JOHN LEE LEWIS SMITH (1820-1910)

[gnstill]

New Family Page: JOHN LEE LEWIS SMITH (1820-1910)

Please post comments & queries about John Lee Lewis SMITH and his family here.

[Mike Stevens]

This is an outstanding piece of work outlining the life of John Lee Lewis Smith and Mary Elizabeth Moore. Kudos to the author!

I'm a descendant via Sarah Smith and James Allan Stevens. I'm looking for their marriage records in hope that it will give details on his beginnings in Ontario (POB, parents, etc.) This write-up records their wedding in 1875 and James's death in 1885. Anyone have any source hints to help me with these facts. Thanks in advance! Mike Stevens

[gnstill]

Hello Mike: I’m the author or all the Family Pages on this website; nice to hear compliments.

Regarding marriage record for Sarah SMITH & James Allan STEVENS: Can’t find a specific record for their marriage. There is a record in Manitoba Vital Stats regarding her second marriage to Richard GARDNER however.

Regarding James Allen STEVENS’ parents: I have seen several references in Ancestry.ca naming his parents as Sophia and John Alexander STEVENS/ STEPHENS (a Shoemaker born 1822 in Nova Scotia) from Census Records in 1861, 1871 and 1891 in Grey County, Ontario. These census records also refer to Township of East Whitby, Township of Kippel and Collingwood.

Regards, Gary Still

[Mike Stevens]

Thanks Gary;
I'll keep looking for documents on James Stevens to prove this connection. I think it was me that originally made this connection based only on his birth year/province and the frequency that the forenames of his siblings match his children. At the time I couldn't find any other James Stevens b. 1851 from Ontario so I linked him to the John A Stevens family as a fairly solid but unsubstantuated hit. The rest seems to be the magic or pitfall of Ancestry.com

One online researcher mentioned Sarah Smith/James Stevens marriage record but I was never able to contact them.

[Mike Stevens]

Sarah Smith, fifth child of John Lee Lewis Smith (1820-1910) and Mary Elizabeth Moore (1824-1901) made a joint applicatin for Metis Scrip in September 1875 as the children of James and Elizabeth Smith. William's birth year is legible as 1855 while Sarah's birthday is 19 Aug 1853. They report that both parents were half-breeds [refers to her maternal and paternal grandmothers] and parents were resident in the parish of St Andrews. Sarah at age 22 is already married to James Stevens. Unfortunately the scrip application is barely legible and a hand-written paragraph 5 cannot be read. Sarah signed her name and William made his mark. The claim was allowed 27 Oct 1875.

[gnstill]

I think I have seen that Scrip record.

The 1881 census record for Allen STEPHEN (age 30) and his wife Sarah (age 28) in Woodlands/ Marquette does indicate that he was a Carpenter-Joiner born in Ontario, and the children match (Allen, Daisy and Sophia).

Tell me more about your own lineage. Are you a descendant of Allen Henry STEVENS b-1876 or of John Lee Lewis STEVENS b-1882?

[gnstill]

Most of the STEVENS families in the St Andrews – Selkirk area descended from this man; link:RICHARD STEVENS (1793-1872)

[Mike Stevens]

I've looked at this family but don't believe we are connected.

[Mike Stevens]

<snip>Tell me more about your own lineage. Are you a descendant of Allen Henry STEVENS b-1876 or of John Lee Lewis STEVENS b-1882?

I think my initial response crashed ... 2nd attempt.

I'm from the Allan Henry line. He married Margaret Brickley (ex Burke) and her Step-daugther Frances. Allan & Maggie had three sons: Hugh Allan, Gerald, and William. Hugh Allan had five children. His oldest son Hugh Michael Stevens is my father.

Allan Henry was estranged from his family after WWI. He was a "lodger" of his wife/3 sons in the 1921 census. His sisters apparently disowned him. He seems to have fell off the earth after that.

Meanwhile step-daughter Frances marries a Pruden with long history in MB/AB and they settle in St Catharines ON. Maggie eventually comes to live with the Prudens in St Catharines.

John LL Stevens moves to Thorold (next to St Catharines). There is a possibility Allan Henry came to live with his brother John LL.

The three sons all moved to the Niagara penninsula in the 1940's. Interestingly none knew or talked about their mother, or uncle John LL living in the same or neighbouring communities.

[Mike Stevens]

Hello Mike: I’m the author or all the Family Pages on this website; nice to hear compliments.

Regarding marriage record for Sarah SMITH & James Allan STEVENS: Can’t find a specific record for their marriage. There is a record in Manitoba Vital Stats regarding her second marriage to Richard GARDNER however.

Regarding James Allen STEVENS’ parents: I have seen several references in Ancestry.ca naming his parents as Sophia and John Alexander STEVENS/ STEPHENS (a Shoemaker born 1822 in Nova Scotia) from Census Records in 1861, 1871 and 1891 in Grey County, Ontario. These census records also refer to Township of East Whitby, Township of Kippel and Collingwood.

Regards, Gary Still

Hi Gary; I eventually located the marriage record for James Allen Stevens and Sarah Smith. They were married in St Andrew's by Richard Young on 9 Aug 1875. Both are fathers were listed in the extract (#461). This firmly connects him to the John Alexander Stevens in Ontario. In late 1883/very early 1884 James abandons Sarah and returns to Owen Sound Ontario. Gets Mary Ann Burr pregnant, marries her, and abandons Mary Ann before their son (Frederick Howard (nee Stevens) BURR)) is born 15 Oct 1884. Again James drops off the radar ... He lists himself a widower on his 2nd marriage record. Buried in the son's (Allan Henry) Scrip record is an affidavit that reports James Allan ran off rather than died.

Regards, Mike