Samuel Smith
ID # 2208, (1838-1916)
| Father | Thomas Smith (1806-) |
| Mother | Janet (--?--) (1812-) |
| Baptism | Samuel Smith was baptized in 1838 at Denbigh, Wales. |
| Marriage | He married Lavinia Buchanan, daughter of William Buchanan and Jane Maria Griffith, on 12 January 1858 at Brant County. MS248 reel 5 Vol. 1 page 4. Brant County Return of marriages solemnized by me William Smith - a minister of the Regular Baptist Ch. St. George, South Dumfries, Co. of Brant Samuel Smith, 20, born Wales, residing Brant Township, parents Thos and Jane Smith. (1st name badly written) Buchanan, 21, born Dumfries, residing N. Dumfries. Parents Wm. Buchanan and Jane Griffith. Witnesses Arthur Willett and Harriet Buchanan, both of N. Dumfries. On 12 Jany., 1858. Samuel Smith, as noted, was a resident of Brant Township. This is in Bruce County, near Walkerton. We have no information as to any Dumfries connections that he may have had whereby he met Lavinia. The county marriage registrations do not typically provide the exact location of the marriage. It's entirely possible that Rev. Smith performed the marriage at the home of the bride's family - in North Dumfries in Waterloo County - but recorded the marriage as being held in Brant County. Rev. Acheson in Galt recorded marriages in Waterloo County that could be shown to have been performed in Wentworth County. The Baptist newspaper, The Christian Messenger, shows extractions of marriages as they appear in the paper for 1858, but there appear to be many issues missing. The available extractions for 1859 is much more extensive. Arthur and Harriet appear next on the list of marriages, being married some five weeks later. We will note here that William Buchanan's siblings were Presbyterians. William and his family, however, were apparently Baptists. |
| Death | He died on 24 April 1916 at Normanby Twp., Grey Co.. |
| Burial | He was buried at Old Hanover Cemetery. |
| Note | Samuel Smith was married three times. See below for the two marriage records that follow his marriage to Lavinia. No death registration or place of burial has been found for Lavinia Buchanan Smith, but we may now say that she died prior to 1879, for Samuel married Mary Jane Ball in 1879 and she is the Mary Smith who appears with the family at the time of the 1881 census in Brant Township, Bruce County. She was much younger than Samuel and we have no sure death registration for her, but Samuel married for a third time to Ann Maria Bilson in 1885. She outlived him. Samuel apparently spent his last days with his son Gordon, the informant for his death, who by 1916 is in Normanby Township in Grey County. Gordon is his son by his third wife Maria Bilson. Samuel's death registration is 014816-16 and places him with Gordon at Lot 24, Concession 8, R 2, Hanover, in Normanby. It makes it clear that he was born in Wales. It should be noted that a Bilson family from England was also in Brant Township at the time of the 1851 census, though Maria is not present in the enumeration. Samuel's second and third marriage registrations are as follows: 011610-79 Mt. Forest, Wellington Co. Samuel Smith, 35 (?), widower, farmer, born Denbigh, Wales, residing Brant Twp. Parents Thomas and Janet Smith. Presbyterian. Mary Jane Ball, 18, spinster, born and residing Bentinck Twp. Parents Thomas and Jane Ball. Methodist. Witnesses Thomas Ball and Elizabeth Ball, both of Bentinck. On 5 March, 1879, at Evans Hotel, Mount Forest. By Donald Frazer. Samuel has given his age several years light. The 1881 census shows a son John, age unclear, but apparently only some months old and he will be Mary Jane's son. John is not with the family in 1891. 001533-86 Walkerton, Bruce Co. Samuel Smith, 35, (?) widower, farmer, born Wales, residing Brant Twp. Parents Thos. and Janet Smith. Presbyterian. Ann Maria Bilson (Bilsdon), 28, spinster, born and residing Brant Twp. Parents Thos. and Margaret Bilson. Baptist. Witnesses Burley A. Morrell and Jane Morrell, both of Walkerton. On 8 Sept. 1885 at Walkerton by Rev. John Scott. Again, Samuel has given his age several years light. From census information it appears that with Maria he had children Ethel, Gordon, Margaret and Bella. Samuel's birth year, 1838, is based on his age of 14 at the time of the 1851 census, taken in early 1852. The 1851 census shows his parents as Thomas and Elizabeth Smith, ages 46 and 40. Also with them are children Robert 20, Thomas 18, James 16, Samuel 14, Mary 12, Hannah 10, Catherine 8. The census shows the entire family as being born in Wales. If this is correct then it would appear that the family came to Canada after 1844. Given the youthful ages given for Samuel in the above two marriage registrations it's ironic that his age as shown in the 1901 census and on his death registration is about ten years heavy. A transcription of the 1911 census appears to show his age rather more correctly, but the image is nearly unreadable. The 1901 census shows him coming to Canada in 1840; the 1911 census appears to show his arrival being in 1849. Samuel and Maria are buried in Old Hanover Cemetery. |
Children of Samuel Smith and Lavinia Buchanan |
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| Last Edited | 2 Aug 2023 |