The family of our great-grandfather Thomas Smith (1837-1902) and his wife Jane
(Gilchrist) Smith (1834-1907) was an interesting one. The family included:
i. John Smith. Born 7 March 1860 in Glasgow. Died two days later.1
ii.Thomas Smith, Jr., our great-grandfather. Born 13 April 1861 in Glasgow.2
Came with his parents on the Olympus in 1872. Married Jennie Houston Wright.
Occupation, machinist. Died 22 May 1894 in Boston. Buried in Woodlawn
Cemetery, Everett, Mass. More on him in a separate article. He had three
children: Thomas Gordon Smith (our grandfather), George Caldwell Smith, and
Marjorie Houston Smith.
iii. Agnes Smith. Born 11 June 1863 in Greenock, County Renfrew, Scotland.3
Came on the Olympus. Married William Francis Pounder. She died 10 June 1902
in Boston from a condition related to pregnancy. Had six children: William
Francis Pounder, Jr.; Jennie L. Pounder; Annie M. Pounder; Thomas G. Pounder;
Elsie E. Pounder, Agnes M. Pounder.
iv. John Smith. Born 4 July 1865 in Greenock. Died in infancy.
v. John Smith. Born July 1868 in Greenock. Came on the Olympus. Married
Florence Elizabeth Burt as his second wife. Occupation, machinist, Boston Fire
Department. Died 22 December 1939 in Boston. Had a son, William H. Smith.
John Smith, for thirty-three years a member of the Boston Fire Department, retiring
several years ago, died at his home, 613 Bennington St., last Friday in his seventy-fifth
year. The old timers of this district remember him as a driver of the old steamer threehorse hitch of Engine 11 of this district. Funeral services were held at the BakerMaverick Congregational Church at 2 o'clock Sunday by Rev. Mr. Crooks. Interment
was in Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. One son, William H. Smith, of this district,
survives. (obituary, East Boston Leader, December 29, 1939, pg. 8)
vi. James Smith. Born 31 July 1867 in Greenock. Came on the Olympus.
Occupation, machinist. Married Florence Beaumont. Moved from East Boston to
Winthrop, Mass. where he became a leading citizen. Died in Winthrop 13
February 1950. He has five children: Thomas B. Smith; James Edward Smith;
Walter Smith; Harry L. Smith; Albert D. Smith. Son Thomas B. Smith had a
daughter, Elizabeth. Son James Edward Smith had two sons, Donald and Kenneth.
1
John Smith, born March 7, 1860, at 1:15 a.m., 22 James St., Greenhead, Bridgeton, Glasgow, to Thomas
Smith, brass finisher and Jane Smith, maiden name Gilchrist. John Smith died March 9, 1860 at 1:30 a.m.,
age 2 days, cause of death, "premature birth." Buried Bridgeton Cemetery (not certified). He was clearly
named after his grandfather John Smith.
2
.He was born at 22 James St., Glasgow, where the Smith family were then living.
3
She was born at 20 Duncan Street, Greenock, where the Smith family were then living.
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James Smith of 129 Main street, resident of Winthrop for over 50 years, father of
Selectman Walter Smith and Fire Chief Thomas B. Smith, passed away Monday,
February 13, after a long illness.
A native of Greenock, Scotland, Mr. Smith and his parents came to this country at the age
of four years. He lived in East Boston until he came to Winthrop in 1895. A machinist
by trade, he retired 20 years ago. He was a member of Eastern Star Lodge of Odd
Fellows, East Boston, and Ridgely Encampment.
Mr. Smith leaves his wife, Mrs. Florence (Beaumont) Smith, five sons, Thomas B., J.
Edward, Walter, Harry L., and Albert D. Smith, all of Winthrop, a brother, William, of
East Boston, and three grandchildren, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas B. Smith, Donald
and Kenneth, sons of J. Edward Smith, also a number of nieces and nephews.
The funeral services, held at the Reynolds Funeral Home on Thursday [February 16]
were largely attended. Rev. Ralph Harper, rector of St. John's Episcopal Church,
officiated.
Interment was in Winthrop Cemetery. (obituary, The Sun [Winthrop, Mass.], February 18,
1950, pg. 5)
vii. Peter Skirving Smith. Born 20 October 1871 in Greenock. Came on the
Olympus. Married Sarah G. Dwelley. Occupation, printer. Died Boston 25
August 1942. Buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. He had a daughter, Jean E. Smith,
who married George William Calhoun. They had a daughter, Katherine Price
Calhoun.
Peter S. Smith, husband of Mrs. Sarah (Dwelley) Smith, and resident of this district for
many years, died at his home, 635 Bennington Street, Tuesday [August 25], in his
seventy-second year.
He was a printer by occupation and was a member of Eastern Star Lodge, No. 143, I. O.
O. F. of this district for nearly fifty-two years.
Funeral services were held at the Baker-Maverick Congregational Church, Byron Street,
this afternoon with Rev. Donald McLean officiating. (obituary, East Boston Leader,
August 28, 1942, pg. 5)
viii. William Granger Smith. Born in Boston 26 December 1873. Occupation,
laborer, Metropolitan District Commission, Boston. Died Boston 12 November
1950, unmarried.
William G. Smith of 726 Saratoga Street in which house he had lived for over 70 years
died on November 12th at the age of 77 at the Boston City Hospital of head injuries
caused by an accident.4
Born in this district, he attended the local schools and was employed by the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts until his retirement some years ago.
4
His death certificate gives the cause of death as “fracture of skull - accidental; fell on street.”
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He was a member of the Eastern Star Lodge, I.O.O.F., and the East Boston Yacht Club.
The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon with the Rev. Roger Pecke Cleveland of the
Grace Church, Federated, officiating, and interment took place at Woodlawn Cemetery,
Everett.
He is survived by a niece and nephews. (obituary, East Boston Leader,
November 17, 1950, pg. 5)
ix. Edward J. Smith. Born Boston 17 February 1875. Occupation, plumber.
Married Katherine A. Price. Died Boston 20 May 1921. He had two children,
Edward J. Smith and Jean E. Smith.
Bibliographic Note: Diligent searching of vital records at the Massachusetts Archives and
the Massachusetts Department of Health enabled me to find detailed information about
the Smith family. Obituaries were found on microfilm at the Boston Public Library.
-- Roger W. Smith
March 2011
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