George Smith and Mary Wadsworth (couple 7)

[Dad's maternal grandmother's paternal Grandparents]
[Josephine Smith > Albert Smith > Smith/Wadsworth]

(From the history written about their son, Albert)
Written by Albert Ernest Smith (link to original source)
and his sisters
Julia M.S. Ereckson, Josephine S. Wagstaff, Kate S. Thomas
and Florence G.S. Jones
1962
Revised by Kenneth R. Allen
August 2000      This life story of Albert Smith has been written that his posterity might know of him and realize to some extent the wonderful, loving father and grandfather that he was.  Those who came in contact with him, from the oldest to the youngest, loved and honored him.  His life as he lived it was the greatest heritage he could have left us.  The example he set, in every act, will be for the betterment of all his descendants for generations to come.  He so loved this following quotation that he patterned his life after it.
     “I shall pass though this world but once.  Any good thing, therefore, that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now; let me not defer it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
     The love and patience he showed for little children will always be remembered by his children and grandchildren.
     Albert Smith was born 28 August 1854 in Harlestone, Northamptonshire, England.  He was the only son of George and Mary Wadsworth Smith, who also had five daughters.  This family lived in part of the Wadsworth home, a duplex shared with James Wadsworth and his family called the Pump House.  Annie, the first child, who was born 10 January 1850, died when she was four months old.  Sarah the second daughter was 10 January 1852.  Then came Albert on 28 August 1854.  The third daughter Alice was born 11 February 1857.  She and Albert grew up very closely associated with each other, insomuch that they chose the same wedding day.  They were both married in the Harlestone Church of England on 19 May 1879.  Alice married Thomas Manning, and Albert married Mary Ann Storton (who had been born 15 Jan 1856 in Harlestone).

     The fifth child Ann, born 20 May 1860, died 19 May 1867.  Martha Jane the sixth child was born 25 March 1863, eight months after the death of their father.
     Family tradition says that George Smith, father of this family was Game Warden for the Estate of the Earl of Spencer and as part of his duties he was to guard against poachers and trespassers.  According to the family story, on the morning of 19 July 1862, as he approached the wall surrounding the estate, he heard prowlers on the other side.  As he climbed the high, ivy-covered wall with his gun in hand, he slipped, whereupon the gun discharged, killing him instantly.

    However, according to a report published on Saturday July 20 in the Northampton Herald describing the inquest of his death, George Smith had been for some years in the employ of Mr. John Cooper, a farmer.  Based on the inquest findings, he died instantly on Thursday evening the 18th between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm as a result of accidental death by discharge of a gun.  (Evidently the doctor did not declare him dead until after midnight on July 19.)  According to the report, Mr. Smith had a single barrel shotgun with him for the purpose of shooting wood pigeons and was along the right side of the road from Upper Harlestone to Northampton about six o’clock in the evening when he had stopped with his master Mr. Cooper to gather up some recently cut rushes to fodder the pigs.  He had put his coat over the barrel of his loaded shotgun and had placed it along a deep dyke with the muzzle resting just above the level of the road, out of the way of passing wagon traffic.  His master had cautioned him to be careful before he left him there.  About an hour later, two men, Thomas Clarke and John Birt of Harlpole, found him resting on his belly about a yard from the dyke as if he were asleep, and in an attempt to rouse him rolled him on his back and found he was dead with a large amount of blood on his chest.  They summoned Mr. Cooper from Harlestone and only then discovered the gun just as it had been previously laid against the dyke.  Mr. Cooper then went to Northampton and brought back Mr. Olive a surgeon to the scene.  Mr. Olive examined the body and discovered the extent of the wound.  Evidently the shotgun had discharged as George Smith had attempted to reach it out of the ditch, killing him instantly.  He was 35.
     This was a great tragedy to his wife and small family, but they were not left to bear this alone.  All Harlestone mourned at the sadness of it.  Everyone was very kind to the young widow and her small children.  It was reported that Lord Spencer did what he could for the little family, too.

Mary Wadsworth (1826-1877), widow of George Smith (1827-1862)

     Although not quite eight years old when this accident happened, young Albert accepted the responsibility of helping his mother, and as he grew to manhood he acted as both father and big brother to his sisters.
     Albert was blessed with a wonderful mother who came from a line of stalwart, religious people and although she had many trials and hardships, her faith in God and her willingness to accept her lot helped her to teach her children to love each other and to live clean, righteous lives.  She died 19 December 1877, one year and five months before Albert Smith and Mary Ann Storton were married.

     According to family tradition, the Smith heritage was of very religious, God-fearing people who were lovers of nature.  George and his brothers were farmers, overseers of estates and game wardens.  They were large in stature, intelligent and kind-hearted, which they demonstrated in their daily life.