Thomas Henry Smith

A conversation with my cousin yesterday prompted me to write a post about my second great grandfather on my mother's side.

Thomas was born October 14, 1835 in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka.  His father, who he was named after, was in the army and died there while serving.  Unfortunately, military records are scarce for that time and location.  A brother and sister, also born in Ceylon also died there.  Once her husband died, Elizabeth Butcher Tinkler, Thomas's mother, returned to England with her three remaining children, Mary Isabella, Francis Lenetta and Thomas Henry.

Family lore has it that relatives "kidnapped" Thomas and took him to Ireland to raise while Elizabeth and the two girls came to America, settling in New York.  Thomas ran away from his relatives and stowed away on a ship to join his mother and sisters in New York.

To earn money, he had a fish cart that he pushed through the streets, selling fresh fish.  He was known as "Catfish Tom".  Some time ago I saw a television show on how the Irish were forcably conscripted into the Army during the Civil war.  I am sure Thomas was one of these, although I have yet to find concrete proof.  He does have a quite common name, which makes researching him that much more difficult.  He served in the Army as a cook, being stationed in Washington, DC.  Subsequent census records list his occupation as "huckster" or "market huckster", showing that he continued selling foodstuffs from a cart.

June 20, 1865 he married Mary Ann Tinkler and they had two children, Ida May Smith, my great-grandmother, and Samuel Thomas Smith.  Ida went on to marry Willard Reed Haight, and they had eight children, including Esther May Haight, my maternal grandmother.

Thomas spent his last years at the John Dickson Home in Washington, DC, dying November 3, 1926 at the age of 91.

Smith family Bible pages

It's amazing what you find when you decide to clean up your computer files!  I had totally forgotten I had scanned these from Cynda.  I am showing the originals first, then adding my transcription, as best I could make out the writing.

SMITH FAMILY BIBLE PAGES

As best as I can make out the handwriting, these are pages from the Bible belonging to Elizabeth Mary Butcher Smith, with notes from her son, Thomas Henry Smith.

Bible page 1

Births:

Thomas Smith born June 24^th, 1800, in Munden County, Kent, England

Eliz. Mary Butcher born May 5^th, 1808 in Sandwich St., Portsea, Portsmouth, England

Mary Isabella daughter of Thos. And Eliz. M. Smith April 11^th, 1828 Portsmouth

Sydney John born June 14^th, 1830 in garrison of Columbo, Island of Ceylon

Frances Smith born Oct. 9^th, 1831, Kandy, Ceylon

Martha Ann born Oct. 24, 1833, Kandy Ceylon

Thos. H. Smith born Oct. 14^th, 1835, Colombo, Ceylon

Bible page 2

Deaths:

Thomas Smith Died March 23rd, 1838, Garrison of Trincomalie, Ceylon

Sydney J, Smith Died Sept, 29^th, Colombo

Martha Ann died March 16, 1836, Colombo

Elizabeth Mary Smith Died Oct. 31. 1867, Washington

Mary Isabella Vessey Died Feb. 4^th, 1863, Washington

Fanny Cornelia Vessey died August 6, 1862, Washington

Emma Louisa Meany Died August 21, 1861

Fannie Lenetta Meany died Feb. 26^th, 1870, Washington

Bible page 3

Births:

Frank L. Vessey born August 16^th, 1854, Washington

John F. Vessey, born Dec. 6^th 1856, Washington

Fanny L. Meany born August 19^th, 1857, New York

Sarah E. Vessey born Dec 26^th, 1859, New York

Mary I Meany born Jan 1^st, 1860, New York

Fanny C. Vessey born 14 Jan 1861, Washington

Emma Louisa born 18^th June, 1861, New York

John T. Meany born 2^nd Dec 1865, Washington

Ida May Smith born March 30^th, 1867, Washington

S. T. Smith born March 27^th 1869

Bible page 4

Marriages:

Thomas Smith to Elizabeth Mary Butcher by Rev. Mr. Tyrell, St. Paul’s Church, Dublin, April 4, 1827

Mary I. Smith to Leonard Vessey by Rev. Mr, French, Church Ephiphany, Washington, D. C., 13^th November

John J. Meany to Fannie Smith by Rev. Mr. Sathom (?) at the rectory St. Marks Church, New York, June 9^th, 1856

Thomas H. Smith to Mary Ann Tinkler by Rev. Lemon, Washington, D. C. June 20^th, 1865

Bible pages 5:

Happy day, happy day

When Jesus washed

My sins away

March 17^th, 1858

The Lord is my Shebard I shall not want.

(this is the way shepherd was spelled in the rewritten version, but spelled shepherd in the original writing)

(The original faded writing was at the top of the page, and rewritten per margin notes on the bottom of the page.)

Page 6:

Mrs. E. M. Smith

The gift of

Mr. Sheridan

(This was in faded writing at the top of the page and rewritten per margin notes at the bottom of the page.

This was my Mother’s Bible

It was a gift from a dear friend and brother in Christ ----

John Sheriden

Note: around the margin of these two facing pages is written:

My mother was born in Portsmouth, England in 1801.  Rewritten in Washington, D.C. March 9^th, 1902, T. H. Smith