John Smith was a freeman of Tauton in the Plymouth Colony in 1639.  He removed to Mashpate (Mespath), L.I. and met his death at the hand of an Indian as
proved by a despition of his son Samuel, aged about 67 and his daughter Elizabeth, aged about 70 given before the court of common pleas in Jamaica, 24 May
1703.  The deposition stated that Samuel & Elizabeth were of Jamaica and that Elizabeth formerly the wife of William Ladlam of Southampton, deceased, was now
the wife of Nehemiah Smith. Both Samuel & Elizabeth did depose and say that about 60 years ago their father left Taunton, Plymouth Colony for Mashpate Kills,
Queens Co., then under the Dutch and was there Killed by the Indians; also that John Smith, eldest son of ye said John Smith their father and brother to these
deponents, is now living in Hempsted, Queens County.  Smith, Grant & Irons Families by James W. Hook 1955. Chap. #1 pg. 7 & 8, Chap. #2 pg. 17 William
Clevenger Coll. at the Atlantic Co., His. Soc. NJ.  New York Gen. & Bio. Rec. Vol. #72 pg 8., Vol. #65 pg. 249.  Liber A of Jamaica Rec. New York. Annals of
Newton. L. I. By James Riker, pg. 20.
    Deposition made 24 May 1703: "Samuel Smith of Jamaica, aged about 67, and Elizabeth wife of Nehemiah Smith of same place, formerly wife of William Ludlam deceased, of Southampton, in Suffolk on Long Island, aged about 70 depose that about 60 years ago John Smith, father of these deponents living in Taunton in Plymouth Colony left his habitation and went to Maspate Kills in Queen's County and was there killed by the Indians.  These deponents also say that John Smith, eldest son of ye said John Smith, their father, and brother to these deponents, is now living at Hempstead in Queen's County on Long Island."
    This identifies three children of John Smith.  The son Samuel was of frequent mention in Jamaica records and for many years was the only adult Samuel living in that town, since Samuel2 (William1) removed to Norwalk, and Samuel3 (Thomas2, William1) was a generation younger.  Samuel and Morris Smith were granted house lots in Jamaica in 1656, and in 1688 Morris Smith, then of Flushing, was called brother of Samuel.  Probably John Smith was a young man when killed, and these four may have been all of his surviving children.
    The wife of John has often been identified erroneously as Jane who afterward married Robert Coe, but she was actually the wife of Bartholomew Smith, and the wife of John has not been identified.