Smith born in Paris France, son of a British soldier??

[scotrootinheather]

I have a GT gt grandfather born in Paris France, abt 1830- name is John Francis Smith, parents John and Betsy Smith.  We do not know why a Smith was in Paris with his wife at that time.
There is family lore that he or his father was in British military.
Did the British have a military presence in France in 1830 and why??
The Napoleonic wars were over by 1815.
Am looking for help also to find this birth record in Paris... can any one help with these questions?
ThankYou!
Heather

[jorose]

What else do you know about him - later census, marriage records etc. should give some idea of his occupation.

British b. France in 1830s would more likely be civilian than military. Unfortunately you've got multiple things working against you - destruction of many earlier Paris bmds (by fire in 1870), and dates prior to consular registration (didn't start until 1840s), as well as a very common name.  In addition, people who report birthplace as "Paris" often turn out to be born somewhere else in the area - places that would now be considered suburbs of Paris.

There is no national birth index for France, and if the family were only passing through it's quite possible there will be no record actually in France, just a delayed baptism when they got wherever "home" was.

[scotrootinheather]

We don't know a lot about John Francis Smith as he was married, had 4 children and died all between 1861 and 1871 Canadian Census in the Port Perry area of Ontario, Canada.  His marriage records says birth in France, his death says Paris, France.  Have not been able to place him in the 1851 or 1861 Can Census's. We have no idea of how or when he immigrated to Canada. And the oldest living descendants tell us that his father was in the British military.

Thanks for this information, We knew it was going to be an almost impossible search but did not realize it would that difficult.   The name itself is a nightmare  ! Thanks for the idea of a delayed baptism at 'home'  ...had not thought of that.

[jorose]

His father might have been in the British military at some point but they wouldn't have been stationed in Paris in the 1830s.  There is a partial index to "reconstructed" Paris bmds but I checked and saw no John/Francis Smith b. 1830s there: http://canadp-archivesenligne.paris.fr

Where exactly was he married in  the Port Perry area, and in what church? (Sometimes you can track families by location + religion - and we need all the details we can get).

[scotrootinheather]

Thank you Jorose!

Marriage was Jan 5 1862, Methodist Church, Oshawa Ontario by Thomas Henry.
John Smith, born France , residing East Whitby, Ont.  to Mary Ann Shell, born Mariposa Tsp, Ont, residing in Uxbridge Ont.