Smith

Smith
Current region	Newfoundland and Labrador
Place of origin	England
Founded	c.1750

The Smith Family of Random Island

The Smith family of Random Island were some of the original settlers of the upper western half of Random Island. The Smiths were pioneers in the Hant's Harbour, Elliott's Cove, Snook's Harbour and Apsey Brook areas of Newfoundland. The family itself moved originally to Elliott's Cove from Hant's Harbour. While the impetus for this is unknown, family researchers, Gloria Smith Corbett, and Arthur T. Dalton Jr., noted that the book From Cod to Crab: Stories and History of Hant's Harbor mention that in 1868,

two-thirds of the fishing season had passed and there was not a single codfish drying on the flakes. The "planters" would make no more advances and declared that they would be ruined by bad debts already accumulated. Credit at the little stores was stopped for there were no returns.

— Garry Cranford & Ed Janes, From Cod to Crab: Stories and History of Hant's Harbor

Of note also is the fact that "Scholar" John Tiley, father in law of Thomas, also resettled around this time, and went on to become the founder of nearby Shoal Harbour.

Pre Random Island

William Smith-Bramleigh (Broomley) emigrated from England in the Mid 1700's, and landed in Trinity, NL. There his wife Sarah gave birth to sons John (baptized 1757) and William (baptized September 13, 1761)

From Trinity, the family moved across The Bay to Scilly Cove (now Winterton), Newfoundland. William, born in 1761, grew up there, married, and had at least one son, named Thomas. Thomas was born at Scilly Cove in 1804. The family moved from Scilly Cove to Hant's Harbour in the early 1800's. There, Thomas became the father of six sons and three daughters, all of whom were born and grew up in Hant's Harbour.

— Gloria Smith Corbett,Arthur T. Dalton Jr., The Smith-Bramleigh(Broomley) Family From Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Beyond - Private Publication

We were unable to confirm some intriguing oral history presented to us by Jean Howard Smith as handed down to her by her grandfather, Aaron, one of the six brothers who founded the community of Elliott's Cove on Random Island. I include it here in the chance that it may be of interest to a future descendant who may want to pursue the family origins across the Atlantic. According to Jean, Bramleighs residing in Normandy, France were given land grants in Kent and Cornwall, England in 1076, following the Norman conquest of England in 1066. At some point, they intermarried with Smiths and the name became hyphenated. In the early-mid 1700s, William-Smith Bramleigh, became a captain in the British Royal Navy. On his travels to Spain, he met and eventually married a Spanish Duchess from Malaga (in southern Spain), named Carmen Maria Christina Olga Ruiz y Ortega de Quintilla. "Ruiz" was her mother's name; "Ortega", her father's. Art had researchers in England investigate William's presence in the Royal Navy, but the information gathered was too vague to substantiate a linkage to "our" William. In 2003, I happened to take a trip to Spain, near Malaga. I spoke with a Spanish professor who gave us a lecture on Spanish names. Interestingly, she did state that the names Ruiz and Ortega were still prominent in the province of Malaga, but noted that most of the church records of the 1700s had been destroyed in wars or accidental fires. I did not investigate further. However, in both the Library of Congress in the U.S. and the Boston Public Library, there is a 24 volume set entirely devoted to Spanish names should someone care to pursue this possible link to a Spanish duchess.

— Gloria Smith Corbett,Arthur T. Dalton Jr., The Smith-Bramleigh(Broomley) Family From Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Beyond - Private Publication

Thomas Smith and Family

Thomas married Martha Tilley, daughter of "Scholar" John Tilley, founder of Shoal Harbour, on December 4, 1828. Their son, Thomas Jr., and wife, Deborah, settled in Elliott's Cove in the 1860's. Thomas' brothers, sisters and parents followed shortly thereafter.

Thomas' children were:

• Mary (1831-?)
• Moses (1833-1917)
• William (1836-1925)
• Thomas (1839-1906)
• Gideon (1841-1920)
• Elizabeth (1840-1920)
• Jane (1850-1937)
• Charles (1854-1903)
• Aaron (1855-1943)

Both Thomas and Martha are buried at Elliott's Cove.

First Generation

Thomas

Thomas Jr. was born May 2, 1839 in Hant's Harbour. He married Deborah Hopkins (December 1847), also of Hant's Harbour. They died in 1906 and 1931 respectively, both in Elliott's Cove.

Thomas was listed in various directories over the years as:

• Fisherman 1864/65 - Hant's Harbour
• Fisherman 1871 - Random Sound
• Fisherman 1894/97 - Elliott's Cove
• Fisherman 1898 - Elliott's Cove
• Fisherman 1904 - Elliott's Cove

One report suggests that Thomas Jr. and Deborah Smith of Hant's Harbour were the first of the Smiths to settle in Elliott's Cove, arriving there in the 1860's, with the rest of their family soon following.

Thomas Smith was the founder of the Methodist Sunday School in Elliott's Cove. When he passed away in 1906, he was described as a highly respected class-leader of the church in Elliott's Cove.

Thomas had a ferryboat and operated a ferry service to all places in the Northwest Arm from Hickman's Harbour to Clarenville. He died on his boat while making a run in 1906. His son, Allan, continued the service.

Thomas and Deborah's lineage includes marriage into the Goobie family of Hant's Harbour, the Hodder family of Thoroughfare, the Leawood family of Hant's Harbour (then Foster's Point and Britannia), and the Guildford family of Hant'S Harbour. The Smith family name under Thomas was much smaller in future generations, with a small branch remaining in Elliott's Cove.

Gideon

Gideon was born December 7, 1841 in Hant's Harbour. He died on January 1, 1920 at Elliott's Cove.

Gideon was listed in various directories over the years as:

• Fisherman 1864/65 - Hant's Harbour
• Sawmill Operator 1894/97 - Elliott's Cove
• Fisherman 1898 - Snook's Harbour
• Fisherman 1904 - Snook's Harbour

He married Hannah Ivany (December 24, 1846) of Champneys. She died at 43 on December 30, 1889 at Elliott's Cove. Gideon remarried to Emily Louisa Pynn (1857, St. John's) in 1891 at Elliott's Cove.

Not a whole lot is documented about Gideon's lineage, though one son was killed young in a hunting accident, and another emigrated to New York. Daughter also married into families in Maine and Massachusetts.

Charles

Charles was born February 3, 1854 in Hant's Harbour. He died on May 28, 1904 at Elliott's Cove.

Charles was listed in various directories over the years as:

• Fisherman 1894/97 - Elliott's Cove
• Fisherman 1898 - Elliott's Cove
• Fisherman 1904 - Elliott's Cove

He married Mahalah Adey (1852) of Foster's Point. She died on August 10, 1914 at Elliott's Cove.

Charles' house was used as the worship center at Elliott's Cove before the church was built.

Charles and brother Aaron, along with Aaron's sons Attwood and Norman, also opened a brickyard at Snook's Harbour.

When fire leveled the brickyard (of The Brick and Tile Manufacturing Company in Elliott's Cove) in the fall of 1903, (the company) decided to move elsewhere. The company reorganized into the Newfoundland Brick and Manufacturing Company Limited in 1904 to make sand and lime bricks in St. John's, but closed in 1908. Living in Elliott's Cove when The Brick and Tile Manufacturing Company first arrived in 1890, were three Smith brothers; Thomas, Aaron and Charles. Lumbermen Aaron and Charles became intrigued by the company's brickworks. They observed it closely and in 1895 opened up their own small brickyard in Snook's Harbour on the opposite side of Random Island.

— Gloria Smith Corbett,Arthur T. Dalton Jr., The Smith-Bramleigh(Broomley) Family From Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Beyond - Private Publication

Like some other members of the family, much of Charles' lineage seems to have emigrated to the New England area, especially Lynn, Massachusetts.

Aaron

Aaron was born in 1855 in Hant's Harbour. He died on November 6, 1943 at Elliott's Cove.

Aaron was listed in various directories over the years as:

• Lumberman 1894/97 - Elliott's Cove
• Lumberman 1898 - Elliott's Cove

He married Emily Barnes (1861) of English Harbour. She died on September 16, 1887 at Elliott's Cove. Norman re-married to Jane Anne Reid (1864) of Foster's Point. She died in 1952 at Elliott's Cove.

In 1909, Aaron was appointed lay reader for Apsey Brook due to absence of a minister.

Aaron, with sons Norman and Attwood operated a brickyard at Snook's Harbour. This operation continued until 1952, employing many men.

Most, if not all, of the current Smith families of Elliott's Cove can trace direct ancestry to Aaron.

First, Second and Third Generations

Mary Smith

Little to no information is known for Mary, or her descendants if any, other than her birth date of May 16, 1831.

Moses Smith and Family

Moses Smith

Moses married Deborah Jane Pelley (born 1838) of Hant's Harbour in 1858 and lived in Hant's Harbour. They had 4 children:

• Emily (1860-1946) married William Cooper Jr. of Ireland's Eye (1856-1947) in 1881 in Snook's Harbour. Both are buried in Snook's Harbour. They had children:
  • Deborah Louise (1884-1978) married John Mills (1884-1907) of Thoroughfare. Subsequently she married Norman Smith (see Aaron Smith and Family)
  • Jessie (1887-1983) married Peter Hefford (1886-1960) of Snook's Harbour.
  • William G (1889-1985) married Ethel Smith (see William Smith and Family)
  • Alfreda (1891-1924) married George Smith (see WIlliam Smith and Family)
  • Hayward (1892-1962)

Hayward served in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment from 1915-1918, seeing service in many different battles and being honourably discharged in 1918.

• Ephriam (1894-1991) married Margaret (Maggie) Horlick of St. John's. Uncle Eph, as he was known to many, also served as a Private in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, spending many months in trench warfare. He was honourably discharged in 1919.
• Alice Maud (1896-2003) married Charles (Attwood) Smith (see Aaron Smith and Family).
• Susannah (1899-1986) married Lesley Cooper (1899--1971)(see Cooper family) of Snook's Harbour.
• Willis (1901-1988) married Jean Porter. He died and is buried in Maine.

• Elkanah (1861-?)
• George (1863-?)
• Deborah (Debra) (1864-1978) married Solomon Tilley (died 1900). They had children:
  • Frank born in Hant's Harbour, said to have drowned with his father in 1900.
  • Lucy born in Hant's Harbour
  • Ballington (1889-1970) married Mary Ann (1896-1971) (surname unknown) of Trinity North.
  • William (1897-1955) married Cicely (1897-1974) (surname unknown) of Carbonear.

Debra subsequently married John Green.

Deborah Jane died sometime before 1870 in Hant's Harbour. Moses subsequently married Susan Rideout (1839-ca1917). They had children:

• Alfreda (1870-1954) married Henry Thomas (Tom) Dalton (1881-1950) of St. John's. They died and are burined in Lynn, Mass.
• Mary Jane (1871-1930) married Henry J. Smith (1855-1905) of Bishop's Cove. She died in Arlington, Mass, but was returned to Elliott's Cove for burial.
• Lucy Ellen (1872-1963) married William John Reid (1887-1961) of Foster's Point. They lived and died in Massachusetts.
• Jessie (1873-ca1891)
• Ephriam (1875-ca1954) married Effie Jane Reid (1870-?) of Foster's Point. Ephriam subsequently married Dorothy Oford (1893-1978) of Cambridge, Mass. He is buried in Arlington, Mass.
• George H (1881-1959) married Beatrice Reid (1883-1963) of Foster's Point. They are buried in Massachusetts.
• Harrison (1882-1959) married Diana Parsons (1889-1977) of Greenspond, NL. They lived for a time in Elliott's Cove before moving to Massachusetts.

Moses was listed in various directories over the years as:

• Fisherman 1864/65 - Hant's Harbour
• Fisherman 1871 - Random Sound
• Coaster 1894/97 - Elliott's Cove
• Coaster 1898 - Elliott's Cove
• Fisherman 1904 - Elliott's Cove

Moses presented the Bible and Hymn Book as used at Elliott's Cove Church.

During this time Moses was known to have made trips to Lynn, Massachusetts selling lumber. Much of Moses and Susan's lineage continues in that state as well as in New Hampshire.

William Smith and Family

William & Lydia

William Smith's Headstone

William married Lydia Hopkins (1841-1930) of Hant's Harbour in 1836 and lived in Hant's Harbour, Elliott's Cove and Apsey Brook. They had 13 children, some noted to be twins, but which are unknown:

• Agnes was born in Hant's Harbour and married John Laite (1867-?) also of Hant's Harbour.
• Emma was born in Hant's Harbour. No other information is known.
• Leah was born in Hant's Harbour and married George Barrett of Old Perlican. They had 4 children:
  • Everett
  • Lloyd
  • Marjorie
  • William
• Lucy was born in Hant's Harbour and married Albert Cooper of Bluff Head Cove in 1897.
• Mary-Anne was born in Hant's Harbour and married John Peddle Smith (ca1855-?) of Bishop's Cove. They settled in Wake's Brook where he had a small brick making operation, unrelated to the later Smith brickworks. They later moved to Snook's Harbour proper. He is unrelated to this Smith family. They had childrend:
  • Allen
  • Edward
  • John
  • Marjorie
  • Myra
  • Silas
  • Alice
  • William T.
  • Zachariah
  • Cyrus
  • Janet
  • Lawrence
  • Amy
• Tobias was born in Hant's Harbour. He was listed as a Fisherman from Snook's Harbour in 1889 MacAlpines Directory.
• John (1863-1928) was born in Hant's Harbour. He married Eliazbeth (Lizzie) Mary Fifield (1864-1946) of English Harbour. They had children:
  • Lydia
  • George
  • Louise Jane
  • Willis
  • Aaron
  • Agnes
  • Luther
  • Mary Emilia
  • Ethel
  • Alma Pearl
• Barzillai (1866-1916) was born in Hant's Harbour. He married Hester (Esther) Critch (1867-1942) of Hant's Harbour. Both died and are buried in Apsey Brook. They had children:
  • Stephen
  • Violet
  • Roland
  • Martha
  • Jairus
  • Lucy
  • Harrison
  • Albert
  • Clarence
  • Emma Juliet Belle
  • Lydia

Barzillai lived on a land grant given to his father by Queen Victoria on May 23, 1872. He was also listed as a lay reader in Apsey Brook.

• Jairus
• George
• Stephen
• Silas
• Luther

William was listed in various directories over the years as:

• Fisherman 1864/65 - Hant's Harbour
• Fisherman 1894/97 - Aspen Brook
• Fisherman 1898 - Aspen Brook
• Fisherman 1904 - Aspen Brook

In 1874, William had a schooner built for him on Random Island, named the North Star. He moved across the island in the 1870's to found Apsey Brook, operating a lumber mill.

William and Lydia's lineage continued to make up the bulk of the Apsey Brook population for many years, with most, if not all, of the Smith's of the community being able to trace direct ancestry.

Daughters also married into the Barrett family of Old Perlican, the Laite family of Hant's Harbour, the Cooper family of Bluff Head Cove, and an unrelated Smith family, originally of Bishop's Cove, but living at Snook's Harbour/Wake's Brook, with a small brick making operation at that brook for a short time (unrelated to the later Smith Brickyard).

Elizabeth Smith

Elizabeth was born on September 3, 1844. She died sometime before 1920 and is buried at the United Church Cemetery, Elliott's Cove.

According to Murley Berkshire, "Aunt Betty" never married. There is no marker on her grave.

Jane (Smith) Loder and Family

Jane was born on August 9, 1850 in Hant's Harbour. She married John Loder at New Bonaventure in 1873. He was born at Ireland's Eye in 1850. Both died in Snook's Harbour in 1937 and 1916 respectively.

They settled in Snook's Harbour after their marriage, and Jane ran a dry-goods store selling thread, buttons, cloth, etc. John plied the fishing trade, with the schooner Mistletoe being built at Snook's Harbour for him. More detail, including information on children can be found in the post about the Loder family.