Smyth, John Beveridge

[Snohomish]

This is my G Grandfather who immigrated to the United States in about  1880. Prior to that he worked as a Forester at Duff House in Banff, Scotland.  He had also authored an article published by the Edinburgh Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland in TRANSACTIONS  1878 as J.B. Smyth.  With your assistance I hope to find who his parents were, date and location of his birth. Information concerning his occupation and education would also be appreciated.

[Kay99]

Welcome to RootsChat     To give an idea of his age - could this be his death in the district of Columbia, USA in 1906 - born 1847 Scotland? https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7TL-LRW

Kay

[ev]

Welcome 

As Kay notes we really need more information , have you found him on the United States Census ?

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=x0IuAAAAIAAJ&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=jb+smyth
The edition I'm looking at was published in 1888



ev

[Snohomish]

 I'm astonished and very grateful to you Kay 99.  That is he and I've been looking for several years .
Estimated Birth year 1847, in Scotland and died at age 59 in District of Columbia, United States.  Worked as a clerk in the Government Printing Office.

Thank you also ev.  I have the book "TRANSACTIONS" in which his article is published.  It's an analysis of using land for sheep, farming, or timber and which will produce the most profit.  I don't understand all the mathematical equations and comparisons but it leads me to believe he had a high educational background.

Would give you both the big Smiley if I knew how to get it up there!  Thanks again. Snohomish

[Kay99]

Glad the guess proved correct    As Ev asked - Have you found him or his wife and children in any US census and if so could you give some details?   Did he marry in the US or Scotland ?

As he could also be recorded as Smith any info would be useful 

Edit - A report of his will in the Washington Post May 18 1906 lists him as from Stephen, Marshall, County of Minnesota, but I don't have a sub for the site to check the details http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/28951100/

[GR2]

Aberdeen Journal, 10-11-1875:

SCOTTISH AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. - Several of the
prizes awarded by this society for essays on agricultural
subjects have this year come northwards. Mr J B Smyth,
forester, Duff House, Banff, has obtained the first prize for
an essay on the "Pruning of timber trees considered by phy-
siology;" and the only prize awarded for a "Report
on silver firs," and an essay on the "Present state and
future prospects of arboriculture in Fifeshire."

Aberdeen (weekly) Journal, 24-1-1877 (under Highland and Agricultural Society):

£10 to J. B. Smith, forester, Duff House, Banff, for a
       Report on the Comparative Return from Capital
       Invested in Cropping, Grazing, or Planting Land
       upon Hill and Moorland.

Aberdeen Journal, 17-1-1878 (under Highland and Agricultural Society):

It was reported that a premium of £10 had been
awarded to Mr J. B. Smyth, forester, Duff House,
Banff, for a report on the comparative return from
capital invested in cropping, grazing, or ploughing land,
upon hill or moorland.

Interestingly, from the Aberdeen Journal, 15-4-1896 (under Sale of Land on Fife* Estate):

                       ;two crofts at Bythestone -
one by the tenant, John Pirie, and the other
Charles Smith, forester, Duff House, who re-
tires at Whitsunday, after 38 years' ser-
vice.

* Fife here means the estate of the Earl of Fife, based at Duff House

I have looked at the census entries for Charles Smith from 1851 - 1901, but there is no obvious connection with J. B. Smith. Charles Smith was born in King Edward about 1829/30.

If J. B. Smith can write an essay on the prospects of forestry in Fife, he may originally have come from that area. Or was he just good at writing essays?

[Snohomish]

 Well folks, you've been of some help!.  I found the article regarding the Will posted in the Washington  Post 05/18/1906.  I checked the available Marshall County, Minn. Court Records but to no avail so will call them...it would (should) be in their archives on microfilm.  I also checked the Glenwood Cemetary burials but no listing. He had married Hattie Radonski, presumably in Minnesotta.  I haven't been able to track that down.  They had 3 children.  My grandmother and her two brothers Joe b. May 21, 1889, and Ed b. October 5, 1891. in Marshall County, Minnesota.  I have my Grandmother's Certificate of Birth (Victoria Clara Smyth). Born in Warren, Marshall County, Minnesota 08/23/1888. She married Samual Thomas Cook in Bellingham. Washington.  Hattie had also move to Bellingham where Uncle Joe and Uncle Ed had moved.  Uncle Joe and Uncle Ed legally changed their names from (Smyth) to Smith.  Everything I've looked at simply states "Scotland" as J.B. Smyth or John Beveridge Smyth's place of birth.  It's a fine place to be born but I'd like to find when and where in Scotland and who his parents were.  I'll continue digging and perhaps find more information from his death certificate or will.

I am very grateful for your suggestions and research.  I believe the will (if available) and perhaps the death certificate will be of help.

I like your closing comment GR2.  It appears he may have been somewhat prolific as an author and there must have been some in the agricultural industry, of that time, who could understand his articles!

Thanks to all of you for lending a hand.

[MonicaL]

Hi Snohomish

With all the info already found by others and what you have, I wondered whether this entry could be John Smyth already in Marshall Minnesota by 1880. He is visiting and showing as married, so hard to say more for now - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ9X-M1P   

His 1900 census entry with family, in Washington, District of Columbia, and a boarder from Scotland, a Robert Gordon, shows him as potentially having been born in November 1847. Arriving in the US c. 1878 and married in 1888 to Hattie (with 3 children born/alive). A printer by trade. He hadn't applied for Naturalization, so no further checks on documents there (listing out the details here, can't find the family entry for 1900 on Family Search).

Given the age difference between John and Hattie (52 and 33 in 1900, if correct) did wonder whether John could have been married before?

Haven't been able to find any shipping manifests for him so far around those years of the late 1870s , if the info is correct his migration year

Monica

[Kay99]

I note that John is listed as a printer is 1901 and found a family that might be worth looking into in 1871 living at 14, Clunie Street, Banff.  All children born Banff

Daniel Smith 54  b Lerwick Shetland Master Mariner
Ann Smith    45 b Aberdeen
Ann Smith    24
John Smith 22 Printer
William Smith 20  Clerk Stamp Office
Daniel G Smith 17 Clerk (General)
Alexander B Smith 13
Elizabeth A Smith 9
James D Smith    6
Ann G Smith 72  Grandmother b Birse, Aberdeenshire

By 1881 John Smith was no longer at home  and I can't see him elsewhere.  The other children were still clerks with Alexander being a music teacher so not the typical education!

Just a thought if the will/death cert do reveal any information

Edit - I also see that John's birth in 1901 is given as Nov 1849 1847 and a baptism for John Smith in Banff with parents Daniel and Ann on 12 Feb 1849 lists his birth date as 29 Nov 1848