John Smith's Family Tree Website

Smith family

* * *

Part 2: Jacob Smith (c1811 - 1879)

Working life and marriage to Amelia Drake

Jacob Smith was born 30 August 1811 in Northowram, one of thirteen children born to John Smith and Mary (surname unknown). His parents were Methodists and he was baptised 22 September 1811 at Ambler Thorn New Connection Chapel.

He married Amelia Drake (c1810 - 1881) 01 October 1832 at St John the Baptist Parish Church. Jacob was a joiner, a skilled carpenter (likely in furniture), and had had some education, unlike his wife Amelia who could not sign her name. Amelia was born in Northowram though it is not certain who her family was. There were various Drake families living in the area and it is fairly likely they were brothers of Amelia. A year before her marriage, she gave birth to an illegitimate boy, John, and he lived with both his mother and also people who were probably her relatives.

Jacob and Amelia had four children of their own: Hannah, Elizabeth, Sidney and Azubah. They initially lived next to Jacob’s parents but sometime in the 1840s, Jacob changed occupations and became a farmer and cattle dealer, still living in the hamlet of Beggarington. It is possible Jacob or Amelia came into some money (the Drakes were in the stone masonry business) but also likely that Jacob had done well enough as a joiner to have a farm. He died in 1879, aged 68, and Amelia died two years later, aged 71.

Child of Amelia (and unknown)

John (c1831 - ?) was known as ‘John Drake’ or ‘John Smith’ during his life, which seems to have been spent entirely in Northowram. It is not known who his father was. He may have lived some of his early life with his maternal grandmother, as well as with his mother and stepfather. He became a drayman, driving a cart with heavy loads, and then a cattle dealer. After 1871 there is no confirmed record of him but it is thought he may have died c1891.

Children of John and Amelia

Hannah (c1833 - ?) was born c1833 in Northowram. She worked as a power loom weaver and had an illegitimate son, Edwin (c1858 - ?). He was baptised 05 September 1858 at Holy Trinity Church, Queensbury. There was no father listed but a ‘James’ was crossed out in the space provided. Edwin was staying with his Smith grandparents in the 1861 census but Hannah’s whereabouts were unknown. A month after the census, she married shoemaker James Sanderson Ramsden (1822 - ?) 20 May at St John the Baptist Parish Church. In the 1871 census, Edwin was a coal dealer still living with his grandparents, James was a boarder with another family and again there was no record of Hannah. There is no confirmed record of James, Edwin or Hannah after 1871.

Elizabeth (c1838 - ?) known as ‘Betty’ was born c1838 in Northowram. She worked as a cotton spinner but nothing is known of her after 1851.

More information about Sidney (1840 – 1909) appears in Part 3.

Azubah (c1844 - 1911) was born c1844 in Northowram. Although she was listed as a scholar aged seven, it is unlikely she received much education, if any, as she could not sign her name when she married. It is more likely that she was working in a mill from a young age. She was a power loom weaver in her teenage years. The power loom had begun to take over from hand looms as the main method of weaving. Based on statistics collected around the time, Azubah might have been earning 9-19 shillings a week (about £20-40 in today’s money).

Next door to the family lived the Haggis family and Azubah and the Haggis’ grandson William Haggis (1842 - 1900) had a relationship. Azubah was 17 when she became pregnant and they married 12 May 1861 at St John the Baptist Parish Church (her age was increased to 18). Their first child Mary was born only a few months later. Azubah and William had eleven children in total: Mary (1861 - ?), Harry (1863 - ?), Amelia (c1865 - 1915), Emily (c1867 - 1947), Eliza (1869 - ?), Sidney (1872 - ?), Robert John (1874 - 1946), Ann Elizabeth (1878 - ?), Jabez Francis Oscar (1880 - 1950), William (1882 - ?) and Clara (c1885 - ?). Astonishingly for the time, all of their children survived into adulthood. Also quite interesting (unless their parents lied to the census enumerators) is the fact that none of the children had to work whilst young to supplement the family income. They all seemed to have schooling, then as teenagers went to work in the woollen industry or farming. William himself worked in woollen mills, generally in a supervision role as an overseer which would earn him about 35 shillings a week (£75). The family moved several times, at one time living next door to Azubah’s widowed mother. The wool industry in Yorkshire was reasonably healthy so William’s job changing may have been local circumstances. Eventually he also took up farming with the help of his sons and died in 1900, aged 58. Azubah took over running the farm at Quarmby Fold, Huddersfield, with the help of her children. She died c1911, aged 67.

Next: Sidney Smith

Footnotes