Charles Smith (abt. 1715 - 1762)

Born about 1715 in Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland

Died 1762 at about age 47 in Bristol, England

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Biography

Birth and Origins

Charles Smith was born c. 1715 in Waterford, county Waterford, Ireland, though some claim Cork, County Cork, Ireland as his birthplace. Little is known of his family^{[1] [2]}

An article on the Quarry family of Johnstown House near Dungarvan, published in the Journal of the Waterford by South East of Ireland Archaeological Society, records the marriage of Mary Quarry and one Pierce Smith, 'near cousin of Dr. Smith, Historian of Co. Waterford',^[3]

Occupation

He was an apothecary, topographer, and writer.

He studied to be a doctor at Trinity College (qualifying) in 1738.^[4] And worked as an apothecary in Lismore (1739–44) and Dungarvan, Co. Waterford (1744–60)^[1]

He was a pioneer of Irish topography and local history. His first work, The ancient and present state of the county of Down (1744), was produced in collaboration with Walter Harris and dedicated to Hans Sloane . It was the first thorough history of an Irish county.

The work was intended as the first of a series of such surveys. It led to the foundation (14 April 1744) of the Physico-Historical Society in Dublin. Under this body Smith published accounts of Co. Waterford (1746), Co. Cork (1750), and – after the society's demise – Co. Kerry (1756). ^[1] "His county histories were quite good for their time and were attractively illustrated with engraved views and maps."^[4]

In 1756, he was a founding member and first secretary of the Medico-Philosophical Society in Dublin.^[1] and he and medicos like Harris and Dr Rutty continued to be an active and valued member^[5]

Reade Compton sums it up thus:

"Charles Smith, Irish county historian (1715-62), an apothecary at Dungarvan. His more important histories were. those of Waterford and Cork. Founder in 1756 of the Medico-Philosophical Society of Dublin."^[6]

Death

He died in Bristol in July 1762.^[1]

" ‘Monday seven-night died at Bristol hot wells, Dr Charles Smith’ (Dublin Courier, 7 July 1762)."^[2]

Smith bequeathed his manuscripts to a close friend who allowed new impressions of his histories to be printed in 1774^[2]

Research Notes

He may be the Dr Smith mentioned in the 1744 will of Thomas Hayden of Kilmacoliver (son of William Hayden and Margaret Smith) - his Jackson sister L250 "provided she does not inter-marry with Dr Smith of Waterford"^[7] The term 'inter-marry' suggests the possibility they were closely related, perhaps first cousins.

Is the Charles Smith of Dungarvan, apothecary, who died 1723 a relative, possibly his father or brother, as well as James Smith of Waterford, Gent, who died 1726.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Smith, Charles, DICTIONARY OF IRISH BIOGRAPHY, Contributed by Sinéad Sturgeon & Rosemary Richey, October 2009, https://www.dib.ie/biography/smith-charles-a8137
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Dr Charles Smith (1715-1762), historian, The Michael O'Donohoe Memorial Heritage Project, 2015, http://www.odonohoearchive.com/dr-charles-smith-1715-1762-historian/
3. ↑ Also Willie Fraher, "Charles Smith, 1715-1762: Pioneer of Irish Topography, pp 33ff , http://snap.waterfordcoco.ie/collections/ejournals/123308/123308.pdf
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Charles Smith M.D. (1715-1762), Historical Figures, http://www.deisedesign.ie/oldmuseum/personal.htm
5. ↑ Two Capitals: London and Dublin, 1500-1840, British Academy, 2001, p 201 https://books.google.com.au/books?id=FCD7GzO00tAC&pg=PA201&lpg=PA201&dq
6. ↑ Reade Compton, The Smith family, being a popular account of most branches of the name--however spelt--from the fourteenth century downwards, with numerous pedigrees now published for the first time, 1904, Publisher London : E. Stock , p 246, https://archive.org/details/smithfamilybeing00read/page/246/mode/2up
7. ↑ Tadhg Hayden, The Haydens : a 700 year journey in Tipperary, Tipperary Historical Journal 1994 17, p 147-149, https://tipperarystudies.ie/THS/Journals/1994/1994%2017%20%5Bpp%20142-154%5D%20Tadhg%20Hayden.pdf
8. ↑ Irish Public Records, Diocese of Waterford and Lismore, http://census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/dw/IRE_DIOC_007246609_00251.pdf