Concerning Stephen's family origins, Fisher's Snyder County Pioneers states that "it is believed that he [Stephen] came from Philadelphia County." According to biographies of Stephen's sons David and George, Stephen was the son of John Smith. The biography of David records that John was a native of France and came to Philadelphia with Stephen Girard. He died over 90 years of age. The biography of George adds that John Smith was the name of the first know ancestor, who came to America at an early date, and that the name of his wife or wives is unknown. It is likely that Stephen was the son of a John Smith, who immigrated to America from France and that Stephen moved to central Pennsylvania from the Philadelphia area. However, it is unlikely that John Smith came to America with Stephen Girard. Girard was born in 1750 making him a contemporary of Stephen and not Stephen's father. Further Girard did not immigrate to the Americas until 1776.^5,6,7,8,9


Concerning Stephen's birthdate, according to the 1800 Pennsylvania census records Stephen was over the age of 45 years or born before 1755. In the article on Stephen's son George, the author records that Stephen was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1730 and the biography of David states that Stephen "died at an advanced age." Stephen would certainly have been at an advanced age when he died in 1802 if he was born in 1730, 72 years. If he was born in 1730, he would have been in his forties when he joined the militia during the American Revolution and that he wold have been close to fifty when he started his family. If he was born about 1730, there is no known record of the first forty years of his life.^2,6,7
According to a biographical sketch of Maria's son David, Maria's maiden name was Troup and David was born in Trouptown, Union County, Pennsylvania in 1781. However, I have found no Troup family or any reference to Trouptown located in the area of Union County. However, in Fisher's Snyder County Pioneers (a secondary source) there is mention of a Andrew Straub who "laid out the village of Freeburg, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, which at first was known as 'Straubstown', but later changed to Freeburg." Freeburg, originally in Penn Township, Northumberland County, became part of Union County in 1813 and part of Snyder County in 1855. There were several members of the Straub/Stroup family who lived in this area as early as 1762. Maria's future husband Stephen Smith moved into this area by 1778. Further, Stephen served in the American Revolution with several members of this Straub/Stroup family. Stephen and Maria's son John Peter was baptized in 1784 in the Mohr's Zion Church which was built and attended by members of the Straub family. Finally, Adam Stroup, probably a brother of the Andrew Straub mentioned above, attended the sale of Stephen's estate. In the inventory for the sale, Adam Stroup and his wife purchased one "old mare with a white face" and an old saddle. Adam was originally from Penn Township and was living in Centre County at the time of the estate sale. Adam and Andrew Stroup, who are contemporaries of Maria and Stephen, are believed to have been children of Johann Peter Straub and his wife Catherine Elisabeth, who settled in the Penn Township area as early as 1762. Peter Straub/Stroup was born in Germany, came to America as a young boy with his parents in 1733, and lived in the area that is now Lehigh County, Pennsylvania before moving to central Pennsylvania. I have found no source, primary or secondary, that proves that Maria's maiden name was anything other than Troup, but the circumstantial evidence suggests that it was Straub/Stroup and she may have been the daughter of Peter Straub/Stroup and his wife Catherina Elizabeth.^6,10,11,1

     
According to a biographical sketch of Maria's son David, Maria's maiden name was Troup and David was born in Trouptown, Union County, Pennsylvania in 1781. However, I have found no Troup family or any reference to Trouptown located in the area of Union County. However, in Fisher's Snyder County Pioneers (a secondary source) there is mention of a Andrew Straub who "laid out the village of Freeburg, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, which at first was known as 'Straubstown', but later changed to Freeburg." Freeburg, originally in Penn Township, Northumberland County, became part of Union County in 1813 and part of Snyder County in 1855. There were several members of the Straub/Stroup family who lived in this area as early as 1762. Maria's future husband Stephen Smith moved into this area by 1778. Further, Stephen served in the American Revolution with several members of this Straub/Stroup family. Stephen and Maria's son John Peter was baptized in 1784 in the Mohr's Zion Church which was built and attended by members of the Straub family. Finally, Adam Stroup, probably a brother of the Andrew Straub mentioned above, attended the sale of Stephen's estate. In the inventory for the sale, Adam Stroup and his wife purchased one "old mare with a white face" and an old saddle. Adam was originally from Penn Township and was living in Centre County at the time of the estate sale. Adam and Andrew Stroup, who are contemporaries of Maria and Stephen, are believed to have been children of Johann Peter Straub and his wife Catherine Elisabeth, who settled in the Penn Township area as early as 1762. Peter Straub/Stroup was born in Germany, came to America as a young boy with his parents in 1733, and lived in the area that is now Lehigh County, Pennsylvania before moving to central Pennsylvania. I have found no source, primary or secondary, that proves that Maria's maiden name was anything other than Troup, but the circumstantial evidence suggests that it was Straub/Stroup and she may have been the daughter of Peter Straub/Stroup and his wife Catherina Elizabeth.^4,5,6,7