Richard Smyth (1846 - 1911)

Born 23 Aug 1846 in Limerick, IRL

Husband of Mary (Rice) Smyth — married 29 Sep 1870 in St Mary's Church, Limerick, IRl

Descendants

Died 18 Nov 1911 at age 65 in Workhouse Hospital, Limerick, Ireland

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Biography

Richard Smyth was born in Ireland.

Richard Smyth was baptized 23 Aug 1846 at St Johns in Limerick, Ireland, the son of Richard Smyth and Susan Spencer. His sponsors were Wiliam (?) Ryan and Mary Molony. At age 20, living on High St, he married Mary Rice on 29 Sep 1870^[1]. The certificate showed Richard and his father, both as Sawyers.
Mary and Richard had 14 children from 1871 until 1893, the last of which was my grandfather Peter Andrew. In 1880 they lived at 5 Mungret St according to a school registry record for their son Richard.
On Mar 15 1879 Richard was sentenced to 2 months of HARD LABOR for stealing fruit and he was discharged on 29 Aug 1879. In the 1901 census, Richard, a Carpenter Pharsmaker (should be chairmaker?) and Mary are at 9 Mungret St in Limerick with their children Ellen, Jessie, MaryAnn, Peter and Mary's mother Ellen Niel^[2]. (I wonder if Niel could be an error in transcription). One of their children died at only 13 years old from a tragic train accident.
While living at 73 Mungret St, wife Mary died on 28 Feb 1911 of bronchitis which she had for 35 days. Their son Patrick, from 37 Mungret St, was in attendance when his mother died. On the 02 April 1911 census, Richard is shown as a widower. Living with him is his daughter Ellen, now Higgins, and her children Margaret, Mary Anne and Richard Higgins^[3]. Ellen has also lost her husband.
Richard died just seven months later on 18 Nov 1911. He had a hemorrhagic purpura and died at the Workhouse Hospital in Limerick. His will was probated on 15 December 1911 and his estate was valued at £46 10s which in today's money would be worth a little over £5000 in 2017^[4].
Richard and Mary are both buried in St Patricks Cemetery in Limerick. Their gravestone reads In Loving Memory of Richard Smyth who died 12 Nov 1911aged 68 years and his wife Mary Smyth who died 28 Feb 1911 aged 64 years. On whose soul sweet Jesus have mercy. Erected by their son John of Boston, Ma, U.S.A..

Notes

There are two Richard Smyth baptisms at St Johns...one for 23 Aug 1846 and one for 01 Jul 1850. It is felt the 1846 baptism is this Richard because of having sponsors vs the one in 1850 being noted as paupers. Some of the source documents match up with a 1846 date and some with a 1850 date. It does NOT appear there were two sons named Richard and the first one passed away although that was considered.

Sources

1. 1846 Baptism record is a transcription from the online St Johns parish baptism register from the National Library of Ireland and Ancestry.com
2. 1870 Marriage is a copy from entry in the Marriage record book. Given to me by another family member.
3. 1879 sentence from the General Register of Prisoners sent to me by Jason.
4. 05 Nov 1880 school registry record posted at an online site (Limerick council?)
5. 1901 census is an online transcription from the National Archives of Ireland. Also listed at the Family Search site.
6. 1911 census online from the National Archives of Ireland. Also listed at the Family Search site.
7. Hand written Transcription of 12 of their children along with baptism dates and sponsors given me in the early 90's by someone at the Limerick Regional Archives. 1871 birth of their daughter Mary from Family Search site. And abt 1883 birth of their daughter Jessie listed on the 1911 census. Other 12 are on the transcription.
8. 1911 death records of Richard and Mary were given to me by another family member.
9. 1911 death information from the Ireland Calendar of Wills and Administration, Courtesy of National Archives of Ireland, posted at the Family Search site
10. 1911 Death certificate
11. Picture of gravestone of Richard and Mary given to me by another family member.
12. Family records.

1. ↑ "Ireland Civil Registration, 1845-1913," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG2Y-3YVG : 24 August 2019), Richard Smyth and Mary Rice, Marriage 29 Sep 1870, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland; citing General Register Office, Dublin; FHL microfilm
2. ↑ "Ireland Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPBR-N5F5 : 30 January 2019), Richard Smyth, Mungret, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland; citing Census, Mungret, Limerick, County Limerick, Ireland, 0000441989, Public Record Office of Ireland, Belfast
3. ↑ "Ireland Census, 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QYVT-R6W2 : 27 December 2018), Richard Smyth, 1911; citing Street, County Longford, Ireland, Census, National Archives of Ireland, Dublin
4. ↑ "Ireland Calendar of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ5N-PZD : 13 March 2018), Richard Smyth, 18 Nov 1911; citing 00307, 005014917, Principal Probate Registry, Dublin; 101,003