Part 862s – Smith Robertson Genealogy – 1795 Mr. Smith - Attestation, Grenada

Good day,

I continue in the search and research for clues to the origins of my ggg-grandfather James Smith.

My next record and document that I transcribe has only the mention of a "Mr. Smith" in the body of the attestation signed to by John Tarleton.  The date of the letter is 16 April 1795 and all-things-being-equal it could be related to as an extension of business and to the previous Power of Attorney assigned by John Tarleton et al to William Smith.  I do not have any immediate source that the "Mr. Smith" mentioned in this letter is the same "William Smith" of the 1794 Power of Attorney but there is a possible and logical coincidence. (See Part 861s.)

The source of this record is of the Grenada Register of Records and copied as an image to the microfilm FHL [1563328] and Item 2, Page 35.

35

Entered 30th September 1797 –

London 16 April 1795

Wm. Postlethwaite Esq
Sir,
I have just time before the departure of this Mail to
acknowlege the receipt of you Letter of the 11th of February and in answer to which
I by leave to inform you that in conformity to my promise and guarantee to you
of Mr. Smith I shall duly accept the Bills you advise to have drawn on me for the
amount of the Mary’s Slaves as well as the Bills in favor of the Captain, Mates of
the Account Sales are undoubtedly very pleasing & satisfactory tho’ I wish the BIlls
had been at a longer sight.

I remain

Sir

Your mo hum sert.

John Tarleton

(Superscribed)
William Postlethwaite Esq.
Grenada
Grenada – Before the Honorable Thomas Bridgwater Esquire Chief
Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for said Island established
Personally appeared John Dawson of Liverpool in the Kingdom of Great
Britain Merchant at present in the Town of Saint George on this Island, who being
duly sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God maketh Oath and saith that he
knows and is well acquainted with John Tarleton of Liverpool aforesaid Merchant
and also with his manner and Character of Hand writing and Subscription having
often seen him write and subscribe his Name, and having viewed and carefully
perused the Letter written on the other side of this Paper purporting to be a Letter
from the aforesaid John Tarleton to William Posthelwaite of the said Island of
Grenada Merchant and dated “London 16th April 1795 and subscribed “John
Tarleton” he saith that he verily and in his Conscience believes the whole of the said
Letter and also the Subscription to the same is of the proper hand writing &
Subscription of the aforesaid John Tarleton

John Dawson

Sworn to before me this }
30th Sept. 1797
Thomas Bridgwater

Is this William Smith? I do not know but all I can do at this point is continue my search and research.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 861s – Smith Robertson Genealogy – 1794 William Smith - Power of Attorney, Grenada

Good Day,

Well I am back. I have returned from a four month respite. I am ready to restart my search and research of my own and associated genealogy.

And I decided that it was time to resume my search for the origins of my ggg-grandfather James Smith. The earliest documentation that I have been able to uncover takes me back in time to 27 December 1802 (see Part 129s)

Previously in an effort of uncovering information and data about my ggg-grandfather James Smith I was working on the transcribing of possible documents and contracts on file with the Grenada Archives. A good portion of these documents have been microfilmed by the Family History Library and are available for use. The collection which is authored by the Supreme Court of Grenada is cataloged under the title of Registers of Records, 1764-1931.

My search and research goal is to find as many records that include the surname Smith for a period of time from about 1790 through 1850. I did begin this project a time back and I have recorded as many Smiths that I have located from the documents from the microfilms. You can see the tally and reference under the Matrices heading at the top of any page on A Genealogy Hunt.

I have returned and begun my search and research with the microfilm FHS [1563328] Registers of records 1797-1817 (v. G2-R2).

The first document and record in which I discovered a Smith was entered 31st August 1797. This record appears to be a Power of Attorney in which Thomas Tarleton and Daniel Backhouse, both of Liverpool, England, appoint William Smith, a Merchant of Grenada in their stead. The actual signing and witnessing date of the Power of Attorney is 12 March 1794 and the recording date is 13 June 1794.

The following are the images of the record.

This is my attempt to transcribe.

2 

Entered 31st August 1797 

Know all Men by these Presents that We Thomas Tarleton of
Liverpool in the County of Lancaster and Kingdom of Great Britain
Esquire John Tarleton of Liverpool aforesaid Esquire and Daniel Backhouse
of Liverpool aforesaid Merchant carrying on the Busineſs of Merchants
in Copartnership in Liverpool aforesaid under the name and firm of
Tarletons and Backhouse for divers good Causes and Considerations as
thereunto moving Have made ordained Constituted and appointed
nd by these presents Do make ordain Constitute and appoint William
Smith of the Island of Grenada Merchant our Factor and Agent to manage
and transact all our Affairs and concerns in the said Island and in the Isles
near thereto called the Grenadines and in Demerary Dominica and Saint
Vincents Guadeloupe Martinica and Saint Lucia and their respective
Dependancies and such other places near thereto where the management of our
Busineſs may Neceſsarily lead him and to Sell barter and dispose of such
Goods Wares and Merchandices as shall be consigned to him by us And also all
Good Wares and Merchandices now belonging to us under the Firm of Tarletons
and Backhouse or under the firm of Thomas Tarleton and Company or John
Tarleton and Company or Daniel Backhouse and Company which are or may
be within the said Islands and Places or any of them according to such Orders
and directions as we shall from time to time give concerning the same And
for want or in default thereof in such manner as he the said William Smith
in his sound discretion shall think best and most conducive to our Interest
And also to collect and receive all the Debts and Effects of what nature
soever the same may be due and owing to us either under the firm of Tarletons
and Backhouse Thomas Tarleton and Company John Tarleton and Company
or Daniel Backhouse and Company or to the late concern of Thomas Tarleton

John

3

John Tarleton Daniel Backhouse and Clayton Tarleton (which last
mentioned concerns now belong to us) and the Produce and Proceeds of the said Goods
and Merchandices Debts and Effects to Ship and Consign to us under the firm of
Tarletons and Backhouse or to Sell and dispose of the same and remit the Proceeds
as we shall direct and on default of such directions as he in his sound discretion shall
think most conducive to our Interest And also to Set let and manage the Houses
Warehouse Buildings Lands and Estates belonging to us jointly (but not the separate Estates
of the said Thomas Tarleton either in Grenada or Dominica these not being comprehended
under the Power hereby given) in the said Islands and places according to the Orders
and directions he man from time to time receive and in default thereof as he shall
think best and for the most Money that can be got for the same and to Contract for the
Sale and disposal of such House Warehouses Buildings Lands as well as
of a certain Estate called Anandale situate in Demerary lately Purchased from William
Johnstone Esquire with the Negroes Cattle and Utensils upon or belonging thereto at
such price and prices and under such restrictions and Limitations and subject to such
directions as we shall from time to time give him in this behalf and for the most Money
that can be got for the same and after such Sale to grant Release and Convey the same
respectively with the Appurtenances unto and to the use of the Purchaser or Purchasers
thereof and his or their Heirs Executors Administrators and Aſsigns according to the nature
and quality of the same And to enter into Covenants for the Estate Titles Poſseſsion and
further Aſsurance of the Premises by and against us and every or any of us or any Person
claiming under us and if need be to commence and prosecute with effect to Judgment
and Deorre any Action or Suit at Law or in Equity for recovering and receiving any of the
Debts due payable or belonging to us under the Firm of Thomas Tarleton and Company
or of John Tarleton and Company or under the firm of Daniel Backhouse and Company
or to the late concern of Thomas Tarleton John Tarleton Daniel Backhouse and
Clayton Tarleton and to every or any of them and to take all other legal or equitable
means and expedients in that behalf as to him shall seem proper And upon recovery
and Receipt thereof or upon recovery or receipt of any other the Estate and property
which as our Factor or Agent he may recover and receive to give good and effectual
Releases and discharges for the same and to bring any Ejectment or Ejectments for Recovering
Poſseſsion of any of our Estates and Property or of any Estate Mortgaged to us or any of us and
to receive the Rents and profits thereof or to let and manage the same for out benefit and to
make any Distreſs or Distreſses or to sue out and prosecute any Replevin or Replevins
that may be neceſsary for our Interest And for all or any of the purposes last
mentioned an Attorney or Attornies under him to Nominate and at pleasure to revoke and
to Substitute others and to represent our Persons as well in Court as thereout and to Submit to
References any dispute or difference between us and any Person or Persons whomsoever
And generally to manage for us and in our behalf as fully and effectually to all
Intents and purposes as we or any of us could do were we or was any of us present all
which lawful Acts we do hereby allow and agree to Ratify and Confirm Provided
always and it is hereby declared that nothing in these presents contained is meant or

intended

4

intended to give any Authority over the separate Estate Plantations Negroes
or Property of him the said Thomas Tarleton in the said Islands of Grenada or
Dominica In Witneſs whereof we the said Thomas Tarleton John Tarleton
and Daniel Backhouse have hereunto set our hands and Seals this Twelfth day
of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Ninety four.
Sealed and Delivered by the }
above named John Tarleton for }
the said Thomas Tarleton Daniel }
Backhouse and himself in the }
presence of - - - - - - - - - - }

W. Roscoe. D. Turner.

For partners, Thomas Tarleton Daniel
Backhouse and Self

John Tarleton (LS)

Darbyshire Turner of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster and Kingdom
of Great Britain Gentleman maketh Oath that he this Deponent was present and did
see John Tarleton of Liverpool aforesaid Esquire for and on behalf of himself and
his partners Thomas Tarleton and Daniel Backhouse duly Sign Seal and as his Act
and deed deliver the paper writing hereto annexed purporting to be a Letter of Attorney
from the said Thomas Tarleton John Tarleton and Daniel Backhouse to William
Smith of the Island of Grenada Merchant for the Purposes therein mentioned
And this Deponent further saith that the word subscribed to the said Letter of Attorney
opposite to the Seal “For partners Thomas Tarleton Daniel Backhouse and Self” and
the name “John Tarleton” thereto subscribed as the party executing the same are the
proper hand writing of the said John Tarleton and that the names “W. Roscoe” and
D. Turner thereunto set and subscribed as Witneſses to the execution of the said Letter
of Attorney are of the proper hands writing of William Roscoe of Liverpool aforesaid
Gentleman and of him this Deponent respectively.

D. Turner

Sworn at Liverpool aforesaid this twelfth day of }
March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven }
hundred and Ninety four Before me ___ }

John Sparling DyMayor of Liverpool

To all to whom these presents shall come I John Sparling
Esquire deputy Mayor of the Borough and Corporation of Liverpool aforesaid
do hereby Certify that on the Day of the Date hereof personally came and
appeared before me Darbyshire Turner of Liverpool aforesaid Gentleman being
a person well known and worthy of good Credit and by solemn Oath which he
then took before me upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God did solemnly
lepose to be true the several Matters and things contained in the before written
Affidavit.
(LS)

I Faith and Testimony whereof I the said deputy
Mayor have caused the Seal of the Office of Mayoralty of the
said Borough and Corporation to be hereunto put and

affixed

5

affixed this twelfth day of March one thousand seven hundred and
Ninety four.

Witneſs. John Colquitt Town Clerk of Liverpool

Dominica

Recorded in the Secretary’s Office of the said Island in Liber N. this 13th day of
June 1794 and examined --- Griffin Curtis Secretary

And now comes the part of my research that makes the pouring over the documents and reports interesting. Previously I had been studying a Smith family from Logie in Scotland.  There is a logical, but remote possibility that the William Smith, who is a designated a "Merchant" in the above document and record may be one of the William Smiths in the Logie family indicated in my Smiths of Logie, Descendant Chart.  I just throw this out and I will be be following this thread of investigation.  Well here goes.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 860s – Smith Robertson Genealogy – Updated James Smith Descendant Chart

Good Day,

Okay, I have re-created and redrafted with some minor changes my current James Smith Descendant Chart. I have re-positioned three of the great, great grands: great-great grandaunt Mary Ann; great-great grandaunt Sophia; and great-great granduncle George.

This positions the children of ggg-grandparents James and Mary Ann (née Dore) Smith in the following order on the Descendant Chart:

  GG-Granduncle George Smith;

  GG-Grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour;

  GG-Grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith);

  GG-Grandaunt Eley Smith;

  GG-Grandfather James Smith;

  GG-Granduncle Henry Smith; and

  GG-Granduncle Thomas Smith.

My logic is currently based on my research and documentation concerning births, marriage, and burials, as well as the Last Will and Testament of my ggg-grandfather James Smith. (See Part 347s.)

I will shortly be updating the pull-down links at the top of the page of A Genealogy Hunt.

If you have any comment, thought, idea, or question, please feel free to contact me at A Genealogy Hunt.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 859sv- Smith Robertson Genealogy – A Definite Possibility – Great-Great-Grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour – 1865 Burial Registration

Good Day,

Well as I mentioned the genealogy bug has bit me once again and I guess it definitely is time to come in out of my three-month retirement.

What I have now discovered is an 1865 Burial Registration that may be that of great-great-grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour. Here is an image of the page from the Grenada, Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George, Burials 1844-1930 and the microfilm FHL [1523656] Item 18-19.

As you can see the copy from the microfilm is somewhat opaque. Actually it is almost bloody illegible... I have tried to decipher the Burial Registration and determine a possible script even due to the bleeding of the ink of the registration. It seems that the ink from both the facing page and the verso or back side of the page bled through prior to the microfilming of the Register.

I have made close-ups of the registration.  The first is the actual registration and the second is my attempt to make sense of the hidden script using a red tracing to give me a chance to determine the messy script.

Actual registration.

My endeavor to make out the script.

My attempted transcription –

[Page 219]
BURIALS in the Parish of St. George
In the Colony of Grenada in the Year 1865
Name. – Sophia Ventour
Abode. – Town of St. George
When buried. – Feb 2?
Age. – Yrs 59?
By whom the Ceremony was performed. – J K. Anton, Rector

And now, my thoughts and observations. At the present time I cannot be 100% sure that this is the Burial Registration of great-great-grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour. All I can do is present a number facts and some logical possibilities.

The Burial Register is that of the Anglican Parish Church of St. George, Grenada. This was, from what I understand the Smith family’s primary place of worship. I have been able to collect a considerable amount of documentation and registrations from this church which are all specific to my Smith family. There is some sense to the possibility the gg-grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour was registered at her death and burial at the family church.

The Burial Registration appears, if I am deciphering it correctly for one “Sophia Ventour”. All-things-being-equal gg-grandaunt Sophia Smith married Benjamin Ventour 16 September 1825. (See Part 62s.)  Her married name would have been Sophia Ventour.

From the 1865 Burial Registration I am trying to decipher the age that this Sophia Ventour passed. It looks to me like it is “Yrs 59”. It is extremely hard to be sure that this is the actual age. If it is 59 years and this Sophia Ventour was buried at the age of 59 there is a possibility that she was born about 1806. And if it is 1806 and this is gg-grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour then, all-things-being-equal it could be possible that she is the elder sister to gg-grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) and to all the other gg-grand Smiths that I have been able to find respectable documentation regarding their birth years and dates.

Following another train of thought, and examining ggg-grandfather James Smith’s Last Will and Testament (see Part 61s), gg-grandaunt Sophia is mentioned after ggg-grandmother Mary Ann and gg-granduncle George and before gg-grandaunt Mary Ann. She is also addressed before gg-grandfather James and gg-granduncles Thomas and Henry. I am not sure if this is a general rule of thumb and process but it may be possible that ggg-grandfather James was addressing a specific hierarchy as he included his survivors in his will; his wife first, and then his children in their possible order of age.

And if this is the case, it would make sense that gg-grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour would have been older than her sister Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele. GGG-Grandfather James’s will states “and the further sum of Eight pounds annually to each of my daughters Sophia Ventour and Mary Steele during their natural lives…”  This is the initial place in the Will where gg-grandaunts Sophia and Mary are mentioned.

In my previous post, Part 858ss, we discovered that there is a possibility that gg-grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele was born about 1809. If gg-grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour was born before gg-grandaunt Mary Ann it is possible that she would have been born before 1809 and that it would not be unreasonable to say that she may have been born around 1806. And this may be the calculated year of birth of the Sophia Ventour of the 1865 Burial Registration if the age at her death was 59 years.

Definitely food for thought. If you have any comment, thought, idea, or question, please feel free to contact me at A Genealogy Hunt.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 858ss – Smith Robertson Genealogy – Great-Great-Grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele – An Aha Moment

Good Day,

I couldn't wait until September 1 to start working on my A Genealogy Hunt again.

Who said “Patience is a virtue”? And I guess I do have a shade of patience… but whether my patience is virtuous, that is another question, for another time.

Most recently I have exchanged a couple of emails with a distant relative of mine regarding some information referencing an ancestor that we may have in common. (Thank you Ashley.) This mutual ancestor is my great-great-grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele.

The piece of documentation found is the 1881 Burial Registration of great-great-grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele. Here is an image of the page from the Grenada, Parish Registers, 1784-1971, Anglican Church, Parish of St. George, Burials 1844-1930 and the microfilm FHL [1523656] Item 18-19.

My transcription –

[Page 342]
BURIALS in the Parish of St. George
In the Colony of Grenada in the Year 1881
Name. – Mary Ann Steele
Abode. – Town of St. George
When buried. – Oct 2nd
Age. – Yrs 72
By whom the Ceremony was performed. – John K. Anton, Rector

Here is a close-up of the registration.

Based on the information provided by the Register, gg-grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele was 72 years old at her burial. Calculating from 1881, this would mean that there is a possibility that gg-grandaunt Mary Ann may have been born in about the year 1809. This is possible proof that gg-grandaunt Mary Ann may have been an elder sister to gg-grandfather James Smith who was born in 1815. (See Part 88s.)

Following this new information I have re-constructed my GenoPro James Smith Descendant Chart.

We now have possible documentary proof and information for the following:

GG-Grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele – born circa 1809

GG-Grandaunt Eley Smith – born 17 Mar 1812 (Part 87s)

GG-Grandfather James Smith – born 20 Mar 1815 (Part 88s)

GG-Granduncle Henry Smith – born 3 Mar 1818 (Part 89s)

GG-Granduncle Thomas Smith – born 5 Nov 1820 (Part 90s)

I am still looking for information regarding:

GG-Granduncle George Smith, and
GG-Grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour

If you have any information and/or documentation that could lead to a discovery and more details regarding gg-granduncle George Smith, gg-grandaunt Sophia (née Smith) Ventour and gg-grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele please feel free to contact me at A Genealogy Hunt.

Also some food for thought – It could be possible, based on possible naming conventions that as gg-grandaunt Mary Ann (née Smith) Steele has the same name as her mother, ggg-grandmother Mary Ann (née Doret) Smith and that gg-grandfather James Smith has the same name as his father, ggg-grandfather James Smith, they, gg-grandaunt Mary and gg-grandfather James may have been the elder daughter and son of the Smith family. Just something to think about.

Enjoy,

Jim

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Part 857ja - Smith Robertson Genealogy - July and Abraham - Île de Gorée, Sénégal

Good Day,

I'm not back from my genealogy search and research respite, but I just read an interesting article, in The Washington Post, dated June 28, 2013.

What Obama really saw at the ‘Door of No Return,’ a disputed memorial to the slave trade

Île de Gorée, Sénégal is where Great-Grandmother Catherine Marie Antoinette (née July) Abraham was born in 2 Jan 1861 and her parents, Great-Great Grandparents Jean Jacques Alfred and Catherine Cora (née Merle) July were married on 2 May 1860.

Here a couple of postings on A Genealogy Hunt regarding great-grandmother Catherine Marie Antoinette (née July) Abraham and her parents, gg-grandparents Jean Jacques Alfred and Catherine Cora (née Merle) July and their presence at Île de Gorée. The links -

-- Great-Great-Grandparents July - 1860 Marriage Transcription - Part 25

-- Addition and Corrections To 1860 Marriage Transcription - Part 26

-- L'Île de Gorée, Sénégal, A Possibility - Another Marriage Registration! - Part 28

-- 1860 Marriage Registration from Gorée - Part 29

-- Great-Grandmother Catherine Marie Antoinette (née July) Abraham Found! - Part 30

-- The Map of Great-Grandmother Catherine Marie Antoinette's Life - Part 31

Thought you may be interested.

Enjoy,

Jim

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My Tangent - A Genealogy Hunt Recognized

Good Day,

Just received notice that my blog A Genealogy Hunt is recognized as one of "The Top 90 Genealogy Blogs". "Our Editors and Readers selected your blog because of its high standard of quality information mixed with your excellent commentary." The Top Genealogy Blogs

Free People Search.org

Top 90 Genealogy Blogs

"This blog is written in a rather unusual style, each post seeming more like a letter from a friend than a personal journal or essay. The blogger shares with readers discoveries and research methods in a friendly and welcoming tone."

Nice to be known as an "unusual...friend"

And I'm still on my current and short genealogy search and research break. All-things-being-equal I will be back in a short while.

Enjoy,

Jim

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