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Sarah Michie
Smith
Sarah Michie Smith married Daniel Smith on June 20, 1773 and embraced a new life on the frontier. With her husband gone for long stretches of time as a surveyor, Sarah's strength and courage helped keep her family safe and her home prosperous. Click through the pictures below to learn more about Sarah's life--scroll over each picture for captions!
 Frontier WomanSarah Michie Smith lived on the frontier most of her life and was a powerful woman with strength and courage. No pictures survive of her, and we know very little about her life. However, from the small bits of information from her descendants, we can construct an outline of her life as the wife of Daniel Smith. Pictured above is an illustration of a Frontier Woman by Gallatin resident and renowned artist David Wright. Click through the rest of the images to learn more about Sarah Michie Smith! |  1755. Michie TavernSarah Michie was born January 30, 1755 in Louisa County, Virginia. She was known affectionately as Sally for her entire life. She was related to the family that founded Michie Tavern in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Pictured above, courtesy of Library of Congress.) |
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 1773. Sarah marries Daniel SmithSarah Michie married Daniel Smith on June 20, 1773 at the age of 18. Daniel Smith was already an active surveyor at this time, and only six months after their wedding, the couple moved to the frontier of Southwest Virginia, far from the comforts of her home and the presence of her friends and family. The picture above is taken from Walter Durham's "Daniel Smith, Frontier Statesmen" and shows the location of Sarah and Daniel Smith's Virginia home. |  1776. Birth of GeorgeOn May 12, 1776 Sarah and Daniel welcomed their son into the world: George Smith. The presence of her first child would have been a welcome distraction for young Sarah, who lived many lonely months on the Virginia frontier during her husband's surveying trips. George would be the Smith's only son and would grow up to serve in the War of 1812 and to take over his father's role as master of Rock Castle. |
 1781. Birth of PollyOn April 26, 1781 Sarah gave birth to her second and last child, Mary Ann Michie Smith, affectionately known as Polly. Sarah would pass on many of her exceptional characteristics to her only daughter including her strong character and determined nature. |  1784. Move to Cumberland SettlementIn 1784 Daniel moved his entire family from their small home in the Clinch River Valley to a new home in the untamed wilderness near the Cumberland River. Sarah arrived in present-day Hendersonville, TN in October of 1784 and spent her first winter in a log cabin while construction began on their new home. Pictured above is the first portion of the home to be finished. |
 1784-1796. Building Rock CastleConstruction on Rock Castle was slow, mainly due to Daniel Smith's long absences for surveying and government work. Sarah was in charge of overseeing the construction for a majority of the time. This supervision of the laborers would have been in addition to Sarah's daily chores and the education of her two children. |  1796. An Eventful YearIn 1796, three major events happened in Sarah's life. Her home, Rock Castle, was finally finished, putting an end to nearly twelve years of construction. The State of Tennessee was admitted to the Union partly due to her husband Daniel's work at the state constitutional convention. Also, her only daughter, Polly, ran away from home and eloped with Samuel Donelson causing a rift between young Polly and her father. Family accounts state that Sarah was sympathetic to her daughter's situation. |
 1797. Sarah's First GrandchildIn 1797 young Polly and her husband Samuel (portrayed above by reenactors) gave Sarah and Daniel their first grandson. The birth of John Samuel Donelson repaired the rift between father and daughter and allowed Sarah to enjoy time with her first grandchild. |  1809. Daniel's Retirement.In 1809 Daniel Smith resigned his seat from the United States Senate and returned home to Rock Castle for good. After a marriage full of long absences, Sarah and Daniel would spend the last nine years of his life together at Rock Castle maintaining their plantation and spending time with their grandchildren. Pictured here is a copy of the first map of the state of Tennessee made from Daniel Smith's surveys. |
 1818. Sarah the WidowOn June 16, 1818 Daniel Smith drew his last breath. He was laid to rest on the grounds of Rock Castle, his beloved home, and was the first grave in the family cemetery. Sarah's son George, his wife Tabitha, and their five children moved into Rock Castle along with Sarah and her companion Rebecca. |  1818-1831. Sarah's WidowhoodSarah Smith lived an additional 13 years after the death of her husband. She continued to be the matriarch of an ever-growing family and was well-respected and constantly visited by her children and grandchildren. She was also well-known for her sense of humor. Her granddaughter-in-law Emily Donelson (pictured here) wrote in a letter in January 1831 that "Grand Mother you know never lets a joke pass." |
 1831. Sarah's DeathOn April 2, 1831 Sarah Michie Smith passed away and was laid to rest next to her husband at Rock Castle. This frontier woman had lived a full life and left a legacy of courageous Smith women. Her life would not be forgotten, and although we rarely heard from her directly throughout her life, she left her imprint on Rock Castle. |
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