When One Punch kills - everyone is surprised
Next time you drive by the signs marking Fort Loudoun on 419 N Loudoun Street in Winchester VA, you will remember the story of a man who superintended the building of this fort, killed a man with just one punch.
And next time you drive by Abrams Delight, you will remember that same man married the granddaughter of Jost Hite who was one of the appraisers of the Hollingsworth estate which later saw the construction of a stone building known as Abrams Delight.
Next time your drive by the Springdale House in Bartonsville, you will remember that same man married Rebecca Hite, the daughter of John Hite who had built that home, known as Springdale House in Bartonsville. John Hite was the son of Jost Hite.
Next time you drive by The Nook in Berryville, you will remember that same man lived here.
Lt Charles Smith was that man.
He was the one who did it.
He punched Thomas Frazier, who died maybe more than a half hour later.
That punch of Charles Smith had to be by his right hand.
He lost his left hand at the Battle of Fort Necessity.
However this roster does not list him as wounded.
He's the guy in the picture below who threw the punch.
He was with George Washington at Fort Necessity 1754.
He supervised building Fort Loudoun 1756-1758.
He learned the art of building forts on the South Potomac
He was the treasure of GW's first election win.
He dispersed the funds to buy all the alcohol for that election.
He performed some accounting for GW's Bullskin plantations.
Below is a picture by Eric Cherry depicting that punch, followed by a newspaper article of the time telling that story. That picture does show two hands. We are still in pursuit of the truth whether or not Lt Charles Smith only had one hand.
The Punch
15 Sept. 1757
The Maryland Gazette (Annapolis)
reported on 22 Sept 1757
one week after the incident:
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“Last Thursday
an unhappy Affair
happened at
Fredericksburg in Virginia:
Thomas Frazier,
our late faithful diligent Post-Rider,
getting into some Dispute
in a Tavern with an
Officer of the Virginia Regiment,
the Officer [Lt Charles Smith]
gave him a Blow with his Hand
in the Face,
of which he died in
about Three Quarters of an Hour.
The Officer immediately
delivered himself up to Justice,
and ordered a
decent Burial for the Deceased.”
Source:
Just one Punch Kills
"a slight Stroke on the Nose without any Malice"
Just one punch kills.
More often than you think.
If that one punch doesn't kill you, then your jaw or face needs reconstructive surgery, let alone your brain got rocked.
You won't care if your straw is plastic.
We've watched too much TV, too much boxing, too many movies, hours of video gaming, momentarily staring at extreme kick boxing.
But all that? Those are the immortals.
And that letter above?
Why this punch was just "a slight Stroke on the Nose without any Malice . . ."
The two words in that letter might confuse.
Initd might be a contraction of "inititled.
The phrase, Traditur in Ballium means "is delivered to bail."
Source for letter and the vocabulary is here:
Authored and compiled by Jim Moyer 2015, first posted on Wix website 9/27/2021, updated 2/27/2022
Here's where our story ends.
But if you want to know more?
Here you go.
Meet Lieutenant Charles Smith.
Short Founders Online bio of Charles Smith:
Next time your drive by 3 places, you will think of Charles Smith.
One is Fort Loudoun site on 419 N Loudoun Street in Winchester VA.
The other place is Abrams Delight along Pleasant Valley Road in Winchester VA.
And finally in Berryville there is a place called The Nook.
The Fort Loudoun Connection:
He was the foreman who guided construction of Fort Loudoun Winchester VA.
His boot camp to learn this art?
It was under the guidance of Captain Waggener.
Captain Waggener was assigned by Colonel George Washington to build the forts along the South Branch of the Potomac River.
And Charles Smith turned out to be Captain Waggener's right hand man on this.
After helping the Captain build those forts, Charles Smith as assigned by Col George Washington to be in charge of the ongoing Fort Loudoun construction.
GW brought him back to Winchester
and in Nov. 1756 put him in sole charge
of the construction of the fort being built there.
GW secured for Smith a lieutenancy
in the summer of 1757
and the command of the garrison at Fort Loudoun in June 1758.
Abrams Delight Connection
In April 26, 1737, as the Orange County records show, Isaac Parkins, with
Lewis Neill and Lewis Stephens his sureties, gave bond to administer on the
estate of Joseph Hollingsworth. On August 24 of the next year the
Hollingsworth estate was appraised by Joist Hite, Hugh Parrott, and Peter
Holken.
Abrams Hollingsworth hired an architect to build Abrams Delight. T
hat was the same architect who designed
Jost Hite's son's home.
The son was John Hite.
John Hite's home is in Bartonsville along Route 11.
Jost Hite a native of Strasburg, in Alsace, emigrated to Pennsylvania, and
in 1732 came with his three sons-in-law, George Bowman, Jacob Chrisman, Paul
Froman, and others to the valley of Virginia. In 1734 he was appointed one
of the first magistrates to administer justice in the valley. He greatly
aided in stimulating the rapid settlement of that part of Virginia.
He had a lifelong lawsuit vs Lord Fairfax.
Jost Hite' granddaughter married Charles Smith.
Hans Justus Von Der Heydt, known later in America as Jost Hite, was born December 5, 1685.
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Berryville Connection:
He owned most of the land in which Berryville VA sits.
His son sold the land to Berry.
Now you know maybe Berryville could've been called Smithton or Smithburg or Smithville, no?
John Hite sold in 1765 the area that was to become Berryville to his son-in-law, Charles Smith, whose son in 1797 sold to Benjamin Berry.
Charles Smith’s son, John Smith, in 1797 sold 20 acres (81,000 m2) of his inheritance to Benjamin Berry and Sarah (Berry) Stribling, who divided it into lots for a town. It was established as the town of Berryville on January 15, 1798. By 1810, the town had at least 25 homes, three stores, an apothecary (pharmacy), two taverns, and an academy (school). It was not much larger when it became the county seat of newly-formed Clarke County in 1836.
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Charles Smith’s house, The Nook, still stands at 106 E Main St Berryville VA. Back to Previous.
The Springdale Bartonsville connection:
Charles Smith married the daughter of John Hite who was the son of Jost Hite.
A little John Hite bio:
John Hite, eldest son of Yost Hite and Anna Maria du Bois, was born about 1715. He was a man of unusual cultivation for his times, wrote a good hand and became very successful as a business man, possessing much of his father's energy and executive ability. He was given lands on Opequon Creek, at a place called by the traders and natives, "Red Bud." In 1753, he built the colonial stone dwelling still in good repair, at the point where the Valley turnpike now crosses the creek, and called it "Springdale." The date, with the builder's initials, "J. H.," is cut on a dressed stone in the front of the house. In 1787, he built the first brick house in the Valley; it stands at the northern side of Newtown, now Stephen's City, and is still in good repair. Two years later he built the first merchant mill in the Valley. (Reference, Kercheval's "History of the Shenandoah Valley.") Col. John Hite was vestryman in Christ Episcopal Church in Winchester, Va., in 1752. Captain in charge of a precinct and member of a "Council of War," 1744; Colonel in the French and Indian war, 1756, and Justice of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1756. He evidently took a warm interest in the affairs of church and state, and soon became prominent in all public movements. Schmidt, in his "History of the German Element in Maryland and Virginia," speaks of him as "Col. John Hite, son of Yost Hite, distinguished for his bravery in the Indians Wars," p. 82.
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Enlarged picture by local Artist, Eric Cherry, depicted Lt Charles Smith punch of Thomas Frazier, a punch whose delayed effect resulted in the death of Frazier 45 minutes later.
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Sources:
Founders Online short bio of our Charles Smith:
While at the fort, Smith also served GW in less official ways,
among other things forwarding his mail,
keeping an eye on GW’s nearby Bullskin plantation,
and in the summer of 1758 supervising
the dispersal of funds for
GW’s election to the House of Burgesses from Frederick County.
See particularly
Smith to GW, 23 Feb.; 1, 20, 24, 26,
30 July; 5, 15, 22,
27 Aug.; 7,
18 Sept.;
12 Oct.;
16 Nov.;
and 2 Dec. 1758.
After he left the regiment,
Smith became a vestryman and a member of the
county court in Frederick County.
He was married to the daughter of GW’s friend Col. John Hite of Frederick County.
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Appointed Ensign
Charles Smith learned building forts under Capt Waggener:
9 January 1756
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12 July 1756
A lot of detail on who was in which company, their rank, enlist dates, physical descriptions.
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Promoted to Lieutenant
12 June 1757
Rebecca Hite marries Charles Smith:
REBECCA HITE, b. 1740; d. 1785; m. Col. Charles SMITH (son of John SMITH), b. 1726, served in French and Indian War and lost left hand at Great Meadows. Charles SMITH, Gentleman, Sheriff of Frederick County, Virginia, 1772 and Vestryman of Frederick Parish; will 1774-1776.
Rebecca Hite, daughter of Col. John Hite, of "Springdale," married Capt. Charles Smith, first owner of the site of "Berryville" (then "Battletown"), Clarke Co., Va., and ensign under Col. George Washington, in Braddock's war, losing a hand at "Great Meadows." Their daughter, Sara Smith, married Lieut. Philip Eastin, who served as an officer in the Revolutionary War in the 4th and 8th Va. Regiment, Continental line.
The Roster at Fort Necessity
This list is of those who were wounded and killed and who survived Fort Necessity.
It does not list Charles Smith as wounded. But then it doesn't list George Mercer as wounded either. We know George Mercer writes in a letter that he had an old arm injury from that battle at Fort Necessity at Great Meadows. George Mercer was later a Captain and aid de camp to Colonel George Washington. George Mercer later became a Lt Colonel in 1758 under Byrd's 2nd VA Regiment.
The Roster
Mercer's letter
This link claims Charles Smith lost his left hand:
The Jost Hite Story
On April 26, 1737, as the Orange County records show, Isaac Parkins, with
Lewis Neill and Lewis Stephens his sureties, gave bond to administer on the
estate of Joseph Hollingsworth. On August 24 of the next year the
Hollingsworth estate was appraised by Joist Hite, Hugh Parrott, and Peter
Holken.
Jost Hite a native of Strasburg, in Alsace, emigrated to Pennsylvania, and
in 1732 came with his three sons-in-law, George Bowman, Jacob Chrisman, Paul
Froman, and others to the valley of Virginia. In 1734 he was appointed one
of the first magistrates to administer justice in the valley. He greatly
aided in stimulating the rapid settlement of that part of Virginia.
John Hite, son of Jost Hite
Sections of stone walls thought to be of the house and tavern built by Jost Hite still stand some 30 yards east of the Turnpike, beside the house built by his son, Colonel John Hite.
Benjamin Berry
Charles Smith’s son, John Smith, in 1797 sold 20 acres (81,000 m2) of his inheritance to Benjamin Berry and Sarah (Berry) Stribling, who divided it into lots for a town. It was established as the town of Berryville on January 15, 1798. By 1810, the town had at least 25 homes, three stores, an apothecary (pharmacy), two taverns, and an academy (school). It was not much larger when it became the county seat of newly-formed Clarke County in 1836.
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Abrams Delight
One-punch deaths:
How lives are devastated by a single blow
By Alex Therrien BBC News Online
Published22 February 2017
Ninety Australians were killed by single punches between 2000 and 2015, according to the Queensland Government.
The medical effects of one punch on the human body
Tuesday 22 August 2017
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Notes for further research and editing
9 January 1756
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12 July 1756
A lot of detail on who was in which company, their rank, enlist dates, physical descriptions.
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Promoted to Lieutenant
12 June 1757
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Overseer of Construction at Fort Loudoun
November 1756
Supervised work at Fort Loudoun.
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There were “commanders” of the fort, but the duty of building the fort, supervising the workers and paying them fell to Charles Smith.
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Founders Online footnote:
3. GW put Charles Smith in charge of the construction of Fort Loudoun in November 1756. For GW’s plans and specifications for the construction of the fort, see William Fairfax to GW, 10 July 1756, n.3. John Christopher Heintz, a German, was the well digger.
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See link: http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-05-02-0069
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Paid the Miner digging the Well
handled disbursements to the “miner” of the well which lasts to this day.
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See link: http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-06-02-0059
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Campaign Finance Manager
1758 election campaign manager for GW, buying alcohol for the voters.
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See link: http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-05-02-0273-0001
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Smith to GW, 23 Feb.; 1, 20, 24, 26, 30 July; 5, 15, 22, 27 Aug.; 7, 18 Sept.; 12 Oct.; 16 Nov.;
and 2 Dec. 1758.
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More on the 24 July 1758 election itself.
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See picture of house in this link:
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When Charles Smith died, he left the parcel to his wife, and eventually it was divided among their four children, Charles, John, Elizabeth Morton, and Sarah Easten.1John sold a portion of his land to Benjamin Berry, the town of Berryville’s
founder. http://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Clarke/168-0012_%20Berryville_1987_Final_Nomination.pdf
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Wikipedia Berryville VA
Earlier in the 18th century the area was the site of an 800-acre estate of the same name owned by Charles Smith, The Battletown estate’s main residence, known today as the Nook, was built between 1755 and 1765 and still survives at 106 E. Main Street.
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When Charles Smith died, he left the parcel to his wife, and eventually it was divided among their four children, Charles, John, Elizabeth Morton, and Sarah Easten. John sold a portion of his land to Benjamin Berry, the town of Berryville’s founder.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berryville,_Virginia
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Short Bio
The Founders Online footnote mentions Charles Smith’s “long career.”
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Doesn’t seem “long” if it was only from 1754 Fort Necessity to 1761 Fort Loudoun. But when you read all the letters and follow the trail of Charles Smith, you end up feeling like it was a long career. Much happened. Much accomplished.
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Founders Online Footnote:
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Charles Smith (d. 1776) spent most of his
long career in the Virginia Regiment,
from his appointment as ensign on 17 Sept. 1755
until taking his first leave in Sept. 1761,
at Fort Loudoun near Winchester.
After Smith spent the winter of 1755–56 recruiting
and the following summer with
Capt. Thomas Waggener’s company
on the South Branch of the Potomac,
GW brought him back to Winchester
and in Nov. 1756 put him in sole charge
of the construction of the fort being built there.
GW secured for Smith a lieutenancy
in the summer of 1757
and the command of the garrison at Fort Loudoun in June 1758.
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Died 1776
No more info on exact date
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Location and Date Not confirmed yet:
He passed away on 1776 in Kentucky, USA.
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1780
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BY an act of the General Assembly of Virginia of October 3,
1780, the old vestries were dissolved and the severance
between the Church and State was effected.
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IN addition to the vestrymen already named it will be of
interest to give the names of a few others who served in that
capacity prior to 1780. They are Isaac Hite, John Hite, Jacob
Hite, John Neville, Charles Smith, James Wood (afterwards a
General in the Continental Army, and Governor of Virginia
about 1816) [“Old Churches,” &c, page 284], Angus
McDonald, Philip Bush, Marquis Calmes, John McDonald,
Warner Washington, Edmund Taylor, &c.
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WIFE DIED 1785
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Rebecca Eltinge Smith (Hite)
Birthdate: 1740
Birthplace: Red Bud, Frederick, Virginia, United States
Death: Died August 6, 1785 in Berryville, Clarke, Virginia, United States
Immediate Family: Daughter of John I. Hite, Colonel and Sarah Zara Hite
Wife of Charles Marshall Smith
Mother of John Smith; Charles Marshall Hite Marshall Smith; Elizabeth Hite Morton and Sarah Hite Eastin
Sister of Anne Maria Taylor (Hite); Elizabeth Hite; John Hite, Jr; Eleanor Hough; Margaret Brown and 2 others; Sarah Hite and Rebecca Hite « less
Half sister of Christopher Hite
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Source:
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RELATED LINKS
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Letter from John Smith in Hancock Maryland to Charles Smith, near Battletown, Frederick County, Virginia dated May 12, 1808. Letter details safe arrival in Maryland and further travel plans via boat to Cincinnati, OH.
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