Mary A. Carbine - Daughter of Irish Immigrants

Mary A. Carbine is the oldest daughter and second child born to Michael Carbine and Catherine Clarke. She was the first child in her family to be born in the United States. Her brother Patrick Carbine was born in County Mayo, Ireland around 1846. Mary was born in Syracuse, New York in September  1849.  I have yet to verify this birth date with a birth or baptism record. Although all sources that state a month of birth indicate September as the month of her birth.

I have several sources that put her birth year at either 1849, 1850 or 1851. At this point, I personally think that the best source to follow is the 1850 census that states her as being 1 year old in 1850. The census was taken 30 September 1850.

1850 US Census Michael Carbine Family

The census lists two Carbine families. First, the Patrick Carbine family and then the Michael Carbine family. Patrick was either a brother or a cousin to Michael and eventually settled in Dubuque County, Iowa. I have done a little research on the Patrick Carbine family but I need to look further.

1900 US Census Smith Family Chicago

Mary is listed as born September 1851 and her husband William as born November 1851. I have seen a flexibility in dates when it comes to my Irish ancestors. I can not find the Smith family in the 1880 census and neither could my cousin Barbara Ford. I have searched them many times and many ways but they just don't seem to be in the census.

Here in the 1900 US Census, we find William Smith age 48; Mary A. Smith age 48; Adele Smith age 24; Frederick R. Smith age 22; Adelyn Smith age 18;  Roberta Smith age 5; Michael Carbine (brother in law) age 45. Michael Carbine is Mary's brother who was a widower. This is another story for another blog post.

In this census we also learn that Mary had 7 children with 5 currently living. Their oldest daughter
Mary or May is married, so is not listed with the family in 1900. Their daughter Catherine died at the age of 3 in 1890 of Scarlet Fever. The remaining child's name and sex is unknown to me at this time. According to Fred R. Smith's testimony in court for the estate of his father William Henry Smith, the second child born to Mary and William died at the age of 4 weeks. Fred does not state the sex or name of the baby. I have not found a birth record, death record or obituary for this baby.  I need some good karma, so I can find this baby.

The final document that gives birth information for Mary is her death certificate. The informant for her death certificate was George Carbine. George is Mary's nephew, her brother John's son. He stated Mary's birth date and place as 24 September 1850 New York.

Mary's death record

I will post another article about Mary Carbine Smith after I receive her probate record. I am waiting for this record to come in from an off site facility in Chicago. I will see what I might or might not find...