Smith, Alexander from Dumfriesshire / Brecknock

1-star-status Member Joined : 12 Jan 2008 Posts : 2

HI - can anyone help?
I have an Alexander Smith born ca.1827 (from census) who according to various census' was born in Dumfriesshire. He married Jennett Calvert (also born in Dumfriesshire) in 1854 in Brecon, South Wales.
On the marriage certificate Alexanders fathers names is: Alexander Smith also. But i've hit a wall. I can't anywhere find an Alexander Smith with a father Alexander Smith in the dates.

Anyone with ANY help??

Thank you
Amy

Hi Amy,

Thanks for telling us about your Smiths.

You might already know that >> the FreeCEN Project includes the Dumfriesshire Census transcriptions for 1841 (but no other years yet)>> FreeCEN - Coverage for Dumfries-shire

So I checked that for your Alexander -
and just in case you haven't already got this - below is the transcription I discovered........

As you see, if this transcription is correct, his father is not present - (assuming that Mary is his mother). So perhaps Alexander Senior had died sometime after the youngest child was born (Ellen b.c1836-37) & before the 1841 Census. Well if so - that narrows it down for dates to search for a death or burial.

1841 Census
SCT1841/ Piece 831 Folio: 4 Page: 5
Place: Hutton & Corrie -Dumfries-shire
Enumeration District: 4
Civil Parish: Hutton & Corrie
Address: Paddockhole

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born
SMITH Mary F 45 Agricultural Labourer Dumfries-shire
SMITH Alexander M 14 Dumfries-shire
SMITH James M 12 Dumfries-shire
SMITH Jane F 10 Dumfries-shire
SMITH Ellen F 4 Dumfries-shire

The only others indexed for name Alexander Smith in Dumfriesshire 1841
are as below - so you can see none of a relevant age for Alexander Snr.

Surname First name(s) Sex Age Occupation Where Born Census Place
SMITH Alexander M 6 Dumfries-shire Glencairn
SMITH Alexander M 29 Independent Dumfries-shire Glencairn
SMITH Alexander M 6m Dumfries-shire Morton
SMITH Alexander M 25 Ironmonger Ireland Dumfries-Burgh
SMITH Alexander M 25 Farmer Dumfries-shire Lochmaben-Burgh
__________________________

Amy - I also noticed that Alexander (Jnr) was Widowed by the 1881 Census, at which time he was in Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales.
Have you got that 1881 Census copy or transcription?
I found it on Familysearch. Let me know if you haven't got that yet - and I'll copy it here for you.

Chat soon Amy.

Carole wave

_________________
Carole, Smith Project/Smith Chat Admin
Nothing is too small to know, and nothing too big to attempt (William Van Horne)

1-star-status Member Joined : 12 Jan 2008 Posts : 2

Thank you for the information you supplied - The 1841 census information provided could be what I'm looking for - I did find a similar bit of information, but am unable to confirm if it's the same Alexander. Do you have any tips? The date of birth matches and the place born.

I was aware that he was widowed and living in Merthyr, which is where I now live!

Jennett died in 1864 in Brecknock. They had three children, Agnes, Jennet and William. William is my GG grandfather, Alexander being my GGG grandfather!

Mornin' Amy,

Oh I didn't realise you were in Wales!!
Yes I see what you mean, and you really need to find a Christening record for Alexander (Jnr) that shows a father named Alexander, and confirm his mother's name. From there you could then check any siblings too.

You probably already have done this - but anyway - I tried a search for Alexander's Christening in the online IGI at Familysearch - but it doesn't seem to be indexed there, nor any of the other children who are listed in the 1841 census transcription above (assuming that might be the correct family). Although there are other Alexander Smiths of way-off dates & many other Smiths (of course!!) in Dumfries IGI.

On Alexander Junior's marriage certificate, does it give his father's occupation? And what was his own occupation. I know it says "labourer" on the 1881 census - but I'm just thinking it might have been different when he was younger. Was he by any chance a "Journeyman Weaver". Have you got the 1851 Census data for him? - was he in Wales by then? The reason I ask is - I've just checked the Dumfries 1851 Census transcript at this site.Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire Historical Indexes
& there's just one Alexander of the correct age, still in Dumfries in 1851 - appearing to be living with his uncle and an unmarried Aunt - both Smiths - so presumably his father's siblings.......... Is this possible? if so, it might be worth checking where Parish Baptisms Registers are held for "Morton"?

1851 Census
Address: Keir Mill Village(833) Parish: Keir
Household No: 4/2
SMITH, William, 41, head, unmarried,
............. HANDLOOM WEAVER employing 1 man, born Keir Dms
SMITH, Janet, 44, sister of William Smith, unmarried,
............. HOUSEKEEPER, born Keir Dms
SMITH, Alexander, 24, nephew of William Smith, unmarried,
............. JOURNEYMAN WEAVER born Morton Dms

Amy - you might find more information on the site - link above - about Parish Registers holdings/availability. Otherwise - Parish Register transcriptions online at the
Scotlands People site. (a fee-payable subscription of course for using Scotlands People - but might be worth it!!)

Please keep us informed, it's interesting, would like to follow your research

Chat again soon

Carole.

PS - Amy - you're now in the Green Usergroup -
see >>Smith other UK & Ireland>> & that's why your username breechy
now displays in green. Gillian is the moderator for your Usergroup wave

Hi again Amy,

See my message above from a few days ago.
Just remembered! I meant to include this map for everyone's interest. Very Happy

Showing how close Dumfries-shire is to the North West England
Border, and to the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland.
_________________
Carole, Smith Project/Smith Chat Admin
Nothing is too small to know, and nothing too big to attempt (William Van Horne)