John "Rock" Smith (c1615-1706)
Parents[]
Unknown
Birth[]
John was born around 1615 in England.
Earliest Mention[]
John is known to have resided in Stamford, Connecticut by 1640.
Marriage[]
The name of John's wife has not been located in any records.
Move to New York[]
John moved to Hempstead, New York by 1644.
Rock Nickname[]
With regard to the nickname "Rock," researcher Gabriel Furman explains as follows:
- Upon this island, and especially in the central portions of it are very many families of the name Smith, and so numerous did they become at an early period of this settlement, that it was thought necessary to distinguish the various original families by some particular name. thus we have the Black Smiths; the Blue Smiths; the Bull Smiths; the Weight Smiths, and the Tangier Smiths.
Death[]
John died in 1706.