The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 51 No.4 | March 2025

Member’s article

(29), Henry (26 – hence born in 1824), Georgina (25), Thomas (22), Robert (21), Jonathan (19), Sarah (18), George (17) and Alonzo (14). All the children but Alonzo were born in England. So I began looking for a Smith family in England with similar names. I focused on Georgina as being the most distinctive. I finally found a Georgina born in 1825 in Burghclere, Hampshire. The age fit and her parents were Joseph and Sarah. I then went down the list of children and found each one, born in Burghclere, and their ages matched the ones in the U.S. Census. The last one born in Burghclere, George, was born in 1833. Alonzo, who was born in 1836, was the only child born in America, so this told me that the family had arrived in America sometime between 1833 and 1836, but I still have not been able to find their passenger arrival record. Henry’s mother Sarah “Ralph,” according to his death certificate, turned out to be Sarah ROLFE, born in Kingsclere and christened 21 October 1798, the daughter of William Rolfe and Elizabeth ROZIER who married 17 August 1789 at Kingsclere. Joseph Smith (his correct middle initial was probably T, perhaps Thomas after his father) was christened 13 May 1798 at Burghclere. His parents were Thomas Smith and Jane TANNER , who married 8 February 1796 at Burghclere. Joseph Smith and Sarah Rolfe married at Burghclere on 18 October 1821. Henry’s

Henry F. Smith

baptism record told me that Joseph was a labourer. In America he was a

Henry F. Smith death certificate

157