SMYTH, Robert ¹

   Cause of his death was aortic regurgitation over 3 months.²

   Another name for Robert was SMITH, Robert.³

  General Notes:

The information we have about Robert Smyth comes from his marriage and death certificates and the intervening census material. As yet we do not have a confirmed birth or baptism document for him, nor even a certain birthplace.

1861 Census:
This entry may be Robert, its details fit. Robert Smith aged 20? 23? 22? (unclear) years, is living as a boarder in the household of Margaret Richmond, an Irish born widow, aged 68 years, at Dove-cot Lane, Kilwinning, Ayrshire. Robert is recorded as an unmarried man, born in Ireland, and working as a coal miner. Another boarder is Murdoch McDonald aged 25 years, and born in Jura, 'Argyleshire'. He worked as a wire fencer. The dwelling had one windowed room.

In 1864 Robert was the informant of his daughter Ann's birth in Stevenston. He was not present where it occurred. In 1870, in the birth certificate of his son Robert, Robert Smith was recorded as a coalminer. It was he who notified the registrar of the birth and signed the notification.

1871 Census:
Robert and Sophia Smith, aged 32 and 35 years and born in Ireland, and Killean Argyle respectively, were living at Turnpike Road, Stewart's (?) land (unclear), Baillieston, with their four children, Ann (7, b Stevenston Ayrshire), Michael (5, b Irvine Ayrshire), Mary (3) and Robert (!), and a married lodger, Patrick Donley, a 22 year old coal miner, born in Ireland. Robert was a coal miner. The two younger children had been born in Baillieston. Their dwelling had only one room that was windowed.

1881 Census:
Robert and Sophia Smith and their four children, were recorded living at Wingate's Land, Crosshill in the parish of Old Monkland. Robert aged 42 years was a coal miner, his wife was 44 years, daughter Ann was 21 years old, Michael their son was 15 years old, Mary was 13 years old, and Robert was 11 years old. Ann and Michael were born in Stewarton and Kilwinning, Ayrshire, respectively, and Sophia in Kilan (sic), Argyll. The other three were born in Old Monkland parish, Lanarkshire. The children were all single, the girls cotton weavers and the boys coal miners.

1891 Census:
The family were living in Baillieston at Gilmour's Land in a dwelling with two windowed rooms. Robert Smith was 51 years old, born in Ireland, and employed as a fireman in a coal mine. His wife Sophia was aged 54 years and born in Argyll at 'Killin'. Their four children were Robert, 21 years, and born in Baillieston, Michael, 25 years, and born in Irvine, Ann, 27 years, and born in Stevenston, and Mary, 23 years, and born in Old Monkland parish. The two sons were coal miners, the two daughters wool weavers.

Robert's son married in 1895 to Mary Ann Donaldson. In his marriage certificate Robert was recorded as a coal miner by occupation, as he had been in the 1894 marriage certificate of his daughter Mary.

1901 Census:
Robert Smith, his wife Sophia and their son Michael were living together at High Crosshill, South Baillieston, in the parish of Old Monkland. Robert and Michael were coal miners. Robert was 62 years old and his wife 65. Michael was 34 years of age. Michael was recorded as being born in Kilwinning Ayrshire, Robert was born in Ireland, and Sophia was born Campbeltown, Argyleshire.

Robert died in 1916 at the recorded age of 74 years. He was noted as being a coal miner by occupation, and a widower of Sophia McKendrick. His own parents were deceased by then. ^{2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11}

  Research Notes:

THE NAME OF ROBERT SMYTH'S MOTHER

In his marriage certificate of 1863, Robert's parents' names were recorded as Michael Smyth and Ann Smyth MS Michan.

In his death certificate of 1916, Robert's parents were noted as being Michael Smith and Bridget Smith MS Mullen.

The informant in 1916 was Michael Smith, son of the deceased man, whereas, in 1863, the informants were the bride and groom themselves, Robert Smith and Sophia Henderson.

Now the same son, Michael, as informant of his mother's death in January 1916 gave her parents as Alexander McKendrick and Ann McKendrick MS Henderson. Sophia's mother was in fact born as Ann McMillan. Therefore it seems more sound to trust the name of his mother given by Robert Smith himself in 1863 at his marriage. In addition, the 'Mullen' surname if his mother in Robert's death certificate may be an echo of the 'McMillan' surname of Sophia's surname. There may be a solution which takes in a death of the birth mother and remarriage to a woman who raised the child.

Recognizing what you do not have good evidence for is an important part of family history work. Here there are conflicting pieces of evidence about the name of Robert Smyth's mother. It is quite possible they can be reconciled, her name, for example might have been Bridget Ann. As yet we do not have sufficient firm evidence to go further than this.

POSSIBLE BAPTISM

In his marriage certificate of 1863 Robert gave his age as 24 years. Eight years later the 1871 census recorded his age as 32 years, remarkably consistent by the standards of the time. That his father was called Michael is also consistent in the few documents we have and in the naming of children. When he use these facts to look up a baptism or birth on the Roots Ireland site (Irish Family History Foundation), it offers only one entry in two forms:

VERSION 1
Robert Smith
male
baptised 2 February 1839
Co Meath
Roman Catholic
father Michael Smith
mother Bridget Smith
Sponsors John Reilly, Mary Kiernan

Another version of the same baptism presents the information as:

VERSION 2
Robert Smith
baptised 2 February 1839
Castletown/Kilpatrick
Co Meath
father Michael Smith
mother Bridget
Sponsors Reilly John, Kiernan Mary

SOME FURTHER RESEARCH

There is a record of a Michael Smith marrying in church a Bridget Glora on 22 July 1838 in the parish or district of Kilskyre/Ballinlough, County Meath. There is also, going a few years further back, a marriage of Michael Smith and Bridget MacNally on 11 January 1832 at Trim, County Meath. They were Roman Catholics. The witnesses were James Maguire and Bridget Brennan. Although this has Bridget as the wife's name, it does have a name, McNally or McInally which could vaguely look like Michan if written and not said. It is possible the priest writing the marriage certificate where it occurs mistranscribed it.

County Meath, formerly know as East Meath, was part of a larger unit which included Westmeath. It is the home of the 17th-18th century musician Turlough O'Carolan who was born at Nobber, which lies about three miles north of Castletown. The name O'Carolan, as well as Carroll, O'Carroll, and McCarroll are among the common names of Meath. Smith is an extremely common name, and there is no shortage of documents bearing it. The difficulty is in making the connection with this Robert Smith. There was a Robert carroll born in County Meath in 1838 but his father's name was not Michael.

Trim, County Meath, is about twelve miles from Castletown, County Meath. It is about twenty six miles from the town of Mullingar, County Westmeath. No births or baptisms of Robert Smith show in County Westmeath searches on the Roots Ireland site, for ten years either side of 1839. The only one that shows for twenty years either side is in 1825, much too early for this Robert Smith. Until more evidence is unearthed only probabilities and an open mind are possible. ^{12 13}

  Medical Notes:

W. Noble MD certified the cause of Robert's death.

Robert's son, Michael, who was present where his father's death occurred, gave notice of the death before the registrar at Baillieston on 8 November 1916. ²

Robert married Sibby McKENDRICK, daughter of Alexander McKENDRICK and Ann McMILLAN, on 25 September 1863 in RC Chapel, Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland.¹ (Sibby McKENDRICK was born on 20 November 1834 ¹⁴, baptised on 17 October 1835 in Killean and Kilchenzie Parish, Argyll, Scotland ¹⁴ and died 24 January 1916 at 3.40 pm in 12 Scott Street, Baillieston, Lanarkshire, Scotland ².). The cause of her death was cerebral haemorrhage over 10 days.²

  Marriage Notes:

The marriage was celebrated after banns according to the rites and forms of the Roman Catholic Church. The priest was Father William Hallinan RCC Satcoats. The witnesses were James Donaldson, and John Rourk.

The bridegroom was an unmarried man of 24 years of age who was a miner by occupation. He lived in Stevenston.

The bride was unmarried and aged 24 years. She also lived in Stevenston.


¹