Representatives of the Smithart family did not arrive in Covington County until around 1900. It appears that John or Jonathan Smithart and his wife, Emmerlin (Starnes) arrived about that time with their daughter, Jeanette, and her husband, John Warren Kirkland.

John Smithart was born in 1836 in Lexington County, South Carolina, and was married in the mid-860s to Emmerlin Starnes who was born in 1849 in the same state. Emmerlin/Emmaline was the daughter of Paul P. Starnes, a native of North Carolina, and his second wife, Winna "Winnie" Altman/Aughtman of South Carolina. She was the granddaughter of Charles and Catharine Starnes of North Carolina.

John Smithart was in his 60s when he moved to Covington County, and he lived out his years here. As a young man he had enlisted on July 20, 1861, to serve in the Confederate Army. He was a private in Company B, Hagood's South Carolina Infantry and was later in Company K, SC Infantry. He and Emmerlin are buried in the Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, which is currently in the edge of Crenshaw County near Dozier. There is a Confederate service marker at his grave, but it does not have any dates on it.

John and Emmerlin reared the following children: Sam, d. 1919 during the flu epidemic; Daniel Paul, b. 1867, m. Adeiannah Beatrice "Addie" Bodie; Jeanette, b. 1868, d. 1931, m. ca 1887 John Warren Kirkland; Ollin, b. 1879, d. 1954, m. 1903 Palestine Barton; Texanna, b. 1875, d. 1963, m. Sterling Price Pou; Adison Felder, b. 1880, d. 1950, m. 1903 Lucy "Lussie" Aughtman; Rosa Belle, b. 1882, d. 1943, m. Isaac Durham Bodie; Cora Estelle, b. 1885, d. 1962, m. 1902 Monroe W. "Bose" Aughtman; and Mitchell D., b. 1886, m. 1911 Sedoma Peacock.

The oldest son, Daniel Paul, and his wife, Addie (Bodie), daughter of John and Mary (Stevens) Bodie, were married in South Carolina, but they eventually settled in the Searight community. Daniel immediately became engaged in farming to support his family. Daniel and Addie had their first few children in South Carolina and continued to eventually have the following children: Willie; John Gray, b. 1893, d. 1974, m. Lou Ella Stewart; Nellie E., b. 1895, m. (1) George Stewart (2) ? Hall; Alonzo "Gonzoles," b. 1898; Lizzie, b. 1901; Walter, b. 1902; Lena, b. 1905, d. 1971, m. 1920 Silas Kimbrough; Edgar, b. 1908; Quinnie, b. 1909, d. 1938, m. Dillard A. Fletcher; and Arthur Daniel, b. 1911, d. 1980, m. Gladys Louise Jernigan. At their deaths, Daniel and Addie were buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Jeanette Smithart and her husband, John Warren Kirkland, believed to be the son of John and Vicie (Horsey) Kirkland, were married circa 1887 in South Carolina. They moved to Andalusia circa 1900 where John engaged in farming. They reared the following family: Anna, b. 1888, d. 1975, m. Henry Jernigan; Ida Cornelia, b. 1890, d. 1968, m. Jesse E. Wheeler; J.T. Tillman, b. 1892, d. 1942 when struck by auto, single; Addie Pearl, b. 1898, d. 1964, m. 1918 Alpha J. Johns; Clara, b. 1900, d. 1966, m. Wilburn C. King; Adison Felder, b. 1906, d. 1979, m. (1) Myrtice Gunter (2) Lucille Tobytha Smith; George Simpson, b. 1909, d. 1979, m. Jeffie Chance; and Annie Clyde, b. 1911, d. 1997, m. (1) Noah Mock (2) Robert Ard. Adison Felder was the first of their children to be born in Alabama. Jeanette and John are also buried at the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Ollin and his wife, Palestine (Barton), a native of Covington County, reared the following five children: Cleve V., b. 1909, d. 1971, m. Gladys Louise Jernigan; Jay C., b. 1911, d. 1994, m. Rosa M. Smelley; I.D., b. 1907, d. 1967; Lela Ruth, m. ? Byrd; and Lula. Ollin reared his family in the Red Level community. He and Palestine were buried near his relatives in the Oak Grove Cemetery.

Texanna and her husband, Sterling Price Pou, reared the following children: Mary, b. 1897, m. Joe Harper; Blanch, b. 1900, m. Byrd Benson; Lillian, b. 1902, m. Earnest Jackson; Clifton; John Henry, m. Fanny ?; Annie Lou, b. 1911, m. Roy Whaley; Nina Merle, m. ? Brooks; and Mildred. Texanna was buried with relatives at Oak Grove Cemetery.

Felder and his wife, Lucy (Aughtman), daughter of Thomas and Lucy (Scroggins) Aughtman, resided in the Gantt community. They reared the following children: Haskel, b. 1905, m. Kate Browder; Willa, b. 1907, m. ? Odom; Clarence S., b. 1909, m. (1) Ollie Mae Wheeler (2) Mattie Louise Clark (3) Mary Jones (4) Myrtice Kilpatrick (5) Vela Frances; James "Jim," b. 1911, d. 1979, m. Eunice Taylor; Eveline, b. 1915, m. Neil Schofield; Quipman, b. 1916, single; Alice, b. 1918; and Clarice, b. 1920. At their deaths, Felder and Lucy were buried in the Gantt Cemetery.

Rosa Belle and her husband, Isaac Durham Bodie, son of John and Mary (Stevens) Bodie, were married in 1897 in South Carolina. They came to Covington County with relatives and eventually settled in the Pinelevel stockade settlement, located about nine miles south of the Alabama state line. They had the following 16 children: Anna Dora, b. 1898, d. 1957; John Allen, b. 1900, d. 1966, m. Addie Viola Cardwell; Sallie Mae, b. 1902, d. 1973, m. Chipley Rufus Cartwright; Leola, b. 1903, d. 1974, m. Fred Camptbell; Earnest Wilson, b. 1905, d. 1975, m. Vester Harris; Homer Lee, b. 1906, d. 1975, m. Aliene Hughes; J.D., b. 1908, d. 1972; Gladys, b. 1910, d. 1999, m. W. Homer Polk; William Sterling, b. 1911, d. 1939; James Merlin, b. 1913, d. 1981, m. Clara Browder; Jodie Earl, b. 1915, d. 1941; Christa Bell, b. 1916, d. 1926; Comer Wilson, b. 1918, d. 1991, m. Orene Elizabeth Cooper; Hattie Myrtle, b. 1919, d. 1971, m. Willard Herman Cotton; Cassie Pearl, b. 1920, d. 1973; and Callie Jewel, b. 1922, d. 1924. Rosa Belle and Isaac were buried in the Cora Baptist Church Cemetery in Jay, Florida.

Cora and her husband, Monroe Aughtman, son of Thomas and Lucy (Scroggins) Aughtman, reared their children in Covington County, but most of them later moved to New York in the 1940s. Their children included the following: Obie, b. 1903, d. 1942; Hattie Ester "Sis," b. 1905, d. 1991, m. William Grady Jordan; Odie, b. 1908, d. 1975, m. Mrs. Maude E. Wright; Mable, b. 1911, m. John Thomas "Big" Lunsford; Nobie Lee, b. 1913, m. John Wesley Clark; Autrey, b. 1915, d. 1991, m. Alice Courtney; Ralph Waldo Emerson, b. 1917, m. Susan Courson; Rufus "Rudie" M., b. 1921, d. 1980, m. Dorothy Ray Peevy; and Clinton Monroe, b. 1924, d. 1943 in World War II. At their deaths, Cora and Monroe were buried in the Bethany Baptist Church Cemetery.

Mitchell and his wife, Lily Sedoma (Peacock), daughter of John and Theodocia (Thomasson) Peacock, reared their family in Covington County. Mitchell farmed as did most of his relatives. He and Sedoma had the following five children: Walter, b. 1907, d. 1973, m. 1925 Ella Mae Clark; Lula, m. Jim L. Blackwell; Julia, m. Eli Gray Beck; Farrel, b. 1912, d. 1982, m. Mrs. Jewel (Neil) Franklin; John, b. 1923, d. 1985, m. Mrs. Clara Smith; Voncille, m. J.C. Shiver; and Ester Lee, m. Eiland "Hoss" Jackson.

There are many descendants in this family who continue to live in Covington County. One of these is Russell Derrel Johns, son of Alpha and Addie Pearl (Kirkland) Johns, of Andalusia. Appreciation is expressed to him for lending his genealogical records, which includes research by Albert Blackwell, Richard and Patricia Kirkland, and a number of other kinsmen.

Anyone who might have corrections to the above or additional information to share is urged to contact Curtis Thomasson at 21361 Rabren Road, Andalusia, AL 36420 or Email: chthom@alaweb.com.