William James Smythe (1816 - 1887)

Born 25 Jan 1816 in Ireland

Husband of Sarah Maria (Bland) Smythe — married 15 Dec 1857 (to 1887) in Carnmoney, County Antrim, Ireland

Died 12 Jul 1887 at age 71 in Carnmoney, County Antrim, Ireland

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Biography

Wikidata: Item Q16062823, en:Wikipedia - British general

William was born at at Coole Glebe, Carnmoney, County Antrim, Ireland in 1816. He was the son of Samuel Smythe, vicar of Carnmoney, and Margaret Owens.

In 1830 he entered the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, subsequently receiving a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery. He had assignments in the Cape of Good Hope and St Helena. He was in charge of recording observations at Longwood Observatory for several years. He had a keen interest in astronomy and later became a Fellow of the Royal Society.

In 1845 he was promoted to 2nd Captain. He was stationed for a year in Halifax, Nova Scotia before returning to England, being promoted to 1st Captain and taking charge of artillery training at Woolwich.

In 1856 he was appointed to a Royal Commission on the state of military education in various European countries, and the training of British officers in the scientific corps.

On 15 December 1857, at Carnmoney, County Antrim he married Sarah Maria Bland, daughter of the Reverend Robert Wintringham Bland, JP and vicar of Carnmoney.^[1] They did not have children.

From 1859-1861 William and his wife were in Fiji, where he had been tasked with investigating the value of the islands and the expediency of their cession to the United Kingdom.

He became a colonel in 1864, a major-general in 1868, and an honorary general (retired) in 1881. He spent some time in India before settling at Tobercorran, in Carnmoney.

He passed away there in 1887.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ "Ireland Marriages, 1619-1898"
2. ↑ "Ireland Calendar of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1920"

• Familysearch.org