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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: Seaton Smithy on Thursday 28 December 17 02:56 GMT (UK)
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This post follows on from research in Scotland found here: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=762434.0
Samuel Smith was born in Leochel-Cushnie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1819. His parents were William Smith and Euphemia Laing (aka Reid) who both died in Coull, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1835.
The 1850 census for Essex Township, Porter County, Indiana shows Samuel Smith age 26 born Scotland with wife Eve age 24 born Ohio and son William age 1 born Indiana. Although there is a discrepancy in the ages I believe this is the same Samuel Smith because living with the family are Alexander Dustan age 11 and Samuel Dustan age 7 both born Scotland who would be Samuel Smith’s nephews, the sons of his sister Elspet Smith and her husband James Dustan who were married in Scotland in 1834. Samuel Dustan appears to die in Montana in 1928.
The 1860 census for Vacaville Township, Solano County, California shows Samuel Smith age 35 born Scotland with wife Eave age 35 born Ohio and children William age 12 born Indiana, [Given name not recorded, male] age 7 born Indiana, Tobias age 3 born California and Infant age 10 months born California. Living with the family are Alexander Smith age 38 born Scotland (likely to be Samuel’s brother actually born in 1817) and James [Surname not recorded] age 28 born Ohio. The dwelling number is 4/2 and the family number is 357.
The next line on the 1860 census seems to be a reference to a post office in another township then after that the listings are for Thomas E Stewart age 19 and Milan (?) Stewart age 17 both born Ohio. There is no new dwelling or family number for these two entries. Perhaps this gives a clue to Eve’s family origins as the line after those two names shows dwelling number 4/3 and family number 358 for Samuel Stewart age 30 born Ohio and his family.
The 1870 census for Center Township, Sacramento County, California shows Samuel Smith age 45 born Indiana with wife Eve age 43 born Indiana and children Wm T age 22 born Indiana, Manuel age 17 born California, John W age 13 born California, Abigail age 11 born California and Lovina I age 9 born California.
(Both Ancestry and Familysearch have the youngest child transcribed as “Lorina” but based on later information I think “Lovina” is a better transcription.)
The 1880 census for Lee Township, Sacramento County, California shows Samuel Smith age 50 born Scotland disabled by paralysis with wife Eve B age 50 born Pennsylvania and children William age 32 born Indiana, Emanuel age 28 born California, Tobias age 24 born California, Abagail age 20 born California and Mary L age 18 born California.
On 6 July 1899 Samuel Smith age 73 years dies in Sacramento County with cause of death paralysis. The Findagrave memorial with date of death cites “At the age of 73, Samuel died of paralysis on the Cosumnes River at Lindsay's Ranch. He was the husband of Affey; father of W. A. and E. Manuel Smith, Mrs. L. Pierson, and Mrs. Abbie Curby.” Tobias is not mentioned and may have pre-deceased Samuel.
On 30 November 1903 Mrs Eva Smith age 79 years 11 months 5 days dies in Sacramento County with cause of death paralysis.
The 1900 census for Lee Township, Sacramento County, California shows Livina Pierson age 36 born California, parents born Scotland and Pennsylvania, with husband William B Pierson age 37 born Ohio and children Willie F age 12 and Eva V age 9 both born California. Eva Viola Pierson dies in 1903.
The 1910 census for Lee Township, Sacramento County, California shows Lavina Pierson age 48 born Nevada, parents born Scotland and Pennsylvania, with husband William B Pierson age 48 born Ohio and son Willie F age 22 born California.
Findagrave shows burials in Sloughhouse, Sacramento County, California for Louvina I Pierson with date of death 27 April 1946 and William Baxter Pierson with date of death 11 Jan 1942. I have some family information for their son William F Pierson.
Any information about the fates of the other children William Smith, (E)Manuel Smith, Tobias “John W” Smith or Abigail Smith Curby would be greatly appreciated.
Any other further information about Alexander Smith who appears with the family in 1860 would also be appreciated.
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This doesn't provide further info but is more of an FYI for anyone searching. The FindAGrave folks must have pulled that info from his obit, as follows.
The Record-Union
Sacramento, California
Sat., July 8, 1899
"SMITH -- On Consumnes, at Lindsay's ranch, July 6th, Samuel Smith, husband of Affey Smith, father of W.A. and E. Manuel Smith, Mrs. L. Pierson, Mrs. Abbie Curby, a native of Scotland, aged 73 years.
"Friends and acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral to-day (Saturday), July 8th, from his late residence on Consumnes, at 10 o'clock. Interment New Helvetia Cemetery."
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The 1900 census has a James L. Kirby with a wife Abbie in Township 1, Placer County, California. It says the couple had been married eight years and had three children. This Abbie was born in California and her father was born in Scotland. I have no way of knowing if this is the right Abbie; I'm presenting it as a possible alternate spelling for Curby.
Modified to add that the image is available on FamilySearch.org.
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FamilySearch.org has a marriage for an Abbie Smith and James L. Cirby on Sept. 14, 1892 in Sacramento, California. It's also indexed as Curby.
You can't see the actual image online except under specific circumstances; you can also see it at one of the LDS centres.
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The Placer County, California website has a free downloadable index of BMD notices published in the Placer-Herald newspaper between 1863-1915:
http://www.placer.ca.gov/departments/facility/parks/parks-content/museums/research-and-artifact-storage
It lists the marriage notice for James L. Cirby and Abbie Smith. That newspaper doesn't seem to be available at Newspapers.com; I don't know about other online sources. Perhaps you could contact the local library and ask for a look-up, in case it mentions their fathers' names.
Good luck in your search!
Regards,
Josephine
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I think this is the son William in 1900:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M95S-MTW
He is single. It would appear that he has "Cirby" relatives with him ("Mary A" = Abigail under another name?)
In 1910 and 1920, still unmarried:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVLL-FKX
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHWQ-XXB
Died 1926, sister Mrs Lizzie Pierson and nephew William Kirby mentioned:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/59750080
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Thank you both very much for all of this.
It's good to have the source of the obituary details for Samuel.
There appears to be a good match for Jamed L Kirby, age 1 on the 1870 census for Township 1.
The two census records for 1900 are curious. If Lovina could become "Mary L" on one census, then I guess Abigail could become "Mary A". Her parents' birthplaces of Scotland and Pennsylvania match, and the two children Lucy and William match two of the three listed for the Abbie recorded with James. But why would Abbie, Lucy and William be shown as living with James and living with William. And why is Mary only on one record?
It is interesting that William is buried in an Oddfellows cemetery as I think I have found his cousin John Dustan* in an Oddfellows cemetery in Oregon. Did you need to be a member of the Oddfellows to be buried in their cemeteries or were they open to anyone?
[*Note: I'll start a separate post about the Dustans when I get the time.]
William seems to have followed a family trend - I have found the Smith men tend to die young, die childless or if they have children have more daughters than sons.
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You're most welcome, Seaton Smithy.
The census only records where people were staying the night the census was taken. So Abbie & children might have been away visiting on a different night (you'd have to check the exact dates on the pages) or they might have been away on the same night but James recorded them at home in error. I've got more than one instance of folks who were recorded in two different places for the same census.
I would tend to assume Mary A. meant Mary Ann. Unless relationships are shown (modified to add: the two children are listed as the son & daughter of Mary A.), it's guesswork at best. (Unless, of course, you are able to find a record that lists her as Mary Abigail or Mary Abbie.)
Regards,
Josephine
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Mary A Cirby died 17 July 1904 Sacramento California - aged 43 years
Lucy B Cirby died 22 August 1905 Sonoma California - aged 11 years
Sandra
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Thanks for those dates, Sandra.
Going back to the 1900 census records it does seem odd that Abigail would become Mary A but it appears her sister Lovina appeared as Mary L on an earlier census. It is also odd she would be shown as Boarder rather than Sister - but I also have a case where a son is the informant for his mother's death and is shown as "Occupant" rather than "Son".
Perhaps in 1900 James and (Mary) Abigail were separated but James did not want this known.
The 1910 census for Mendicino Township, Healdsburg City, California shows James L Cirby age 41 born California, parents born Kentucky and Illinois, with wife Clara M age 35 born California (other records suggest maiden name Roscoe) and children William age 14, Gerald age 8 and Elmer age 1 all born California.
The James L Kirby on the 1900 census with wife Abbie shows his parents as born Illinois and Illinois.
Of course, there could be two men named James L Kirby/Cirby both born about 1869 both with sons named William L born about 1896 - but it seems like a big coincidence.
James and Clara are recorded as being married for 16 years and Clara as having 3 children, but a document titled "McMillan Genealogy and History" on the North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 Index states that Clara M Roscoe was married to James S Cirby on 19 November 1905 in Sacramento and that their Post office address in 1908 was Sanoma.
The 1930 census for Rohnerville Township in Humboldt County suggests that James L Cirby age 61 and wife Clara M age 55 were married when they were 36 and 25 indicating marriage in 1905 for James (but 1900 for Clara?).
I wonder what happened to daughter Mary B Kirby/Cirby born 1898?
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Seaton Smithy,
Your best bet would be to get copies of as many actual records as you can (if possible) to prove these are all the folks you're looking for. It looks like the LDS has both marriage records, for example.
Regards,
Josephine
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Absolutely. This is just piecing the clues together at this stage.
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Good stuff!
:)
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Census information is only as good as the knowledge of the informant. Variation in the years married or age at marriage and places where people were born is not unusual -
Sandra
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Just bumping this up as a result of a new discovery.
To recap, the 3rd son of Samuel Smith and his wife Eve born is shown as in California and as Tobias aged 3 on the 1860 census, John W aged 13 on the 1870 census, Tobias aged 24 on the 1880 census and is not mentioned under either name on Samuel's 1899 obituary.
I found a death index record for John W Smith shown as born in California who died on 13 November 1884 aged 26 years, 11 months and 14 days in Sacramento. He was originally buried in New Helvetia cenetery.
I found his grave marker at Findagrave - in 1956 it was moved from New Helvetia to East Lawn but unfortunately contains no more information than the death index record.
Of course, while this record appears to fit in the timeline I have no idea whether this John W Smith is the son of Samuel and Eve also known as Tobias.
I would still like to discover the fate of Manuel (also recorded as Emanuel and E. Manuel) Smith.