Smyth, John Beveridge

[MonicaL]

Kay, not that it matters as we know particularly censuses are very often not precise, the census in the US is in 1900 (1 June). John in his 1900 entry gave his birth detail as Nov 1847 and aged 52 which would fit well with all of that....however, that may not be the correct details as we often see, and he could well have added or taken off years along the way!

He was fond of his middle name Beveridge though wasn't he. Maybe that will also help in trying to find links to a Scottish family entry for him.

Monica 

[Kay99]

Oops - Many thanks Monica - Typo

Kay

[MonicaL]

Kay, been looking at this family that you found of Daniel Smith and Ann Smith (her maiden too..her father was also called Daniel Smith and her mother Ann Grant.). Daniel Smith, father of John born in 1848 was a master mariner. We like the date of their John's birth being in Nov 1848 (not 1847 but we know ages vary).

Trying to make sense of the names, dates and events we have so far for John in the US:

Migration year c. 1878-80, after he won the prizes that GR2 has mentioned?

Possible entry in the 1880 census in Marshall Minnesota https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ9X-M1P - no way at this stage of firming up. This John Smyth showing as married. I like this entry too as a possible for him as he seems to have been quite specific for him in the spelling of Smyth v. Smith.

Married Hattie Radonski c. 1887-8, going by his 1900 census entry in Washington, District of Columbia - What were her parents' names do you know, Snohomish. Have you been able to find her in 1880?

John and Hattie had 3 children.  From your info, Snohomish: 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.  We know they had no more children as on the 1900 census they show as having had 3 children, all living.

From this we have names (which can be important in Scottish genealogy...but not always in order or relevance):

Beveridge - middle name for John, he used it a lot and therefore important to him.
Victoria Clara
Joseph
Edward

Not seeing anything in those names yet connecting back to Scotland as yet...

Monica 

[Kay99]

Monica - I haven't found Hattie in 1880 either.  According to the 1880 census she arrived in 1877 so should be around, but her surname would be easily mistranscribed.   

I had seen the John Smyth in 1880 and also given the location it was a good possibility.  I do wish there was a 1890 census!

I did wonder whether John was very specific about the spelling of Smyth and the use of a middle initial or name because he had name was such a common name - but just a thought.

Kay

[MonicaL]

So frustrating isn't it Whatever we see/find, we have to be able to verify...and struggling with that all at the moment aren't we.

We can be hopeful though... Not sure that the Will will necessarily reveal John's background in Scotland (after c. 26-8 years in the US), likely more about him leaving his assets etc to wife and children (saw a short link on this somewhere on searches). However, not sure what death certs for 1906 in Washington will include in terms of bio of the deceased...parents' info? Not sure.

Monica

[Snohomish]

Thank you K99 and MonicaL for your tenacity.  Allow me to fall back and regroup!  I had never hear of my Grandmother (Victoria) talk of her father, John Beveridge Smyth.  Her mother Hattie Smyth and later Oberlatz was sometimes a topic of conversation...in a cheerful way.

Many year ago I was shown a Bible by an Uncle and inscribed on a photograph were these words: "Presented to Mr. J. B. Smyth, Forester. Duff House. By a few friends on the occasion of his leaving the District.  Banff 1879."  I had always thought that he and Hattie had been divorced and there were still some ill feelings...until the will notations.  I found the May 18 1906 Washington Post article on Fold 3 and the article under "City Bulletins" state that the will of John Beveridge Smyth, of Stephen, Marshall County, Minnesota, dated April 12, 1904 was filed yesterday for probate.  ...bonds, stocks, and life insurance....are to be divided equally among his three children. ...residue to  go to the widow, Mrs. Hattie Smyth."  So much for the divorce thought!

I had hoped to order the death certificate online through the Dist. of Columbia website but VitalChek, which provides the service,  limits accessibility to only those persons designated by law
There is a provision in law that make the records Public Domain after 50 years but that is not a choice given by VitalChek.  I will call them next week before I order it by mail.
The Will may be a little "trickier"  I will have to send (by mail) a request for records search in the archives.  Then, assuming the Will can be located (probably on microfilm) I send a second request by mail for a copy.  Sometimes persistence pays..we'll see.  Or may is just the Scot's blood that doesn't want to surrender!

Now to Hattie:  I have been in contact with a cousin who has done extensive family research on that side of the family.  Hattie Radonski was born in Poland, October 15, 1863 and immigrated with her family to the US in 1880.  On June 13, 1884 she had married a Charles J. Davis in Warren, Minnesota.  How that marriage ended is unknown.  She remarried John Beveridge Smyth sometime between 1886 and 1888 under her maiden name (Radonski) or married name "Davis".
She and John had three children :  Victoria Clara Smyth b. 08/23/1888, Warren, Marshall County, Minnesota,  Joseph John Smyth, b 05/21/1889, Edward William Smyth b 10/05/1891 ??, Minnesota.  Uncle Joe and Uncle Ed had their last names changed to Smith.

I hadn't recognized the disparity in Hattie's and John's ages until you mentioned it MonicaL
I have no hint of a previous marriage by John. 

Again, thanks for your tenacity...it's not easy to pry all this loose

[MonicaL]

...it's not easy to pry all this loose

Ahh, but that is where the fun lies  Thanks for the further info 

Some hope that if you do get a hold of JB's death entry, there may be some details on his parents (if known to the informant for this death) looking at this info here https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Washington_Vital_Records#Death_Contents

Just a question. You mention a photograph with the farewell note for JB (that certainly looks to confirm likeliest early date of his arrival in the US as being 1879). Was this a photo of JB?

Monica

[MonicaL]

Have found a possible shipping manifest entry for John. He seems to like using J B Smyth doesn't he. There is the following entry showing on this crossing, indexed as below:


Mr. J B Smith, born c.1844. Scottish national.
Port of Departure showing as Glasgow, Scotland and Moville, Ireland. Arrived in NY on 24 Mar 1879 on the 'Circassia'

Many of these images for manifests around this time can image poorly (we are happy to have them though nevertheless). This one is no different. A snippet below. The line below his is indexed as a Mr A B Smith. The J from the John (for JB) falls below into the next line. I am wondering whether this could be Mrs A B Smith?

Also the occupation for this JB Smith on the page?  My brain in forcing me to see printer or forrester  Can't see beyond that for now. Might try and find a Mrs and an F letter to compare from this manifest if I can.

ADDED: Now that I blown it up, I see the line below, with a Mr A B Smith, also has the ditto marks under the occupation that shows in the line above for a Mr J B Smith. So not wife then...

[Kay99]

Well found Monica - Just popped in from the garden   Would agree that the occupation is more like forester.  The age is also difficult to read.   I would think his possible relative was 33.   

Interesting that most of other passengers had their full names given with no title.   JB liked a certain status