Thomas SMILEY / Isabella HILL

INDEX

[1053] According to information given to Jessie Cameron by descendants of
Samuel Smiley, Samuel and Thomas came to Canada from County Antrim,
Northern Ireland as subaltern soldiers to the Duke of Richmond. The Duke
of Richmond arrived in Canada about 1818 and died a few years later.
However, the 1842 Census of Clarendon states that Thomas had been in
Canada for 15 years, putting his arrival date at around 1827.

It does seem likely that Thomas and Samuel did live in Richmond, Ontario prior to moving to
Pontiac County. Bill Smiley remembered his father, Ken saying that the
Smileys had come from Ontario. Thomas's first and third sons were born
in Ontario in 1829 and 1831 according to the 1891 and 1901 census but the
three youngest, born 1837, 1839, and 1841 were born in Quebec. Samuel,
Thomas's brother, married Elizabeth Lucas in Richmond, Ontario on April
28, 1833 (Src. Jessie Cameron) and moved to Bristol Township sometime
later.

Although the exact date of the move
is unclear, Thomas probably moved sometime between 1831 and 1837. Verna
Palmer's notes about Thomas Smiley say that he was paying taxes in 1832,
although she doen not mention who he was paying the taxes to or what they
were for. She does say that Thomas and his family settled on Lot 23
Range 5 because it was the first place they found with a spring after
they left the Ottawa River.

Thomas and his family had two
hundred acres on Lot 23 Range 5 and built on the present day location of
Lloyd Cartman's farm. (Lloyd is a great grandson of Thomas) The farm
was later divided and Joseph, the youngest son stayed on the original
farm. The north half was taken over by Edward, the oldest son. Henry,
the fourth born, settled on Lot 22B, Range 5 just to the northeast of the
original farm; Henry's farm is now owned by Michael Smiley, Henry's
great-great grandson. The original house still stands there. Samuel
settled on Lot 25A just to the west of the homestead and James moved
north to the 10th line in Clarendon.

In addition to the personal census, agricultural census were undertaken.
In 1842 Thomas Smiley's farm consisted of:

Land 100 acres (unclear where the other 100 acres had gone to)
14 acres improved land

Crops - harvested - 20 bushels wheat (winchester bushel)
100 bushels oats
350 bushels potatos
200 lbs. maple syrup

Livestock 2 neat cattle
1 horse
5 sheep
5 hogs

St Paul's Death Index(Microfiche)
Burial #17, p. 264, Dec 31 1889

Thomas died at age 86 years and 9 months. Jan 1 1889-86=Jan 1 1803 - 9
months = Feb/Mar 1802.
Witnessed by Henry and Joseph, but no signature(could not write) and
Archdeacon Naylor

Notes about history of Thomas and Samuel

[1054] Isabella, in addition to raising her own family, also raised two of her
brother Robert's daughters after Robert's wife died(presumably). The 1851
census lists Robert,age 45, and six children: Henrietta - 12, Sarah - 10,
both born in Ireland and James - 8, Joseph - 6, Isabella - 4, and Mary -
2.

Isabella, born June 16 1834 (according to the 1901 census) married John
Robitaille. They had at least three children, George(b. Jan?June 11,
1878), Robert C.(b.Jan?June?1, 1881) and Rosann(b.March ?). At the time
of the 1901 census, George was 22, Rosann was 21 and Robert was 19.

Possibly Isabella was part of the Hill family of Lisburn, Ireland.

Burial Information
St Paul's Death Indes (Microfiche)
Burial # 2, p. 377
Witnessed by Edward(signed) and Joseph (could not write)and Archdeacon
NAylor

[1055] According the Lloyd Armstong's "Shawville and Clarendon" James purchased
100 acres of Crown Land at NW1/2 Lot 2, Range 10 in Clarendon on December
31 1863.

Obituary Notice of James Smiley (The Equity)

Mr. James Smiley, an old resident of Morehead section, and the brother of
Messrs. Edward, Henry Samuel and Joseph, all of Clarendon, paid nature's
debt on Sunday night, 28th, dissolution taking place about 10 o'clock.
The late Mr. Smiley had been poor health for a considerable time past,
from heart trouble, which latterly developing dropsy caused his death.
The funeral took place on Tuesday to St. John's church, Morehead.

James could not write - marriage certificate marked with x

Photocopy of Obituary

HOME