What happened to Betsy Smith, Cromdale from 1881

[Calleva]

I was also slightly surprised there is no record of her being with her mother after her grandparents died in 1885 and 1887 particularly as her stepfather, who may have objected to her being in his household, had died in 1881.

I’m now wondering if she was just visiting her grandparents when the 1881 Census was taken i.e. she lived with another family. However I’m not sure if the enumerator would have been obliged to record her as ‘visitor’ in addition to ‘granddaughter’. Just speculation but could tie in with your thought she may have been adopted possibly closer to her birth in 1874.

Stuart

[rosie17]

Hi Stuart still on the look out for Betsy Smith 

But I did find a mention of her on her Grandfather Andrew Noble's will 1901 New Zealand
www.familysearch.org
Elizabeth Smith, Isabella McBean ,and Jessie Mcbean all mentioned so she was still around just trying to find out where

Rosie

[Calleva]

Hi Stuart still on the look out for Betsy Smith 

But I did find a mention of her on her Grandfather Andrew Noble's will 1901 New Zealand
www.familysearch.org
Elizabeth Smith, Isabella McBean ,and Jessie Mcbean all mentioned so she was still around just trying to find out where

Rosie

Hi Rosie

Fantastic news, thank you for being so assiduous.

I’ve no experience of familysearch but will explore with great interest - a terrific birthday present!

Stuart

[rosie17]

Must admit it's a hit and miss for me most times on family search just got lucky 

Rosie

[Calleva]

Hi Rosie

Thank you again, may I say you’ve made more progress in an hour or two than I had in some years!

I’ve now read the grandfather’s will and also found a photo of his headstone in Wyndham Cemetery, Southland NZ on Findagrave.

The will states that granddaughter Jessie McBean is ‘at present living in Scotland’. This ties in with the Census information you found noting also that she married Alexander Thom in Lymington in 1908.

However this wording is not applied to her full sister Isabella, whose death in 1955 is commemorated on her grandfather’s headstone in NZ. The stone also commemorates her husband Matthew Nelson.

Taking account of all this I think it reasonable to infer that Jessie had moved to NZ when the will was made, possibly with her maternal grandparents.

In a similar way there is no reference in the description of the half sister Betsy (Elizabeth) Smith to her ‘living in Scotland’, and I’m wondering if she had also moved to NZ which would explain why she seems to disappear from the records in Scotland.

Incidentally I was struck that Betsy Noble, the girls’ mother is not acknowledged anywhere in her Father’s will. I can only speculate what happened to her but suspect it wasn’t a happy story. 

Stuart

[rosie17]

Hi Stuart
I have searched through pages of immigration records for Elizabeth Smith but so far nothing also looking for her in New Zealand ..I think that might be a possibility in Ireland as I mentioned on a previous post .I can't find immigration record for Isabella she married in New Zealand 1912 .She is on the electoral roll records at her grandfather's farm 1914 with her husband .Like you I thought it strange his daughter was not mentioned in his will
Andrew Noble was in New Zealand by 1863 and his  daughter Besty was with the Macrae family .There is a few records in paperpast.natlib.gov.nz you might want to look at its free to view.Andrew Noble married Margaret Frater 1886 New Zealand ..

Rosie