Seeking info on my Great Grandfather Henry SMITH

Question

I have been searching for many years for greater information about HENRY SMITH  (my Great Grandfather) a Carter/Cab Driver in Melbourne Victoria, Australia. Henry, age 26, married Ellen Donoghue, age 25, on the 22 February 1865 at Hotham, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Marriage Certificate is below:

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According to the Marriage Certificate Ellen was from Limerick, Ireland and Henry appears to be from a place called ‘Dantzic’? The parents recorded for Henry are; Father - William Smith (Bootmaker) Mother - Maria Shellam (or Shillam). Based on the age recorded for Henry’s, his birth date would be Circa 1839.

Among their six children, they had a son whom they named Albert Henry SMITH (my Grandfather) born in 1874 The Birth Certificate of “Albert Henry” records Henry (Great Grandfather) as aged 37 years at the time of Birth Registration in Melbourne on the 16 November 1874.

There is an age discrepancy between the Marriage and Birth Certificate. Henry’s age on the Marriage Certificate in 1865 he was 26 years old and on the Birth Certificate of his son in 1874 he was 37 years old. Time elapsed between 1865 and 1874 is 9 years, so, based on the Marriage Certificate Henry should have been 35 years old in 1874.

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Births Deaths and Marriages (BDM) Victoria – Deaths, Registration number: 13361 / 1885, Family name: SMITH, Given name(s) : Ellen Maria, Place of event: Port Melbourne, Australia - Mother's name: Mary, Mother's family name at birth: CARTER, Father's Name: Donohue Edward. (Note the different spelling of her Father’s name. Henry buried Ellen at the Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton North, Victoria. I have Ellen’s Probate, but it sheds no further information on Henry. I have scoured BDM and Immigration Records to no avail.

I would desperately like find out much more about my Great Grandfather so, if you have any information in your family tree and would like to share your information and sources please contact me SMITH-253773

Kind Regards

Brian Smith

17 July 2022

Answer 1

Hi Brian,

I added the probate record from FamilySearch. Have you tried any of the resources listed here?

https://www.nla.gov.au/research-guides/family-history?gclid=CjwKCAjw_b6WBhAQEiwAp4HyIBa0VdIMo1aVV_x56aYqxk0uq0Rg7uSrTFDXOaKJs7KAWlR2X8BkQhoC_H4QAvD_BwE#

Also, have a look at the project list and explore the resources of the Australia project. The project list can be found under the Find drop down menu.

Be sure to list the places you check and any interesting leads in the Research Notes section. That will be useful for yourself and other researchers.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Danztik is also known as Danzig. It was a port city in Prussia, now Gdansk, Poland. The Prussian Project may be of assistance. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Prussian_Settlement_in_Australia_-_German_Australians

Also, is this your Henry Smith? This probate image is on PROV. VPRS 28/P0000, 28/428  1884-10-22 - 1884-10-22 Given name : Henry; Family name : Smith; Residence : Braybrook; Occupation : Carter; Nature of grant : Administration; To whom committed : Mary Smith

https://prov.vic.gov.au/archive/E558AA0F-F1D2-11E9-AE98-8F4B13EC501B?image=1

hope this helps.

Comments

Hi Danielle, thank you for taking the time to assist me with this search.

Yes, I was aware of the Dantzic (Danzig) connection, but it hasn't led me anywhere. With a name like Henry Smith pretty hard to track down. He may well have emigrated as Heinrich Schmidt or some other similar name.

Also aware of the Probate 22 Oct 1884 for Henry Smith that you highlighted, however, it is not my Henry Smith. I have Ellen, his wife's Probate which was granted 22 Dec 1885 leaving her estate to Henry Smith. I have a photo of her tombstone on which Henry had inscribed:

ERECTED By HENRY SMITH

In memory of his beloved Wife ELLEN M SMITH

Who died 27 October 1885 Aged 45 Years

I wasn't aware of the Prussian Immigration site and will do some research there.

Once again, many thanks.

Kind Regards

Brian Smith