Benjamin Smith is my great, great, great, grandfather transported in 1842 for seven years to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) for stealing a pitch fork from his employer, John Rolfe. Ann and their five children migrated in 1849 when Benjamin received his Ticket of Leave and they settled in the Bothwell district. Their third child, also named Benjamin, married Frances Bottom in 1862 and they had twelve children, four of them dying in infancy. I come down the line of Ida Adeline Smith who married Richard Ernest Russell. Benjamin Jnr wrote his life story in 1915 at the age of eighty; I am now the proud owner of his handwritten story.

The Smith Family Reunion held in Bothwell on the 17th March, 2007 to celebrate Benjamin's 199th birthday was a great success with over 160 people attending.

I am working on my second Smith Family book and aim to have it finished by the end of the year. My first book "Benjamin Smith - My Passage in Time" is now out of print but my CD on the Smith Family History is still available. If you would like any details on this or the Smith family, please send an email to Jennie.

For more information on Benjamin and Ann's children, click on the their names below.

BENJAMIN SMITH was born 17 March 1808 in Dagenham, Essex, England and died 13 January 1865 in Bothwell, Tasmania, son of JAMES SMITH and HANNAH UNKNOWN. He married ANN HAMMOND on 02 November 1829 in Elmdon, Essex, England, daughter of ROBERT HAMMOND and SOPHIA UNKNOWN. Ann was born 20 March 1812 in Arkesden, Essex, England and died 04 November 1887 in Bothwell, Tasmania. After Ann was widowed she married FERDINAND NORTON on 21 August 1865 in Bothwell, Tasmania. Ferdinand was the father of Sarah Norton who married Ann's son Zachariah.

Benjamin and Ann's five children are:

SARAH SMITH was born 23 January 1831 in Elmdon, Essex, England and died 31 August 1915 at the Infirmary in New Town, Tasmania. Sarah married three times her first to ELIPHALET PARSLOWE on 28 January 1850 in Bothwell, Tasmania. Her second marriage was to SAMUEL AYERS on 16 June 1883 at the Congregational Parsonage in Kempton, Tasmania. Samuel was born c1821 and died 12 March 1893 in Bothwell, Tasmania. Sarah then married EDWARD BEVAN on 02 October 1893 at St Luke's Church in Richmond, Tasmania. Edward was born c1833. There are no descendants on this line. 

JAMES SMITH was born 14 August 1833 in Elmdon, Essex, England and died 31 October 1901 at Colebrook, Tasmania. He married MARY LENARD on 10 August 1858 at the Bothwell Parish Church, Tasmania. Mary, daughter of MICHAEL LENARD and MARY UNKNOWN, was born c1839 in Tipperary, Ireland and died 30 August 1908, Woodsdale, Tasmania. 

BENJAMIN SMITH was born 09 August 1835 in Elmdon, Essex, England and died 01 May 1927 at The Priory, Tasmania. Benjamin married three times, the first to LOUISA BLAKE on 15 August 1859 at the residence of Mr Blake in Bothwell, Tasmania. Louisa, daughter of ROBERT BLAKE and MARY BOWDEN, was born 23 January 1834 in Bothwell, Tasmania. and died 26 July 1860 in Bothwell, Tasmania. Benjamin then married FRANCES BOTTOM on 07 August 1862 at the Wesleyan Chapel in Melville Street, Hobart, Tasmania. Frances, daughter of THOMAS BOTTOM and CATHERINE UNKNOWN, was born 09 May 1835 in England and died 09 September 1903 at the Launceston General Hospital, Tasmania. Benjamin's third marriage was to MARY ANN FARR on 21 December 1908 at Launceston, Tasmania. Mary, daughter of CHARLES FARR and HARRIET COOK was christened 13 July 1842 at St Martin's Church in Worcester, Worcestershire, England and died 31 January 1927 at St Helens, Tasmania. 

ZACHARIAH SMITH was born 03 June 1838 in Elmdon, Essex, England and died 03 July 1898 at Hobart, Tasmania. Zachariah's first marriage was to SARAH NORTON on 16 April 1864 at the Bothwell Parish Church, Tasmania. Sarah, daughter of FERDINAND NORTON and HANNAH LEACH, was born 12 January 1842 at Handsworth, Staffordshire, England and died 03 April 1878 at Hamilton, Tasmania. Zachariah then married MARY ANN NOBES on 07 August 1887 at 'Strathbarton', Bothwell. Mary, daughter of WILLIAM NOBES and MARGARET RYAN, was born on 26 August 1860 at Bothwell, Tasmania and died 23 February 1928 at Bothwell, Tasmania. 

HANNAH SMITH was born 31 May 1840 in Elmdon, Essex, England and died 14 December 1880 at Bothwell, Tasmania. She married for the first time to JAMES DOUCE on 10 May 1855 at the Bothwell Parish Church, Tasmania. James was born c1818 and died 19 March 1893 at Port Sorell, Tasmania. However, prior to James death, stating she was already a widow, Hannah married for a second time to WILLIAM WHITE on 25 March 1871 at the residence of Mr Kennedy in Green Ponds, Tasmania.