John SMYTH Esq.

  General Notes:

of Violetstown, County Westmeath

From: http://www.bomford.net/IrishBomfords/Chapters/Chapter8/Chapter8.htm#8.5.1%C2%A0_The_Smith_Family_

8.5.1 The Smith Family

There are many Smith or Smythe families around Westmeath and they all probably stem from the same source.

Our particular branch starts with Abraham Smith who was alive in 1666, of Kiltoon and Rathduff, Co Westmeath; Rathduff which was later renamed Anneville is situated three miles south of Mullingar on the road to Tyrrellspass, and is sandwiched between Gurteen and Gainstown on the north and Tyrellstown on the south, all Bomford properties. Kiltoon has not been traced but it may be in Co Roscommon.

John Smith of Vilanstown, later renamed Violetstown lies east of Anneville and north of Gaybrook where another branch of the Smiths lived. John died in 1733 (will August 1732, proved March 1733). His wife was Dorcas Wheatley of Co Tipperary. Her will of November 1742 (proved April 1746) names a brother Benjamin Wheatley, a sister Esther Christian, and two nieces Mary Madden and Jane Wheatley. Benjamin Wheatley might have married Mary Tarleton (12.1.2). John and Dorcas had 8 children.

1. Joshua Smith was named in his father's will but not in his mother's, so he probably died between 1732 and 1742.

2. John Smith of Violetstown was an executor of the will of Stephen Bomford of Gallow, his brother-in-law, and wrote letters concerning the court case of Oldtown and Enniscoffey. According to the January 1768 deed (11.7) he bequeathed £1,000 to David Bomford in his will of 15th February 1763 and he appointed his wife Anne and Charles Lyons executors.

His wife was Anne, daughter of Benjamin Pratt of Agher (20.2.1) and her niece was Margaret Pratt who married Francis Winter and who inherited Agher. The deed of January 1768 also records that Anne Smith is 'now' the wife of Thomas Walpole. She may have married him in 1767 which means that her first husband, John Smith, must have died between February 1763 (the will) and say 1766. John and Anne had three sons

a. John of Anneville, which he inherited from his uncle Isaac, married Louisa Bermingham (8.5.3) and died in 1794. Anneville was sold sometime before 1838 when William Robinson owned it. John and Louisa had four boys

i John Smith, born 1776, educated at Trinity and died unmarried.

ii Richard Smith of the 42nd Regiment died unmarried in 1805.

iii Benjamin Smith married Catherine Adams and died in 1808. They had a son and a grandson both named John Smith.

iv Francis Pratt Smith married Louisa McNamara in 1806.

b. Richard of Violetstown is mentioned in David Bomford's will of 1807 as being 'late of Violetstown'. He left Violetstown to his younger brother. He must have died without children before 1807.

c. Benjamin Smith of Violetstown never married. His attorney was his cousin Isaac Bomford and later, when Isaac was old, Trevor Bomford. He died in 1809 (probate). Violetstown was sold some time before 1838 when E. Lewis owned it.

3. Isaac Smith of Anneville changed the name of Rathduff to Anneville after his wife Anne, daughter of Major John Lyons of Ledestown. They were married probably about 1700 but certainly before 1720 (see 9.3.5). He was a trustee of the marriage settlement of 1753 between John Bomford and Ann Forster, and about the same time he leased Gainstown and Tyrrellstown from John Bomford. He died in 1763 (will 15th February and proved 28th March 1763) leaving Anne a widow. They had two daughters and Anneville was passed to his nephew John Smith (above).

4. Anne Smith, the eldest daughter, born 1696 (9.7.3) married Stephen Bomford of Gallow in 1713, (2.13). He died in 1759 and she died sometime between 1761 and 1774. They had nine children. Two of their sons, David and Isaac Bomford who may have been twins, were mentioned in their uncle Isaac Smith's will.

5. Elizabeth Smith married David Tew, brother-in-law of Thomas Bomford the elder of Rahinstown, some time before 1732. They had five children (see the Tew family in 9.3.7.).

6. Esther Smith married John L'Estrange of Boardstown, Co Westmeath, also some time before 1732. John's will was dated 26th June 1736, but see the L'Estrange tree which follows. Incidentally Esther was named Ellen in her mother's will but this must have been wrongly copied by Betham.

7. Mary Smith married Mr Smith between 1732 and 1742. They had a daughter, Dorcas.

8. Dorcas Smith married Thomas Smith between 1732 and 1742. Thomas Smith of Lismacrony, Co Tipperary, died on 10th May 1774. His family name seems to have gradually changed from Smith through Smyth to the present day name of Smythe. He was related to the Smiths of Fieldstown, Gaybrook, Barbaville, Drumcree, Glananea and Ballynagall, all estates in Westmeath. They had three sons

a. Ralph Smith of Milford House, Co Tipperary, who in 1772 married Elizabeth, 3rd daughter of George Stoney of Greyfort. He died in 1813 and his offspring live to this day.

b. Rev John Smith died in 1813. He married but had no children

c. William Smith of Gurteen, Co Tipperary, married but also had no children.

Other Smiths of this period mentioned in the documents but not apparently connected are:

1711 Thomas Smith of Gurteen and Gainstown, Co Westmeath.
1715 James Smith, vintner of Dublin
1744 Jane Smith of Dublin who married Laurence Bomford of Killeglan
1751 John Smith of Kilbrew

Some Smith (Smyth or Smythe) families of Westmeath mentioned by Lewis in 1838 are:

Gaybrook - Mrs A Smith, in the Parish of Enniscoffey, "a hansome mansion in a fine demesne richly planted and diversified with artificial lakes".
Archerstown - R. Smyth, in the Parish of Castletown-Delvin
Barbaville - W. B. Smyth, in the Parish of Feighan of Fore (built 1730)
Benison Lodge - Rev T. Smythe; and Lake View - W. Smyth (both near Castlepollard)
Ralphsdale - Ralph Smyth, "the demesne of which is entered by a beautiful gate"
Drumcree - Robert Smyth "in whose demesne is a fine lake".

These last two are in the Parish of Kilcumney.

It could be said that 'our' Smiths of Violetstown and Anneville had died out or moved away by 1838.

John married Dorcas WHITLEY.