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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Shetland => Topic started by: Ag Lab on Tuesday 19 October 21 15:59 BST (UK)
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Oliver Smith was born on 28 April 1808 in Lerwick Shetland. This information is from Olivers Mates Certificate No67.100. I would like to discover his parents and any siblings especially his brother.
My wifes mother told my wife the brother of Oliver went to Sweden to look for his parents and never came back. I would very much like to pursue this connection but I am at a loss where to look. If any fellow researcher can offer any advise It would be most appreciated.
Thank You
Richard
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Hi Richard
What happened with Oliver Smith? Did he die in Scotland and after 1855? If so, his death cert should include his parents' names if known to the informant.
There is this death for example on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk:
Oliver Smith
Died 1872
Age 61
Burra and Quarff
Ref 001/2 7
Monica
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Possible 1851 census entry for this Oliver?
Oliver Smith 40 Fisherman Crofter Of 4 1/2 Acres b. Burra
Jane Smith 29 wife
James Smith 26 brother
Martha Smith 34 sister
Thomas Ewenson 14 servant
Barbara Lawrenson 36 servant
Address: Halvera Isle, Bressay
Monica
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This Oliver in 1841 I would think. With parents? No relationships are normally shown on the 1841 census. Also, ages for those over 15 were supposed to be rounded down to the nearest 5 years:
James Smith 55 fisherman
Barbara Smith 55
Olliver Smith 30 fisherman
Susan Smith 25
Martha Smith 20
Elizabeth Smith 20
James Smith 15
Address: Hadnera Isle, Burra and Quarff, Orkney and Shetland
Monica
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Ahh, there is also this 1851 census entry for an Oliver Smith in Durham www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGVS-YLT
Monica
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Is this also him? Ancestry has the record with image.
England, Dreadnought Seamen's Hospital Admissions and Discharges, 1826-1930
Name: Oliver Smith
Admission Age: 20
Birth Date: abt 1808
Birth Place: Shetland
Admission Date: 10 Nov 1828
Admission Place: London, England
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Oliver Smith Died 1854 Durham
Married 1834 Tynemouth to Mary SKEOGH
Children:
Robert 1836
Oliver 1838
Ellen 1841
Stuart 1845
John 1849
Mary 1851
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Not that it helps with the OP's Sweden query, but it looks like son John (born 1849) went to the USA:
U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925
Name: John Smith
Age: 73
Birth Date: 22 Feb 1849
Birth Place: South Shields, England
Residence Place: Buffalo, New York
Passport Issue Date: 5 Sep 1922
Father: Oliver Smith
Spouse: Sarah Smith
Has Photo: Yes
Certificate Number: 216679
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I am also interested in any information about the parents of Oliver Smith b 28 Apr 1808 in Lerwick. He is my 5th great-grandfather. I believe from DNA that I have Scandinavian ancestry and this is the most likely connection but I've been unable to find any information about Oliver's parents.
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Hi
I'm also really interested in finding out about Oliver Smith's parents and siblings. He is my 3 x Great Grandfather, through his son Stewart Smith (1845 - 1893), and then through Stewart's daughter Jane Coser Smith (whose engagement ring I wear every day)!
I have a lot of information about his children and their families but I stop dead at him. My mother and I have also had some Scandinavian ancestry showing up, which I think it probably through this connection.
I am also interested in any information about Oliver's wife - Mary Skeogh or Scaife (1816-1885) and her parents, if anyone has anything more about them?
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More info for Mary Skeogh or Scaife
After the death of her husband Oliver SMITH, Mary married James CUNNINGHAM in 1861 Tynemouth. On this marriage record, her father is recorded as Robert SKAIFE.
Marys parents were Robert SCAIFE (a merchant) and Ruth SENTELL.
Robert was a native of Leith Scotland, or maybe of Beith (depending upon accuracy of transcript). The Scots spelling is more commonly SKEOCH.
Ruth was a native of Windsor / Hallifax, Nova Scotia, daughter of William SENTELL & Ruth CHURCH.
Robert and Ruth married in Nova Scotia on 11 June 1796.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6Z9M-Q3HH
In the 1841 census Robert SCAIFE age 65 a merchant, born Scotland is living in Walton on the Hill, Lancashire.
Robert (age 73) was buried 7 Jan 1846 at Edge Hill, St Mary Lancashire. Death rego in Salford District.
Ruth was buried 22 Dec 1835 at Edge Hill, St Mary Lancashire. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/224591602/ruth-scaife
SCAIFE baptisms / births in St Andrew Newcastle upon Tyne to parents Robert SCAIFE (merchant) and Ruth SENTELL - from Bishops transcripts available on FreeReg.
Robert (3rd son) born 20 Apr 1803
Mary (2nd daughter) born 26 May 1806
Edward (4th son) born 29 Aug 1807
Joseph Bainbridge (5th son) born 1 Oct 1808
Septimus Ellis (7th son) born 10 Jul 1811
Ruth Anna baptised 2 Jun 1813
Robert Octavian baptised 12 Apr 1815
Mary baptised 6 Apr 1818
Notes Added for first 3 children:
* John George (1st son) 1797: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPHQ-9X66?from=lynx1UIV8&treeref=K8KJ-CW9
* Caleb (2nd son) 1799: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPHQ-9X6N?from=lynx1UIV8&treeref=K8KJ-CW9
* There is an Elizabeth Scaife born about 1801 Halifax who marries in 1827 Liverpool to John Topham (probably first daughter) https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J3JJ-5V4?from=lynx1UIV8&treeref=K8KJ-CW9
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Thank you sooo much! This is so helpful and much appreciated!! 😃
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Thanks Neale1961 for this rich information. I'm trying to figure out how certain it is that the Mary Smith that married James Cunningham is indeed the same Mary Skeogh/Scaife/Smith that was married to Oliver Smith. Do you have a source for that information other than the matching name on the marriage record?
I have found the marriage record listing the marriage of James Cunningham and Mary Smith elsewhere (Ancestry, FamilySearch) but I can't find a digitized copy of the original record or any other confirming source/evidence that it's the same Mary Smith.
The reason this would be significant is because Ruth Sentell is a confirmed descendant of a passenger on the Mayflower (Richard Warren).
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When Mary Smith marries Cunningham, her father is recorded as Robert Skaife.
You should obtain the marriage certificate to verify.
In the 1871 census Mary Cunningham has in her house, Ellen Smith. (Oliver and Mary Smith had a daughter named Ellen born in 1841.)
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Thanks Neale1961 - I've ordered a copy of the marriage certificate from the UK GRO. I'll update this thread once I receive it.
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According to the Bayanne website https://www.bayanne.info/Shetland/index.php (https://www.bayanne.info/Shetland/index.php), there is a record of an Oliver Smith, b.1811, Burra, Shetland, d. 10th June 1872, buried Papil Cemetery, Burra 12th June 1872.
There is also a family tree.
His parents are given as James Smith, Dunrossness, and Barbara Manson, Sandwick, with their marriage date and place 12th December 1809, Sandwick. Grandparents are Hance Smith (b.1754) and Janet Forbes (b.1755)
Oliver married Jane LAURENSON (b.1821), Bressay, SHI, SCT, (d.Bef 1909), on 7th Nov 1848 at Leebitton, Sandwick, SHI, SCT.
The census information for 1841 and 1851 indicates that the subject was on Havera on both occasions as Monica has already stated.
(Havera (Havra) is an island due south of Scalloway and West Burra)
Istrice
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Hi all
Following further information obtained, I'm confident that Mary Skeogh/Skaife's mother was not Ruth Sentell as we thought.
I have multiple DNA links with relatives of Helen Irvine, from Fair Isle (husband also called Oliver Smith) however, I'm having trouble sorting this lot out...
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According to the Bayanne website https://www.bayanne.info/Shetland/index.php (https://www.bayanne.info/Shetland/index.php), there is a record of an Oliver Smith, b.1811, Burra, Shetland, d. 10th June 1872, buried Papil Cemetery, Burra 12th June 1872.
There is also a family tree.
His parents are given as James Smith, Dunrossness, and Barbara Manson, Sandwick, with their marriage date and place 12th December 1809, Sandwick. Grandparents are Hance Smith (b.1754) and Janet Forbes (b.1755)
Oliver married Jane LAURENSON (b.1821), Bressay, SHI, SCT, (d.Bef 1909), on 7th Nov 1848 at Leebitton, Sandwick, SHI, SCT.
The census information for 1841 and 1851 indicates that the subject was on Havera on both occasions as Monica has already stated.
(Havera (Havra) is an island due south of Scalloway and West Burra)
Istrice
Hi, this is not the same Oliver Smith as our Oliver Smith. Our one was definitely the one from the Shetlands.
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Hi, this is not the same Oliver Smith as our Oliver Smith. Our one was definitely the one from the Shetlands.
All the places mentioned in Istrice's post are in Shetland, so there must be two different Oliver Smiths, both from Shetland.
Have you got the marriage record of your Oliver Smith to Mary Scaife? Does it say what your Oliver's father's name was?
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Hi, not yet but its on my must get list (with sooo many others lol)!
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Hi All - great thread. I too have DNA matches that seem to go through Oliver Smith (1808) who I believe came down to South Shields and created the Smith branch down here. The links to (like MinnieNZ's) back to Oliver Smith (1770) born in Gaila, which is now no longer there (although the foundations of the settmlement are visible by the Old Haa guesthouse on Fairisle) This is by no means certain yet as there are other possibilities for Minnie and I to be connected to Oliver (1770), but this is the most likely explanation. I have found no record of Oliver (1770) having a son called Oliver, and he would have been born only 2 years before Oliver(1770) died at 38 years old. I've been told that Gaila was abandoned because of Smallpox, which could explain a move from Shetland to the Fair Isle. I've got another Y-Chromasone Paternal test in process which may help find more links. There are a few tree's that show Oliver (1770) being married to Helen Irvine, again this is currently unconfirmed, but no evidence of his parentage. My DNA is only (maybe) 2% Sweden and Ireland, with the remainder being Irish and Scottish to there's no strong link to Scandanavia yet. The interesting thing at the moment is that Oliver (1808)'s line which I come from always has to have an Oliver and a Stewart in it, I'm the 9th Stewart I've found so far. The lines that come from Oliver (1770) are also full of Stewart and Olivers, which provides more weight to the as yet unproven hypothesis that we've found a link to Fair Isle. I've also been told that there were Smiths on Fair Isle. Join the Friends of the Fair Isle Facebook Group, you'll see a short discussion there.