Margaret (Griffin) Smith (abt. 1802 - aft. 1841)

Born about 1802 in Ireland [uncertain]

Wife of Robert Smith — married 21 Mar 1824 in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Hugh Smith [send private message]

Biography

Margaret Griffin was likely born before about 1802-1806 (See Research Note A below).
She was the daughter of --unknown -- Griffin and ---unknown --- ---unknown ---.

Margaret Griffin (or Griffen) married Robert Smith, weaver, both of Maybole on 21st March 1824 at the parish church.^[1]
It is likely that Margaret and Robert had at least the following known six (6) children:

• Alex Smith, c1825 – 1871 m.1849
• Ann Jane Smith, 1827 - xxxx
• Martha Smith, 1829 - xxxx
• Margaret Smith, c1833 - xxxx
• Robert Smith, c1835 - xxxx
• Samuell Smith, c1840 - xxxx

By early 1825, the family must have moved from Maybole to the coastal port of Girvan, situated to the SW of Maybole about xx miles. Here their first son Alex Smith was born on the 28th January 1825 and later baptised on the 6th February 1825 in the Parish of Girvan, County of Ayr.^[2]

Sometime betwwen 1825 and 1827 Robert, Margaret and infant Alexander moved back to the weaving village of Maybole where their daughter Ann Jane Smith, likely was born and was later baptised on the 16th November 1827 in the Maybole Parish Church, Ayr.^[3]

In another two years a second daughter Martha Smith likely was born in Maybole and was later baptised on the 3rd December 1829 in the Maybole Parish Church, Ayr.^[4]

According to the 1841 census, a third daughter Margaret Smith was born in 1833 , place unknown but most likely in southern Ayrshire. ^[5] (See Research Note A)

A second son Robert Smith was born and and later baptised in Crosshills a village in Parish of Kirkmichael about 5 miles SE of the town of Maybole. ^[6][7]

A third son Samuell Smith was born and and later baptised in the Girvan Parish Church, Ayr.^[8]

By the time of the 1841 census (night of the 6th June) Robert Smith and his wife Margaret (both Cotton Hand Loom Weavers) with their six children had returned to the village of Maybole. They lived in a dwelling in Welltrees Street. Their sons Alex (15 yrs), Robert (6 yrs), Samuell (1 yr) and daughters Ann (13 yrs), Martha (10 yrs), Margaret (8 yrs) were living with them. It is most likely that the two eldest children Alex and Ann were apprenticed weavers. Living in the same dwelling as the Smith family was the McNeils, another weaving family. The wife --------- (Griffin) McNeil may be a relation of Margaret's, possibly her sister.

Nothing further has been found about Margaret or her husband Robert Smith. They both failed to be found in the 1851 Scotland Census.

It is most likely that Margaret (Griffin) Smith had died before 1871 (the death of her eldest son Alexander)

Their son Alex SMITH married Mary POLLOCK in November 1849 at United Presbyterian Church, London Road, High Church, (Glasgow) Barony.

Margaret and Robert's second youngest child Robert was living with his older brother Alexander (now a cotton Hand loom weaver) in Glasgow at the time of the 1851 Scotland census. Young Robert was 15 years of age and employed as a warper. Also the eldest daughter Ann Jane was also living in Barony, Glasgow when she married William Withers in 1852 in Barony Glasgow. Does this suggest that the parents Margaret and Robert had died by this time?

No other details found so far - See Research Notes

Research Notes

Other Surnames Found in records: Griffen, Griffan (OPR Births/baptisms of children). First document was the marriage record - Griffin.

Questions:

1. What happened to Margaret Griffin –
   1. when did she die,
   2. where was she born?
   3. who were her parents?
   4. where did she live after 1841?

1. What happened to her husband Robert Smith
2. What happened to son Robert (jnr)
3. What happened to daughter Martha
4. What happened to daughter Margaret (jnr)
5. What happened to son Samuel

Notes:

• Note A: Birth of Margaret Griffin
  

1. The exact details and location - not known as her OPR Birth/Baptism entry has not been discovered to date (Smith-127977 08:49, 28 February 2019 (UTC))
   
2. Birth year of Margaret Griffin. - According to the 1841 census, Margaret was aged either 25 or 35 - Either a 2 or 3 - is difficult to read. It is likekly to be rounded down from the 5yr span of 25-29 yrs or 35-39 yrs - as was the practice by most 1841 Census Enumerators (written in their guidelines). This implies that her birth year is in the range of 1802 to 1806 if 35 or 1812-1816 if 25 yrs. But Margaret was married in March of 1824, so if these are the same Margaret Smith then she was either married at an age from 8 (b1816) to 12 (b1812) yrs or from 18 (b1806) to 22 (b1802) yrs. The ages 8 to 12 seem unlikely so believe Margaret's birth year ranges from 1802 to 1806. Have not found any other record that shows an age or birth year for Margaret (as at Smith-127977 11:48, 27 April 2020 (UTC))

• Note B: Death of Robert Smith and Margaret Griffin:
  

Both Robert and Margaret (nee Griffin) Smith – likely died after 1841 Census and before the 19th Aug 1871 - Death of son Alexander Smith or before 1883 - Death of daughter Ann (nee Smith) Withers (1883).

1. Son Alexander Smith (born abt 1825) died in 1871 (aged abt 46 yrs) – The informant for his death was his eldest son Alexander Smith (age abt 20 yrs). He believed both his father’s parents Robert Smith and Margaret Griffin were deceased at the time of his father’s death (August 19th 1871).
2. Daughter Ann Withers (nee Smith), widow born about 1827, died in 1883 (aged 56) – The informant of her death was her son Robert Smith Withers (age abt 25 yrs). He believed both his mother’s parents Robert Smith and Margaret Griffin were deceased at the time of his mother’s death ( 1883).
3. 1851 Census - The 1851 Scotland Census recorded that son Robert (age 15 yrs) was living/visiting his older brother Alexander’s young family in Glasgow. Robert’s occupation at this time (April 1851) was a warper.
   
4. 1852 Marriage - Daughter Ann Jane SMITH married a William WITHERS in 1853 in Glasgow.
   

• Note C:Possible sister or relation
  

(Discuss McNeil Family - Ian McNeil and his spouse Jane Griffin, weavers from Ireland. Is she the sister (or close relation) of Margaret, as McNeil's were living in the same house/dwelling as the Smith's. Or is it co-incidence?)

Transcriptions

• 1824 Marriage

IGI Individual Record
(FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0, British Isles)
Name: ROBERT SMITH, Male
Event(s): Marriage
Spouse: MARGARET GRIFFIN
Marriage: 21 MAR 1824, Maybole, Ayr, Scotland
Messages:
Extracted marriage record for locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the marriage date.
Source Information: Batch No.: M116054, Dates: 1820 - 1854 , Source Call No.: 1041397 1041396 Type: Film, Printout Call No.: 6900416, Type: Film , Sheet: 00

• 1825 Birth/Baptism

• 1827 Birth/Baptism

IGI Individual Record
(FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0, British Isles)
ANN JANE SMITH, Female
Event(s):
Birth: 16 NOV 1827, Maybole, Ayr, Scotland
Parents:
Father: ROBERT SMITH, Mother: MARGARET GRIFFAN
Messages:
Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the birth or christening date.
Source Information: Batch No.: C116054 , Dates: 1820 – 1854, Source Call No.: 1041396,1041397. Type: Film , Printout Call No.: 6900530 , Type: Film

• 1829 Birth/Baptism

IGI Individual Record
(FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0, British Isles)
MARTHA SMITH, Female
Event(s):
Birth: 03 DEC 1829, Maybole, Ayr, Scotland
Parents:
Father: ROBERT SMITH, Mother: MARGARET GRIFFAN
Messages:
Extracted birth or christening record for the locality listed in the record. The source records are usually arranged chronologically by the birth or christening date.
Source Information: Batch No.: C116054 , Dates: 1820 – 1854, Source Call No.: 1041396,1041397. Type: Film , Printout Call No.: 6900530 , Type: Film

• Abt 1833 Birth/Baptism

• 1836 Birth/Baptism

• 1840 Birth/Baptism

• 1841 Census
  

At the time of the 1841 Census (6th June 1841) the Smith family (Robert and Margaret and their children) were likely to have been residing in Welltrees St, Maybole, Ayr with other Hand Loom Weavers from Ireland.^[5]

UK Census 1841 (06/06/1841) –SMITH Alexander:
(GRO Ref: Census 1841 605/00 005/00 007)
Census Schedule Image:, Page 7, Parish of Maybole
Place, Name, Age, Sex, Occupation, Where Born (if born in Scotland state whether in county or otherwise Y/N, whether foreigners, or whether born in England or Ireland (E or I).
Address: Welltrees St, inhabited

Robert Smith, age 30 yrs, male, Cotton H[and] L[oom] W[eaver], ---, I[reland]

Margaret Smith, age 25 yrs, female, Cotton H[and] L[oom] W[eaver], ---, I[reland]

Alex Smith, age 15 yrs, male, ap, ---, y[es]

Ann Smith, age 13 yrs, female, ap, ---, y[es]

Martha Smith, age 10 yrs, female, ---, ---, y[es]

Margt Smith, age 8 yrs, female, ---, ---, y[es]

Robt Smith, age 6 yrs, male, ---, ---, y[es]

Samuell Smith, age 1 yr, male, ---, ---, y[es]

• 1849 Marriage
  

Their son Alex SMITH married Mary POLLOCK in November 1849 at United Presbyterian Church, London Road, High Church, Barony.
^[9]

Sources

1. ↑ OPR (Marriages) for Parish of Maybole-image retrieved from ScotlandsPeople website
2. ↑ 06/02/1825 SMITH, Alexander (OPR Births 594/0030 0056 Girvan) -image retrieved from ScotlandsPeople website 2nd December 2007
3. ↑ OPR (Births & Baptisms) for Parish of Maybole-image retrieved from ScotlandsPeople website
4. ↑ OPR (Births & Baptisms) for Parish of Maybole-image retrieved from ScotlandsPeople website
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} 1841 Census, Maybole - image retrieved from ScotlandsPeople website
6. ↑ OPR (Births & Baptisms) for Parish of Kirkmichael-image retrieved from ScotlandsPeople website
7. ↑ 1851 census
8. ↑ OPR (Births & Baptisms) for Parish of Girvan-image retrieved from ScotlandsPeople website
9. ↑ Church Records - Old Parish Registers Marriages and Banns

• Scot OPRs (Births/Baptisms and Marriages) for Parish of Maybole, County of Ayr
• Scot 1841 Census for town of Maybole, County of Ayr