 William John Smith was b: 25 December 1837 in
Wexford, Ireland, the son of parents Sylvester Dempsey (b: 1815
Wexford, Ireland) and mother Margaret Smith (b: 1819 Wexford,
Ireland) - It is thought he was born Dempsey but later changed to his
mother's name to Smith. He d: 19 Sep 1883 in Whangaroa, (NZ
Src: NZ BDM 1593\1887.)
He had been ill for 2 years with Sletthusus
Pulmonilis, and was buried at Totara North Cemetery on 23 Sep, 1883,
Epiwania Kaeo, Totara North His surviving children were; male;
14,12,10,4,2; Female - 8,6
William as a youth, enlisted
in the 55th Regiment in England and was sent to fight in India. It
is thought in 1853 that he may have deserted (perhaps, the reason for
his name change0, and came New Zealand 1854 on the ship "William
Miles. At Whangaroa in North Auckland, he worked as a blacksmith and
mar: 15 August 1868, Private
Chapel, Mongonui, Totara North (Witnesses Daniel Hayes, Thomas Hayes,
Minister Rev Joseph Gregory) to Catrine (Catherine) Mary Hayes in
Whangaroa, Northland - she was b: 22 June
1840 in Kororeka, Religion: Roman Catholic, dau. of John Daly Hayes
one of Whangaroa's first settlers (her father John was b: 16 Jun 1810
Ireland, d: 9 Sep 1893 Whangaroa - he mar: abt 1839 to
Sarah Mary Simpson (b: 8 oct 1821 at London, England
)
After William's death, Catherine Mary Smith
mar: 03 Feb 1886 to Jack
Stewart and they had a son John Stewart (b 03 Jul 1887 at Whangaroa, d: 1960.)
Catrine Stewart d: 20 May 1928 in Whangaroa, NZ. ,
bur: 23 May 1928, Totara North, NZ
Children of
Catherine Hayes and William John Smith are:
i. Thomas Smith (b: 1 Sep 1869
in Whangaroa; occ: saw doctor; d; 29 Aug 1940 13 Belmont Tce,
Auckland, bur: Hillsborough, Auckland) mar: on 10 May 1894 at Elizabeth
Daverns house in Te Kopuru, NZ. to Margaret Davern (b: 25 Jun 1871
Auckland; d: 20 Nov 1941 Auckland; bur: Hillsborough Cem). Their children
were born at Te Kopuru and when the mills
closed in 1920, the family moved to Horotiu, Putaruru, and finally
Ngongotaha in search of work. While in Te Kopuru in 1893, working as a saw doctor, he met Margaret Davern, youngest daughter of William and Elizabeth Mara. They were married on 10 January 1894 at Elizabeth Daverns house in Te Kopuru.
From 1894 to 1912 they had 4 sons and 6 daughters, all born in Te Kopuru down by the river. Tom must have done well at his job, because the family was well dressed judging by some of the photos.
He worked as a sawdoctor in Te Kopuru until 1920 when the mills closed and then the family moved to Horotiu, Putaruru, and finally Ngongotaha in search of work.
He finally moved back to Auckland on retirement and lived at his daughters homei n Remuera , Auckland, where he died of a heart attack in 1940.
ii. John Smith, (b; 16 April 1871 in Whangaroa; d: 8 Dec
1945 aged 74Y; Bur: 10 December 1945) mar: on 17 March 1903 to Mary
Anne Burke (b: 4 Dec 1885; died 12 Sep 1954, aged 68Y)
iii. Sylvester Smith, (b; 9 Feb 1873 in Whangaroa, d; 29
March 1949 in Kaeo; Bur: 31 March 1949, Kaeo) mar:1897 to Charlotte
Alice Walmsley (b: 1876; d: 3 July 1958 in Auckland) Their 6 children:
Frederick John Smith; Gladys Harriet Smith; Kathleen Lucy Smith; Alice
Mary Smith; Sylvia Eileen Smith; Elizabeth Annie
Smith
Their
children:
iv.
Catherine (Kate)
Smith (b: 31 Dec
1875 Whangaroa; d; 04 JUL 1965, Bur: July 8 Auckland;
She mar:
(1) in 1894 to David Henry Andrew Turner Anderson (b: 1869; he d: 6 May
1933 in Whangaroa, NZ; Bur: 8 May 1933, Kaeo, NZ)
*2nd Husband
of Cathrine Smith: +Athol Keighley
Children of David and Cathrine Anderson
v. Annie Theresa
Smith (b: 10 Dec 1876 in Whangaroa; d: 25 Dec 1914
in Awakina. She mar: Albert Edward (Barney) Newsham on 15
March 1899 at Whangaroa.
vi. William Smith (b: 20 Aug 1879 in Whangaroa; d: 7 Jan
1964; Bur: 10 Jan 1964) mar: 1904 to Elizabeth Mary
Walmsley (b: 29 July 1886; d: 19 Jan 1965)
vii. Myles Smith (b: 4 April 1881 Kaeo; d:
26 August 1884. Bur: 29 August
1884)
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