Ceylon (Sri Lanka) birth and burial records

I have finally been able to track down some records for the time that my gggrandfather and his family were in Ceylon.  Thanks to Eileen Hewson at the Kabristan Archives (kabristan.org.uk) I now have this information.  And thanks to my cousin Judy for pointing me to the website!

These are the bits of information I received:

Source St Paul’s Church Kandy register.

SMITH

Frances daughter of Thomas Smith Corporal HM 58^th Regt and Elizabeth Mary his wife 

Born Oct 9 1831 baptised Oct 16 1831 at St Paul’s Kandy

By me Thomas Ireland Colonial Chaplain of the Forces

SPONSORS

William Cranfield Sergeant HM 58^th Regt

Isabella Baillie

Catherine Stafford

SMITH

Martha Ann daughter of Thomas Smith Sergeant HM 58^th Regt and Elizabeth Mary Smith his wife

Born Oct 24 1833 baptised Nov 3 1833 at St Paul’s Kandy

By me Norman Garstin Colonial Chaplain

SPONSORS

Sergeant James Stafford

Mrs Catherine Stafford

Mrs Martha Butcher

NOTE:  Catherine Stafford was a sponsor for both of these children.  Mrs. Martha Butcher could be Elizabeth’s mother.

Bible records have Martha’s death as March 16, 1836 in Colombo, Ceylon.  No online records have been found to confirm this.

St Stephen’s Church Trincomalee Sri Lanka Burials

SMITH

Sergt Thomas Smith HM 58^th Regt aged 36 years

Buried Mar 24 1838

I've done a summary of what I know so far about Thomas Henry Smith 1800-1838,  This information comes from Bible pages and also from the birth-burial records I found online.

Thomas Henry Smith

June 24, 1800 – March 23, 1838

Thomas was born June 24, 1800 in Munden, County Kent, England according to family Bible records kept by his wife.

He married Elizabeth Mary Butcher on April 4, 1827 at St. Paul’s Church, Dublin, Ireland (again from family Bible).  This information is also confirmed in church records viewed online.

Thomas was a member of the 58^th Regiment of Foot that was deployed to Ceylon in 1828. 

In 1830, per the death record of Sidney, his rank was Private.

In 1831, per birth record of Frances, his rank was Corporal.

In 1833, per birth record of Martha, his rank was Sargent.

In 1838, per his death record, his rank was Sargent.  His age is listed as 36 years.

Their first child, Mary Isabella, was born April 11, 1828 in Portsmouth, England (family Bible record).

She married Leonard Vessey November 13, 1853 in Washington, DC and died February 4, 1863 in Washington, DC and is interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, DC.

His second child, Sidney John Smith, was born June 14, 1830 at the Garrison of Colombo, Ceylon and died age 2 months, 22 days.  Bible records have his death date as Sept. 29, 1830 but burial records have him buried Sept. 5, 1830 in Galle Face Burial Ground, Colombo, Ceylon.  The Sept. 5 burial date fits better with the age if the family Bible records birth date is correct.

Frances Lenetta Smith was born October 9, 1831

She married John Meany June 9, 1856 at St. Mark’s Church, New York, New York.

Known as Fanny, she died in Washington, DC February 26, 1870. 

Martha Ann Smith was born October 24, 1833  I found no burial records for her on the Kabristan Archives website.

Thomas Henry Smith, the last child, was born October 14, 1835 in Colombo, Ceylon. He died November 3, 1926 and is interred at Oak Hill Cemetery, Washington, DC.  I did not find any birth records for him on the Kabristan Archives website.

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