetery Association. I also hope to visit the Hill Grove Baptist Church and get a tour from the pastor there, Brandon Sehein.

It turns out that the VanMeter family has a very long history with the Hill Grove Baptist Church. Jacob VanMeter Jr. was one of the elders called from Mill Creek to found it in 1822 and he became a member in 1833. My guess is that Mill Creek refers to the Mill Creek Baptist Church in Radcliff, Hardin Co., KY. Daniel Boone VanMeter was one of the men who were involved in a split in 1836. He and his wife, Elizabeth (Abell) VanMeter, are listed as members since 1842. Felix Grundy VanMeter became a member in 1852 at the age of about 16. Several of his sisters were also members at about the same time. Their names and the years they joined are: Louisiana R. VanMeter (1848), Endemile Rebecca VanMeter (1852), and Amanda Susan VanMeter (1855). I also think it is possible that Felix may have married Nannie Susan Haynes there in August of 1856 or 1857.

The above submitted by Dave Johnson of Washington State.

 

 

 

Dave Johnson sent the following regarding the Kentucky connection for his Johnson line:

I have the following data that are related to the description that follows.

John Johnson born in about 1770 in North Carolina of Scotch-Irish descent, moved family to Kentucky from Tennessee after 1797 until 1812. Moved family to Missouri territory in 1812 and died there in 1833.

Samuel Johnson, 1797-1850, born in Knoxville, TN before coming to Kentucky with his father, John Johnson. Then moved on to Missouri. Husband of Sallie Travis.

Sallie Travis, 1798-1874, born somewhere in Kentucky. Wife of Samuel Johnson. Married in 1818 in Missouri. Daughter of Frank Travis and Nancy (Shirley) Travis.

Frank Travis, 1772-1853, born in North Carolina. Moved to KY in ? , then moved family to Missouri with the John Johnson family in 1812. Husband of Nancy Shirley. Married in 1795 in Madison Co., KY. Father of Sallie Travis.

Nancy Shirley, 1770-?, born in Lincoln Co., Ky (then VA). Wife of Frank Travis and mother of Sallie Travis.

[NI0326] Samuel Johnson is an interesting character and most distant direct ancestor of this side of the family for whom we have much information. Much of what we do know is due to the fact that he was a successful pioneer in the wild Missouri territory and prominent civic leader, his biographical sketch was published in 1893 history of the area.

Samuel Johnson was one of seven boys and girls to John Johnson, who was of Scotch-Irish descent (we believe his parental grandfather's name to have been Alexander). Samuel was born near Knoxville TN, on or around July 5th, 1797. He had a brother William, who died in the war of 1812. Samuel's father apparently instilled in the boys a yen to be continuously moving into the unincorporated lands being opened to the West. John settled his family in Kentucky for a while, where we believe he met the family of Frank and Nancy (Shirley) Travis. In 1812 the Johnson's and Travis’s moved into the territory of Missouri (so designated that same year with Explorer Wayne Clark as territorial governor) as early settlers in Cole county (Jefferson City). (This was only eight years after Lewis and Clark had been through). Samuel married Frank Travis's daughter, Sallie, there on March first, 1818. Missouri was granted statehood in 1821. The families remained in Cole county until 1825, when they pushed further into the wilderness of Western Missouri.

Their Oct. 10, 1825 arrival in Jackson County (the Kansas City area) is important date in history of early settlement of the state. In the vicinity there were only about a dozen white trappers and hunters. By this time, the Johnson and Travis Colony consisted of about 25 individuals. At that time Sam and Sallie had four children, with another to be born the following April. (Their son William and daughter Malinda were reputed to be among the first white children born in the area). Samuel's brothers were all married as well. The men secured government land and settled in what is now Kansas City (the land, measured in present terms, was bordered by Independence Avenue, 17th streets, Virginia Avenue, and Porter Road). John Johnson built a 20 ft. by 20 ft. typical log cabin, which had a puncheon floor and used not a single iron nail. For a time the entire Colony lived in that one house until each family could construct a home of their own. John Johnson continued to improve his acres from year to year and live there on a land until his death on Sept. 12, 1833.

One of the sons of Samuel Johnson was named John Kentucky Johnson, 1824-1909. He was born in Missouri but there was definitely a connection to Kentucky for my Johnson line.