James Smith, b. 1837 Gilford

[joemc]

Hello,

This is a long shot as I have little information to go on and I know that Smith is a common name but hoping someone may make a connection.

James Smith was born approx. 1837, Gilford, Co. Down, he emigrated to Boston in the early 1860's and was employed as a carpenter in the Pickering piano factory, Boston, where he met his future wife, Margaret McCorkell a native of Donegal, they followed the gold rush to California and married there in 1862, they eventually followed the gold trial up to Canada were he was involved in the Cariboo gold rush in the mid 1860's, they eventually settled in Victoria, Vancouver Island. He was  Presbyterian CoI. I have no knowledge of his parentage, not given on marriage or death certs. He died in Canada in 1922.

He christened his first son William James

I have all subsequent family records for James and have an extensive tree for Margaret but I am keen to expand on James background, family connections etc.

Regards

[aghadowey]

His death certificate doesn't list his parents' names (informant wasn't a relative) but I'm a bit puzzled why you say "born approx. 1837" when the certificate says 9 Apr.1837. This date may help you locate a baptism in Co. Down.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLGG-Q46

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/PHOTOSwords/TullylishAll.htm

[joemc]

Thanks aghadowey,

I did have the birth date but was just a bit sceptical about its precision, given the informant had no knowledge of James parents, I hadn't viewed the actual certificate before so it has given me some additional information regarding precise years of immigration to Canada and how long he was at his current address before death.

I had checked available church records (online) for Tullydish parish but didn't find any matches, thank-you for the link to the parish though I may get some more clues from that. 

[KatC]

My Gilford Samuel Smith was a mechanic born to tailor Samuel Smith about 10 years before your James was born.  Samuel married a Presbyterian and moved to Connecticut, but was in Fall River, MA  by 1854.  When your James emigrated Boston would be the nearest port.  There were several Smiths from Ireland in Fall River in probably either the 1860 or 1870 census.  However, they appeared to have  soon left the area and I could not figure out if they were relatives.  It is probably a coincidence that the family firm, Samuel Smith & Son, was a carpentry firm.  Unfortunately, I never found much information on the Fall River or the Gilford Smiths.

[joemc]

Thank you for the information on Samuel, I will keep a record of that, maybe a match will show.

Taking a look at the Canadian census information looks like James was Episcopalian (CoI) although wife gave her religion as Presbyterian (1881 census)

[BallyaltikilliganG]

Have you seen http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/down/tithe-applotment-books/tullylish-parish.php#.VUkMhUuDoYU
Smith, Isaac    Townland: Mullabrack Year: 1834
Smith, James    Townland: Knocknagor Year: 1834
Smith, Jas.    Townland: Ballydougan Year: 1834
Smith, John    Townland: Lenederg Year: 1834
Smyth, Brice    Townland: Kernon Year: 1834
Smyth, Brien    Townland: Kernon Year: 1827
Smyth, John    Townland: Lenaderg Year: 1827
Smyth, John    Townland: Lenaderg Year: 1834
Smyth, Philip    Townland: Loughans Year: 1827
Smyth, Philip    Townland: Loughans Year: 1834

[joemc]

Thank you for the tithe records, unfortunately with Smith being such a common name and not have a first name for father it will be difficult to narrow down the list