Sarah Grosset & Thomas or Robert Smith - Edinburgh circa 1860

[LUV]

Hi All

I have the marriage of Mary Smith to George Greig Walker 1883 in Edinburgh
She lists her father as Thomas Smith and mother Sarah Grosset

Now, the only birth I can find at Family Search has Robert Smith as father
Also at Family Search there is a marriage of Robert Smith to a Sarah Grosset.

However there is also a Thomas Walter Smith and Sarah Grosset  as parents of Rebecca Smith 1873 Edinburgh

Anybody find them in the census or have anything to help sort this out.

I am wondering if these are two families or Sarah Grosset married twice or if it is one and the same family??

[isobelw]

I've had a look at this and I think the answer is that Sarah was married twice, both times to a Smith. Sarah Smith or Grosset (recorded as Grossit on her death cert. ) died on 18th Feb 1921 in Edinburgh. According to her son in law who registered her death she had been married twice, firstly to Thomas Smith ( I think this should really be Robert) Private KOSB and secondly to Thomas Walter Smith also a Private in the KOSB(kings Own Scottish Borderers).
I have found Sarah in the 1881 census with Rebecca age 7 and it would appear sh was a widow ( I haven't checked original entry) and she has three other children with her including a Sarah J age 10 born in Bareilly E Indies and two younger daughters Georgina and Thomasina ( twins?) age 3 born Edinburgh. Sarah had been born in Penicuik, Midlothian ( which is where I live!) and her 73 year old father James ( born Ireland) was also in the household).
Familysearch has a record of the birth of Sarah j Smith to Thomas Walter Smith and Sarah in Bareilly Bengal in 1871. Also an Elizabeth Ann to same parents in 1869. Rebecca's birth cert in 1873 in Edinburgh States that her parents were married in Ceylon in 1867 but I can't find a record of this or of the death of Robert Smith who presumably died in India. Thomas Walter Smith died in Edinburgh in 1877 described as married to Sarah Grosset. He was age 39
Regards,
Isobel

[Millmoor]

Hi Isobel beat me to it but this is what I have found
Is it the George Walker and Mary Walker living at 9 Leith Street you are researching with Mary b 1862? If so I note that a Thomisinay Smith is residing with them listed as siater in law aged 13.
Going back to the 1881 census residing in the Canongate, Edinburgh there is
Sarah Smith 46 with children
Sarah J 10 b India
Rebecca7 b Edinburgh
Georgina 3
Thomasina 3
James Grossert 73 father

1891 census has Sarah 56 Sarah 20 Rebecca 17 Georgina 14 and grandson James 1.

Sarah Jane Smith was baptized in Bareilly Bengal June 1 1870 (born may 13 1870) Parents Thomas Walter Smith and Sarah. Thomas was a private 2/25th looks like  HAB. Another daughter was born 4 April 1869 to this couple called Elizabeth Ann also in Bareilly. There is a discharge paper for Thomas W Smith in 1873 which is probably the same man.

If the above matches with your info it does suggest her father was Thomas Walter.

William

[LUV]

THANKS LOADS ISOBEL & WILLIAM 

You know this scenario is almost the same as my previous post on John James Ferguson ( his mother had 3 husbands and sorting out which child was the biological child of which hubby was quite the hunt)

So, just to recap then  (for my benefit)
Mary Smith who marries George Walker in 1883 is actually the child of Robert Smith.
She was born 27 Oct 1861 to Robert Smith and Sarah Grosset (from family search)
Robert Smith dies and Sarah Grosset remarries, circa 1867, to Thomas Walter Smith.

Thomas Walter Smith dies in 1877 (I have the death certificate from SP)
Like Isobel I could not find a death for Robert Smith 1861-1867 that fits.

So when Mary Smith marries George Walker and indicates her father is one Thomas Smith presumably she did this because he was probably the only father she remembers?

I could not find any other children for Robert Smith and Sarah Grosset only Mary.
Thus I would guess he died shortly after their 1861 marriage?

There is a gap of 8 years between Mary and her next sibling Elizabeth Ann (daughter of Sarah & new husband Thomas Smith)

Is there an 1871 Census for those serving in the West Indies?
I'd like to see what children were with Thomas and Sarah at that time.

Thanks again

[Millmoor]

Hi
Marriage of Robert Smith and Sarah Grosset shows he was 25 and she 27 (marriage at 3 St John Street on 18th March 1861) He was a private in 78th foot based in Edinburgh Castle. His parents John Smith  ( groom ) deceased and difficult to read maybe Letice Rennie. Her address is given as Whitehouse Close, Canongate and parents as James Grosset labourer and Mary McLean. Do these names agree with parents named on her death cert?

There is a death for a Robert Smith burial in Bengal 24 June 1865 aged 29 but he is shown as a private in 5th R I Lancers. The 78th Foot  was a Highland regiment (according to Mr Google!)

William

[LUV]

Hi William
I don't have the death of Sarah Grosset yet.
I have Thomas' death but was waiting to invest in others until I could figure out the mess.
Isobel mentioned the particulars of Sarah's death in 1921 but the 1881 Census has Dad James Grosset with Sarah and the 1851 census has James Grosset & Mary with all their children including Sarah.  So I am pretty sure it is the right Sarah Grosset that marries Robert Smith and then Thomas Walter Smith.

I wonder if the death your found for Robert Smith 1865 Bengal is him ... certainly fits all the parameters except the difference in Regiments???

Perhaps I will see about obtaining it from SP.

Thanks yet again

[isobelw]

The parents names on the marriage cert of Sarah Grosset and Robert Smith match those on the 1921 death certificate ie James Grosset and Mary nee Mc Lean.
Regards,
Isobel