Thursday, October 26, 2023

Patrick Dennis Smith 1870-1947 and wife Mary A. Brewster of Plymouth, Mass.

 Patrick Dennis Smith was born Kingston, Massachusetts on 17 Mar 1870 to Patrick and Nancy (Reynolds) Smith who were Irish immigrants (MA VR Vol. 224, p. 385). Kingston is next to Plymouth, where Patrick spent most of his adult life.


Patrick married Mary Ann Brewster at Kingston on 25 Dec 1888 (MA VR Vol: 389 ; Page: 403). She was born South Boston on 28 Dec 1871, the daughter of George Bradley and Nancy (Westgate) Brewster (MA VR Vol 243, p. 34, Boston). Mary Ann and Patrick are my great-great grandparents. 


Mary and Patrick had ten children:

  1. Ellen, born 29 Apr 1889 at Plymouth, married Frederick Peck who owned a Plymouth funeral home, died in 1889 at age 84.
  2. Elizabeth “Lizzie” Agnes, born 15 May 1892 at Plymouth, she was a nurse, married John Henning Anderson, died at age 81 on 31 December 1973 and is buried in Watertown, Mass. 
  3. George Brewster, born 17 Sept 1894 at Kingston, married Helen Pearson on 24 Jun 1912 at Plymouth. He died 31 Mar 1913 at just 18 years of age when he was adjusting a load of furniture on a wagon, the horses took off and he was killed by impact with a bridge. He was married to Helen Pearson and they had a one year old son, George. 
  4. Nancy Reynolds, born 17 Mar 1898, Plymouth, married George Benjamin Ellis on 05 Dec 1914 at Taunton, Mass, I haven’t found her death record. 
  5. Lawrence Leonard, born 27 Oct 1900 at Plymouth, married his brother George’s widow Helen (Pearson) but they divorced by 1931 when she married Joseph Amado. He died Plymouth 09 Oct 1947 at age 46. 
  6. Charles Leslie born Plymouth 19 Mar 1903, married Edith Woodbury, died February 1931 at age 80 in Marshfield, Mass. 
  7. Herbert Linwood, born 13 Mar 1906 at Plymouth, married Beatrice Camille Burt, died March 1968, at Duxbury, age 62. 
  8. viii.William Raymond, born Plymouth 13 Jul 1909, died 23 March 1971, age 61, at Plymouth.
  9. Lila, born Plymouth 7 Nov 1911, married Charles Freeman, died Duxbury 06 Jun 1993 at age 81. 
  10. Leroy Bradford, born 16 Aug 1914 at Plymouth, married Julia Ann Salvaterra, died 1 March 1979 at age 64 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. 

My research on the children is a work in progress. I descend from George, although I can’t prove this relationship using traditional records. He was the father of my grandfather Arthur Washburn Davis, who was the son of Carrie Washburn and had no father indicated on his birth record. He was born in 25 May 1913, two months after his father’s tragic death. I know that George is the father of Arthur through family information which is backed up by DNA matches to people who descend from George. I wrote about George here.


Patrick had a variety of jobs: farmer (marriage record), gardener (1900 census), moulder in an iron factory (1910 census), a chauffeur (1920 census, 1930 census, 1924/34/36 Plymouth Directories). 


Some of the places in Plymouth that Patrick and Mary lived (as renters) from census records and town directories: Sandwich Street, 58 Summer Street, 25 Bradford Street, 3 Watercure St, 69 Newfield Street. All are downtown Plymouth locations. 


69 Newfield Street, Plymouth



Patrick died in 1942 at age 71, likely in Plymouth. He’s buried Vine Hills Cemetery in Plymouth next to his wife Mary who died 22 Apr 1955 at age 83.


Patrick and Mary Ann's gravestone at Vine Hills Credit: Findagrave.com



Obituary clipping from Ancestry member; newspaper not cited but likely Plymouth’s Old Colony Memorial:

Mrs. Mary A. Smith

In Plymouth April 22—Mrs. Mary A. (Brewster) Smith, 83, widow of Patrick D. Smith, died Friday. She was born in South Boston, and came to Plymouth as a young girl.

Mrs. Smith is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Frederick W. (Ellen) Peck of Plymouth, Mrs. John H. (Elizabeth) Anderson of Watertown, Mrs. Charles B. (Lila) Freeman of Duxbury; four sons, Charles L., Herbert L., William R. of Plymouth and LeRoy of New York; 23 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Monday at 2 p.m. from the Peck-Garrity Funeral Home, 143 Court Street, with the Rev. Newman J. LeShana officiating. Interment was in Oak Grove cemetery. Bearers were six grand-sons, Lesle Anderson, Elliot Anderson, Arthur Peck, Clifford Smith, John Smith, and Leslie Smith.  [Note that the Peck-Garrity funeral home was owned by her son-in-law.]

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