Smethurst Family

Richard and Robert Smethurst were brothers who separately immigrated to the United States from England. We believe Richard, his wife Anna and a daughter, all arrived in New York City aboard the Agenora from Liverpool, England on 26 Mar 1830 as shown below.

Anna's age is inconsident with ages given in other records, given here as 26, but should perhaps be 36 instead. The daughter's name is difficult to read, but may be Mariana. She is probably the daughter that shows up in the 1840 census for this family.

1840 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Chestnut Ward, page 254 - Richard Smethurst - 210001-0001001 (2 males under 5, 1 male 5-9, 1 male 30-39, 1 female 15-19, 1 female 40-49)

Of the children listed here, we can identify only one of the boys with certainty, his son Richard Jr. who was born about 1835. It is quite possible that the other boys died before the 1850 census, but that is speculation.

There was another daughter named Amelia who died in 1838 at the age of four as shown below.

Robert and Priscilla Smethurst arrived at Philadelphia on 17 Sep 1832 aboard the Monongahela. Their port of departure had been Liverpool, England but they were from Manchester. Both were listed as age 21; he was listed as a teacher as shown below.

In the 1840 census, they were also living in Philadelphia

1840 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, page 254 - R. (Robert) Smethurst - 110001-010101 (1 male under 5, 1 male 5-9, 1 male 30-39, 1 female 5-9, 1 female 15-19, 1 female 30-39)

We can identify the 2 boys (William and Robert) and the younger girl (Alice); and suspect that the teenage girl may have been a servant living with the family.

Both Richard and Robert were identified in their immigration records as being teachers, but they apparently discovered a niche for themselves as conveyancers. A conveyancer is a lawyer who specializes in the legal aspects of buying and selling real property.

Robert Smethurst died in Philadelphia on 8 Feb 1848, as noted below, leaving his wife Priscilla and five children: William, Alice, Robert, Priscilla, and Thomas.

Here is an obiturary for Robert, published in the North American and United States Gazette: Philadelphia on 15 Feb 1848.

After Robert's death, Priscilla took her four younger children to England to her sister's house. Then she returned to America on 14 Nov 1850 aboard the Wyoming, with Alice and Thomas.

Priscilla left her children, Robert and Priscilla, with her sister in Manchester as shown in the 1851 England census below.

1851 England Census: Lancashire, Manchester, Market Street, page 764.
Margaret Robinson - head, widow, 42, milliner, born Salford, Lancashire
William M. Robinson - son, 4, born Manchester, Lancashire
Robert Smethurst - nephew, 13, scholar, born Philadelphia, America
Priscilla Smethurst - niece, 10, scholar, born Philadelphia, America
Mary Gill - serv - 25, milliner, born Salford, Lancashire

Her eldest son, William, had remained behind in America, and was working as a salesman in 1850.

1850 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia South Mulberry, page 220B
household 58/67 - Boarding House of Joseph Henley
William Smethurst - 17 M, salesman, born PA

Meanwhile the family of Richard Smethurst has been harder to trace. We do find Richard in the 1850 census, but neither his wife nor any children are with him.

1850 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia Walnut Ward, page 438B
household 159/225
Richard Smethurst - 47 M, conveyencer, England
Henry Hindle - 34 M, England
Mary Hindle - 34 F, England
Mary Hindle - 3 F, PA

It is possible that Anna and her son, Richard Jr., may have traveled back to England during the time of the American census in 1850, and later returned, but this is speculation. If so, we have not yet found them on a returning ship.

Richard Smethurst, Jr. married Ellen Amelia Wallace on 18 Sep 1856 in Philadelphia as shown in the record below. Ellen was a daughter of James Shuter Wallace and his first wife, Katherine Juliet (Durang) Wallace.

The 1860 census is even more perplexing. We find Richard Jr. with his wife and daughter, Julia, in the household of a Richard and Anna Ashurst. However, Mr. Ashurst is the same age and the same occupation as Richard Smethurst, Sr., and his wife Anna is approximately the age of Ann Smethurst.

1860 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Ward 5, Northern Division, pages 115-6
household 506/705
Richard Ashurst - 57 M, conveyancer, $100,000, $5,000, England
Anna M. Ashurst - 63 F, England
Richard Smethurst - 25 M, conveyancer, PA
Ellen Smethurst - 22 F, PA
Julia Smethurst - 3 F, PA
Albert Golden - 13 M (B), waiter, PA

We speculate that the census taker got the surname of the elder Richard and Anna confused, and that this was actually Richard Smethurst, Sr., and his wife.

From various documents that we will identify later, it appears that Richard Sr. had been helping his sister-in-law, Priscilla Smethurst with her legal and business affairs. Then "Priscilla Smethurst died January 23, 1853, leaving a will, appointing her brother-in-law, Richard Smethurst, and her son, William A. Smethurst, as executors and trustees." [See transcript of court document. See also this document.]

She left five children: William Arthur Smethurst (born 18 Oct 1833), Alice E. Smethurst (born 11 Sep 1836), Robert Smethurst (born 11 Oct 1838), Priscilla Marsden Smethurst (born 11 Dec 1840, later married Julian Vanderford), and Thomas Marsden Smethurst (born 13 Oct 1843). The birthdates for these children come from a document related to a court case that can be found here.

Priscilla Smethurst left a very detailed will in which she gave explicit instructions concerning how her estate was to be divided among the five children, and what was to be done with those who were still minors. She wanted the younger ones to go to England and live with her sister, Margaret Robinson. Margaret was to be paid specific amounts out the children's inheritance. However, because Priscilla miscalculated how much would be available in suceeding years, there was not always enough money available to meet the terms of her will. In later years this would result in at least two court cases which are described in the three documents named above.

We will return to the children of Robert and Priscilla Smethurst later.

At the beginning of the Civil War, Richard Smethurst, Jr. enlisted in Company G of the 17th Pennsylvania Volunteers in April 1861. Although in good health when he enlisted, he contracted pneumonia and died in a Washington D.C. hospital on 23 May 1861 [see affidavit], leaving his widow Ellen with two small children, Julia Ann and James Wallace Smethurst. James Wallace Smethurst, who was born in March just before his father enlisted, died in 1865 according to his mother's affidavit.

Less than a year later, on 20 Apr 1862, Richard Jr.'s mother, Ann, died in Philadelphia. [See death certificate.]

Based on circumstancial evidence, we believe Richard Smethurst, Sr. married again, this time to Rebecca Curry, daughter of William and Ellen Curry of Philadelphia. We know that a son, also named Richard, was born to Richard Smethurst and Rebecca Curry, as shown by this Richard's Ohio death certificate.

This Richard Smethurst was born 5 Dec 1864 in Philadelphia. Also, he had a sister named Ellen, as shown in the 1920 census.

1920 Federal Census: Ohio, Hamilton County, Cincinnati Ward 4, page 24B, household 103/123
Smethurst, Richard - head, M W 55, md, born PA, father born England, mother born NJ, public accountant
Smethurst, Elizabeth, wife, F W 55, md, born NY, parents born Scotland
Smethurst, Richard Jr. - son, M W 32, md, born PA, public accountant
Smethurst, Catherine - wife, F W 32, md, born KY, parents born KY
Smethurst, Elizabeth - granddaughter, F W 11, born OH
Smethurst, Robert - grandson, M W 8, born OH
Smethurst, Robert B. - son, M W 30, md, born PA, public accountant
Smethurst, Mary - wife, F W 30, md, born KY, parents born VA
Woods, Ellen - sister, F W 53, widow, born PA, father born England, mother born NJ
Woods, Allen - son, M W 28, single, born PA, parents born PA, electrical engineer
Huston, Abbey, maid, F W 34, md, born OH, parents born KY, maid

To tie this together we need to look back at Rebecca Curry. We first find her with her parents in the 1850 and 1860 censuses.

1850 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, page 447B
household 245/317
William Curry - 43 M, merchant, born England
Ellen Curry - 45 F, born England
Ann Curry - 19 F, born New Jersey
Mary Curry - 18 F, born New Jersey
Rebecca Curry - 17 F, born New Jersey
Ellen Curry - 14 F, born New Jersey
Willie Curry - 11 M, born New Jersey
Jane Curry - 9 F, born New Jersey
Eliza Curry - 8 F, born New Jersey
John Whitaker - 18 M, clerk, born New Jersey
John Annier - 24 M, miner, born England

1860 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, page 319
household 1468/2157
William Currey - 50 M, store keeper, England
Ellen Currey - 51 F, England
Ann J. Currey - 22 F, New Jersey
Rebecca Currey - 20 F, New Jersey
Ellen Currey - 18 F, New Jersey
William Currey - 16 M, New Jersey
Jane Currey - 14 1/12 F, New Jersey
Eliza Currey - 12 F, New Jersey
Elizabeth M. Williams - 20 F, domestic, England
Emma Whittaker - 16 F, domestic, New York

We find her again at home in 1880, this time with the surname Smethurst, along with her two children: Richard and Ellen.

1880 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, page 373B
household 176/178
Curey, William - W M 74, head, importer merchant, England England England
Curey, Elen - W F 76, wife, keeping house, England England England
Smethurst, R. F. - W F 43, daughter, boarding, NJ England England
Smethurst, Richard - W M 15, grandson, at school, PA England England
Smethurst, Ellen - W F 14, granddaughter, at school, Pa England England
Curey, Elen - W F 40, daughter, bookkeeper, NJ England England
Willames, Mary E. - W F 40, boarder, sales lady, England England England
Cronan, Mary J. - W F 28, servant, servant, England England England

But it is the 1870 census that provides us with additional clues. Here Rebecca, Richard and Ellen are living in the household of Philip Hill. Rebecca has real estate valued at $20,000 and personal property valued at $17,000. It is reasonable to assume that this is what was left her from the estate of her deceased husband, a man of means. Note also that there is a Julia Smethurst, age 13, living in this household.

1870 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, district 79, page 469A
household 741/703
Hill, Philip - 42 M W, maunfacture, upholsterings, $--, $800, England, parents of foreign birth, US citizen
Hill, Mary - 40 F W, keeping house, PA, parents of foreign birth
Hill, Annie - 13 F W, PA, father of foreign birth, attended school
Hill, Nellie - 9 F W, PA, father of foreign birth
Hill, Mary - 6 F W, PA, father of foreign birth
Smethurst, Rebecca - 30 F W, no occ listed, $20,000, $17,000, PA, parents of foreign birth
Smethurst, Richard - 6 M W, PA, father of foreign birth
Smethurst, Ella - 4 F W, PA, father of foreign birth
Smethurst, Julia - 13 F W, PA, father of foreign birth, attended school
Rea, Mary - 50 F W, domestic servant, Ireland, parents of foreign birth
Rea, Mary - 30 F W, domestic servant, Ireland, parents of foreign birth

Another clue comes from the 1870 Philadelphia city directory in which she is listed at Rebecca Smethurst widow of Richard.

The last clue to consider is the date of Richard Smethurst, Sr.'s death. We know from his death certificate that he died in Philadelphia on 18 Apr 1867. [See his death certificate.]

Put these clues in order like this ...

Richard Smethurst, Jr. (husband of Ellen Wallace) dies of pneumonia in 1861.
Ann Smethurst, Richard Sr.'s wife, dies in 1862.
Richard Smethurst, son of Rebecca Curry Smethurst, is born on on 5 Dec 1864.
Ellen Smethurst, daughter of Rebecca Curry Smethurst, is born about 1866.
Richard Smethurst, Sr. dies in Philadelphia on 18 Apr 1867.
Rebecca Curry Smethurst is described as Richard's widow in 1870.
The 1870 census identifies the father of Richard and Ellen Smethurst as "foreign born."
Richard Smethurst is identified on his Ohio death certificate as the son of Richard Smethurst who was born in England.

While this circumstancial evidence is not conclusive, it is highly suggestive that Richard Smethurst, Sr. did indeed marry a second time and did give his first child by this marriage the name of his deceased son.

It also helps to explain why Julia Smethurst, daughter of his first son, Richard Jr., was found living with Rebecca in the 1870 census, since, if we are right, Rebecca would have been Julia's step-grandmother.

Of Julia Smethurst, we know that she was with her mother and Aunt Lottie in Chicago in the 1880 census.

1880 Federal Census: Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, ED 7, page 160A
household 140
Ellen Smethurst - W F 45, head, Keeping house, NY NY NY
Julia Smethurst - W F 22, daughter, at home, PA NY NY
Alvinia Dean - W F 28, boarder, semstress, Germany Germany Germany
George Dean - W M 1, son of boarder, IL Germany Germany
Charles Perry - W M 5, boarder, WI WI WI
Robert Buck - W M 49, brother-in-law, actor, MD MD MD
Lottie Buck - W F 38, sister, actress, PA NY MD

Julia's grandmother, Ellen's mother, was Juliet Durang Wallace, an actress in her day, and the daughter of John Durang, a well-known actor in his day. It seems that Julia was following in their footsteps before she married George F. Foster in Chicago on 29 Sep 1884. [See Julia's letter to her Aunt Kate Wallace in Salina, Kansas for details.]

Julia Smethurst Foster died in Chicago on 26 Jan 1892 of typhoid fever. She had no children.

Of Richard Sr.'s children by Rebecca Curry, we know little about the daughter Ellen, except that she married a Mr. Woods (perhaps Frank Telford Woods who has a marriage record with an Ellen Whitaker Smethurst in 1889 in Philadelphia) and had a son named Allen, and that Mr. Woods was dead by 1920 when Ellen and her son were living with her brother in Cincinnati. We also know that she was back in Philadelphia in 1933 from an obituary for her brother.

Her brother Richard married Elizabeth Burnett, daughter of Robert and Elizabeth (Hopkins) Burnett, and they had two sons: Richard, who became Jr. to his father, and Robert. In 1900 this family was in Bayonne, New Jersey, and ten years later in Hamilton County, Ohio, as shown below.

1900 Federal Census: New Jersey, Hudson County, Bayonne Ward 1, page 2A
household 28/31 - 12 East 5th Street
Smethurst, Richard - head, W M Dec 1894, 35, md 14 yrs, born PA, father born England, mother born NJ
Smethurst, Elizabeth - wife, W F Jan 1864, 36, 2 children, born NY, parents born Scotland
Smethurst, Richard - son, W M Mar 1887, 13, born NY
Smethurst, Robert R. - son, W M Aug 1888, 11, born Philadelphia(?)

1910 Federal Census: Ohio, Hamilton County, Columbia, District 295, page 10A
household 8/9
Smethurst, Richard Sr. - head, M W 44, md 24 yrs, born PA, father born England, mother born NJ, accountant in accounting firm
Smethurst, Elizabeth H. - wife, F W 43, 2 children/2 living, born NY, parents born Scotland
Smethurst, Richard Jr. - son, M W 23, md 2 yrs, born PA, grinder at machine tool company
Smethurst, Catherine B. - daughter-in-law, F W 23, 1 child, born KY, father born England, mother born KY
Smethurst, Elizabeth R. - granddaughter, F W 1, born OH
Smethurst, Robert B. - son, M W 21, single, born PA, accountant at accounting firm

As the 1910 census shows, Richard Jr. was married with a daughter. Then in the 1920 census, which we showed earlier, Richard Jr. and his wife Catherine had added a son they named Robert, while his brother Robert had taken a bride named Mary.

By 1930 the sons had moved to other parts of Cincinnati, but continued to work as accountants. Robert and Mary had added a daughter, Mary B., born about 1922. Richard and Catherine now had three children with the addition of Anna, born about 1921. Their father had apparently retired as the census gives no occupation for him.

1930 Federal Census: Ohio, Hamilton County, Cincinnati

page 17A - household 152/173 - 5028 Stewart Place
Smethurst, Richard - head, M W 43, md at 21, born PA, father born PA, mother born NY, independent accountant
Smethurst, Catherine - wife, F W 43, md at 21, born KY, father born England, mother born KY
Smethurst, Elizabeth - daughter, F W 21, single, born OH
Smethurst, Robert S. - son, M W 18, single, born OH
Smethurst, Anna L. - daughter, F W 9, born OH

page 166B - household 469/649 - 3730 Anderson Ave.
Smethurst, Robert B. - head, M W 41, md at 28, born PA, father born PA, mother born NY, certified public accountant
Smethurst, Mary L. - wife, F W 40, md at 27, born KY, parents born VA
Smethurst, Mary B. - daughter, F W 8, born OH

page 209A - household 9/9 - Forest Hills Lane
Smethurst, Richard - head, M W 66, md at 22, born PA, father born England, mother born PA, no occupation given
Smethurst, Elizabeth - wife, F W 66, md at 22, born NY, parents born Scotland

The following newspaper obituary was printed in the New York Times.

"Cincinnati, Jan. 5 [1933]. - Richard Smethurst, retired certified public accountant and head of the firm of Richard Smethurst & Co., died today. Mr. Smethurst was born in Philadelphia sixty-eight years ago and came here in 1905. In 1909 he organized the company of which he was the head at the time of his death. He was a member of Elks Lodge 5, was formerly a trustee of the Cuvier Press Club and a former member of the Cincinnati Club and the Hyde Park Country Club. Besides his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Smethurst, he is survived by two sons, Robert Burnett of of New York City and Richard Jr., and a sister, Mrs. Ella S. Woods of Philadelphia."

His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1941, as shown below.

A detailed description of Richard Smethurst and his sons in their accounting firm is given on pages 365-6 of volume 3 of Memoirs of the Miami Valley by John Calvin Hover and Joseph Daniel Barnes. It is transcribed below.

Returning to the children of Robert and Priscilla Smethurst, their first-born was William Arthur Smethurst. When Priscilla died, she left it in her will that her brother-in-law, Richard, would be her executor until her son William came of age, and then he was to be joint executor with his uncle.

Following his uncle's death in 1867, William assumed responsibility for the family's affairs. Details of his life are sketchy, and some undocumented, but we believe he married Mary Williams Gibbs, daughter of Kingsley and Laura (Williams) Gibbs, and that he and Mary had at least four children.

1880 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, District 582, pages 208C-D
household 123/124
Smethurst, William - W M 44, head, commision works(?), born PA, parents born England
Smethurst, Mary - W F 35, wife, keeping house, born FL, parents born SC
Smethurst, Elizabeth - W F 17, daughter, at school, born PA
Smethurst, Arthur - W M 8, son, born PA
Smethurst, Laura - W F 6, daughter, born PA
Smethurst, Mary - W F 1, daughter, born PA
Gibbs, Laura - W F 63, mother-in-law, born SC, father born VA, mother born GA

Of these children, we know that Laura died in 1898 as shown here.

"SMETHURST - At the Presbyterian Hospital, New York, Oct. 9, Laura Malcolm, daughter of the late William A. Smethurst of Philadelphia, in the twenty-fifth year of her age. Interment in St. Augustine, Fla." [published in The New York Times on 10 Oct 1898.]

William Arthur Smethurst died 21 Nov 1891 in Philadelphia.

Robert and Priscilla's daughter, Alice E. Smethurst may have married, but we have no record of her after she returned to America with her mother in 1850. She may have returned to her Aunt Margaret Robinson in Manchester, England following her mother's death, but she was not there in the 1861 England census.

Their next son, also named Robert, married Fanny Marie Laurence in Manchaster, Lancashire, England in the fourth quarter of 1858 according to England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, Volume 8d, page 344. Robert and Fanny came to America in time for the 1860 census along with their daughter Margaret.

1860 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Ward 1, Precinct 4, page 276
household 748/835
Robert Smithhurst - 23 M, salesman, born PA
Fanny M. Smithurst - 21 F, born England
Margaret M. Smithurst - 1 F, born England

Their daughter Margaret died on 6 May 1866 in Philadelphia. By the 1870 census, they had four more children.

1870 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadephia Ward 20, page 218
household 1560/1643
Smithurst, Robert - 31 M W, book keeper, born PA, both parents of foreign descent
Smithurst, Fanny - 28 F W, keeping house, born England, both parents of foreign descent
Smithurst, Priscilla - 10 F W, at school, born PA
Smithurst, William - 7 M W, born PA
Smithurst, Charles - 3 M W, born PA
Smithurst, Alice - 8/12 F W, born PA

By 1880 Robert and Fanny had two more children, bringing their household to six living children.

1880 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, page 162A
household 7/7 - 1229 19th Street
Smethurst, Robt S. - W M 40, head, commission merchant, born Philadelphia, parents born England
Smethurst, Fannie M. - W F 39, wife, keeping house, born England, parents born England
Smethurst, Tillie S. - W F 19, daughter, dry goods, born Philadelphia
Smethurst, Wm. A. - W M 17, son, jeweler, born Philadelphia
Smethurst, Chas. L. - W M 13, son, at school, born Philadelphia
Smethurst, Alice M. - W F 10, daughter, at school, born Philadelphia
Smethurst, Albert E. - W M 8, son, at school, born Philadelphia
Smethurst, Thomas H. - W M 4, son, born Philadelphia

Robert S. Smethurst died in Philadelpha on 16 Nov 1896 as shown below.

The last record we've located on this family is in the 1900 census when Fanny Smethurst is living with her son Charles and his family. Also there are Charles' siblings Albert, Harold, and Alice.

1900 Federal Census: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia County, Philadelphia Ward 37, page 145B, household 175/175
Smethurst, Charles L. - head, W M Mar 1867, 33, md 7 yrs, born PA, father born PA, mother born England, insurance agent
Smethurst, Alice J. - wife, W F Jun 1872, 27, 2 children/1 living, born PA, parents born PA
Smethurst, Alice M. - daughter, W F Jul 1897, 2, born PA
Smethurst, Fanny M. - mother, W F Jun 1839, 60, widow, born England, parents born England, entered USA in 1860
Smethurst, Albert E. - brother, W M Jan 1872, 28, single, born PA, physician
Smethurst, Harold L. - brother, W M Jul 1876, 23, single, born PA, salesman wire
Smethurst, Alice M. - sister, W F Oct 1880, 19, single, born PA
Johnson, Hellen - servant, B F May 1878, 22, single, born VA, parents born VA

Priscilla Marsden Smethurst, Robert and Priscilla's next child, married Julien James Vanderford, a dentist, and they moved to Germany. He died there on 5 Jan 1891, and she returned to America. She died on 30 Dec 1910.

Julien and Priscilla had one child, a daughter named Marian Lesley Vanderford, who was born on 2 Jul 1881 and died on 21 Nov 1895 in Philadelphia.

Thomas Marsden Smethurst, the last of Robert and Priscilla's children, never married. He died on 13 Jan 1904 in Philadelphia.

This concludes our examination of the families of the brothers Richard and Robert Smethurst. While there is certainly more to learn about them, we will leave that to you, the reader.