My Smith Family

Direct line
James Smith and Hannah Unknown
Benjamin Smith and Ann Hammond
Benjamin Smith and Frances Bottom
Ida Adeline Smith and Richard Ernest Russell
Ivy Beatrice Russell and William Richard Stanton
Patricia Stanton and Alan Houston (my parents)

Benjamin Smith Junior (1835-1927)

Benjamin Smith, my great-great-great-grandfather, was born on March 17, 1808, in Dagenham, Essex, England. In his early life, he received a seven-year sentence for stealing a pitchfork from his employer at Elmdon, Essex. In July 1842, after transportation aboard the Candahar, Benjamin arrived in Hobart, Tasmania, and was sent to serve a sixteen-month probation period at the Jericho Probation Station.

On December 6, 1843, Benjamin was hired by George Green Sherwin from Bothwell, a small town in Tasmania’s Central Highlands, to work as a labourer on his farm, Sherwood. After completing his sentence, Benjamin’s application to bring his wife Ann and their five children - Sarah, James, Benjamin, Zacharias, and Hannah - to join him in Tasmania was approved. In August 1849, the William Jardine arrived, carrying his family, and their long-awaited reunion was complete.

This family journey ignited my passion for researching Bothwell and its 19th-century residents, helping me piece together the lives of my ancestors. This work culminated in the creation of a dedicated website to preserve and share our heritage.

On March 17, 2007, Benjamin’s 199th birthday, the Bothwell Town Hall was filled with 165 of his descendants, gathered for a memorable Smith Family Reunion. It was a truly special moment to stand before my relatives and recount the story of our forebears.