Family Files

James Smith & Catherine Hickey

Prince Edward Island
The Descendants of James Smith and Catherine Hickey

The Hickey surname on Prince Edward Island, being one of my main research interests, tends to make me sit up and take notice. So, when I receive a request from another researcher regarding Hickey, I will take a very close and serious look at their questions and information. Even when I can't find a direct connection to my own family from Indian River, I will still try and gather as much data as I can for reference purposes.

The following file is the result of that type of research. A couple of years ago I received correspondence concerning a Hickey from the Island and, together with the other researcher, attempted to fill in as many blanks as possible. As the file took shape, an unexpected surprise appeared - Thomas Hickey, the spouse of Annie May Gillis (Descendant #28) is, in fact, a member of my own Hickey family from Indian River. So, the two families are connected by marriage.

I have not worked on this particular file for some time. However, I will present what I have gathered so far in the hopes that it might be of use to other researchers. Please note that I have only listed the first three generations here as some members of the fourth and later generations may still be living. Data on later generations is sketchy at best since Catholic church records from PEI are closed after 1900, and the last available census records are for 1901.

This file is a work-in-progress and is therefore subject to change at any time. As always, I welcome any updates, additions, or corrections to this information.

First Generation

1. Catherine1 Hickey

Catherine was born in Ireland.

She married James Smith in Ireland. James, also born in Ireland, was the son of Philip Smith and Catherine Brenner.

James and Catherine immigrated to Prince Edward Island sometime prior to 1850. Based on the baptismal records for their children, they appear to have resided in the Charlottetown area until 1857-59, when they relocated to Summerside. Most immigrant ships did discharge their passengers at Charlottetown, and families would often remain there until they were able to lease or purchase land elsewhere on the Island.

Children (possibly incomplete):

  1. + i. Philip Smith b. bet. 1840-46; m. Catherine McDonald.
  2. ii. Mary Elizabeth Smith was born circa 1847 in Ireland. She died on 10 November 1911 at Superior, Wisconsin, USA. No further information.
  3. iii. James Smith was born on 18 January 1850. He was baptised at St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Church, Charlottetown, PEI, on 20 January 1850, aged two days old. He probably died prior to February 1857 as he had a younger brother by the same name.
  4. + iv. Michael Edward Smith: b. 24 July 1851; d. 27 November 1925; m. Katherine A. Murphy.
  5. + v. Henry Francis Smith: b. 28 September 1853; d. 31 October 1928; m. Johanna Conners.
  6. + vi. Ann Smith: b. 2 January 1855; m. John Gillis.
  7. vii. James Smith was born on 10 February 1857. He was baptised at St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Church, Charlottetown, PEI, on 12 February 1857. No further information.
  8. viii. John Smith was born on 8 December 1859. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 18 December 1859. No further information.
  9. + ix. Andrew Malachias Smith: b. 28 February 1864; d. 10 April 1948; m. Annie M. Conners.
Second Generation

2. Philip2 Smith (Catherine1 Hickey)

Philip was born between 1840 and 1846, probably in Ireland. He was a plasterer by profession, and resided at Summerside.

He married Catherine McDonald. She was born circa 1850.

Children:

  1. i. Alice Smith was born circa 1872. The 1891 Census lists her as a cook.
  2. ii. Annie J. Smith was born circa 1874. She probably died in infancy.
  3. + iii. James Smith: b. 10 March 1876; m. Elizabeth McDonald.
  4. iv. Philip Wallace Smith was born on 14 December 1878. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 19 December 1878.
  5. v. John Andrew Smith was born on 13 January 1881. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 27 February 1881.
  6. vi. Henry Justin Smith was born on 14 April 1883. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 29 April 1883.
  7. vii. Edward Ormond Smith was born on 19 December 1886. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 18 January 1887.

5. Michael Edward2 Smith (Catherine1 Hickey)

Michael was born on 24 July 1851. He was baptised at St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Church, Charlottetown, PEI, on 28 July 1851, aged 4 days old.

He was married to Katherine A. Murphy. She was born in 1847.

Michael died in the USA on 27 November 1925. Katherine died in 1926.

6. Henry2 Smith (Catherine1 Hickey)

Henry was born on 28 September 1853. He was baptised at St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Church, Charlottetown, PEI, on 2 October 1853, aged 5 days old.

Henry was married to Johanna Conners. She was born on 1 April 1857.

The family appears to have left Summerside sometime between October 1882 and November 1884.

Henry died in the USA on 31 October 1928. Johanna passed away on 23 July 1923.

Children:

  1. + i. Charles Edward Smith: b. 16 October 1877; d. 28 October 1912; m. _______.
  2. ii. Wilbert Malachy Smith was born on 17 August 1880. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, on 22 August 1880. He died 6 September 1934 at Seattle, Washington, USA.
  3. iii. Henry Alban Smith was born on 6 October 1882. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, on 8 October 1882. He died in 1926.
  4. iv. Mary Jane Smith was born on 10 November 1884. She died on 12 April 1971.
  5. v. Arthur Raymond Smith was born on 21 April 1887. He died at Denver, Colorado, USA, in February 1968.
  6. vi. Francis Basil Smith was born on 22 February 1889. He died at Seattle, Washington, USA, on 13 February 1911.
  7. vii. Clarence James Smith was born on 16 January 1892. He died in 1933 at Seattle, Washington, USA.
  8. viii. Daniel Bernard Smith was born on 22 September 1899.
  9. ix. Frederich Irenus (Gordon) Smith was born on 11 March ____. He died at Seattle, Washington, USA, on 3 April 1923.

7. Ann2 Smith (Catherine1 Hickey)

Ann was born on 2 January 1855. She was baptised at St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Church, Charlottetown, PEI, on 7 January 1855.

She married John Gillis, the son of John Gillis and Catherine McInnis. John was born on 10 February 1848 and was baptised at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, Grand River, PEI, on 18 February 1848.

John was a plasterer by trade. In 1891, the family was residing at Summerside, PEI. By 1901, they were living on Brookland Street, Sydney, Nova Scotia.

John is buried in Sydney, NS. Ann is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Malden, Massachusetts, USA.

Children:

  1. i. Frederick Augustus Gillis was born 18 June 1876. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 26 June 1876.
  2. + ii. Annie May Gillis: b. 8 September 1877; m. (1) Thomas Hickey, (2) John Stewart.
  3. iii. John H. Gillis was born in New Brunswick on 18 March 1879.
  4. iv. Gertrude S. Gillis was born in New Brunswick on 8 May 1881.
  5. v. James Bernard Gillis was born in Saint John, New Brunswick on 18 January 1883. After graduating from St. Dunstan's College, he attended the Grand Seminary of Québec and was ordained into the priesthood at Québec City in 1910. He spent one year on the staff of St. Dunstan's before being appointed parish priest at East Point. In 1917, he was appointed parish priest at Cardigan, serving there until 1926. From then until his retirement in 1956, he was the chaplain at Sacred Heart Home. Father Bernard died at the Charlottetown Hospital on 9 July 1966 and was buried at the Catholic Cemetery, Parkdale, PEI.
  6. vi. Charles Gillis was born in New Brunswick on 6 November 1883.
  7. vii. Mary Ellen Gillis was born on 7 December 1885. She was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 7 June 1886.
  8. viii. Joseph Gillis was born on 9 July 1888. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 29 July 1888.
  9. ix. Francis Neumann Gillis was born 10 June 1890. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 22 June 1890.
  10. x. Catherine Florence Gillis was born 29 December 1891. She was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 17 January 1892. Florence was a Roman Catholic nun with the Congregation of Notre Dame in Montréal, QC, and took her final vows 10 August 1920. Her religious name was Sister St. Monica.
  11. + xi. Thomas Gregory Gillis: b. 1 October 1894; d. 28 July 1979; m. Margaret Annabelle Doucette.
  12. xii. Joseph Louis(?) Gillis was born 8 October 1897. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 17 October 1897. He is not listed with his parents in the 1901 Census, and is presumed to have died in infancy.

10. Andrew Malachias2 Smith (Catherine1 Hickey)

Andrew was born on 28 February 1864. He was baptised at St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI, on 5 March 1864.

He was married to Annie M. Conners. She was born in 1867.

Andrew died on 10 April 1948. Annie died on 7 January 1907.

Sources

Personal correspondence with Basil Campbell, 2000.

Personal correspondence with Jean Scholl, 2000.

Personal correspondence with Pat Windsperger, 2000.

O'Shea, Rev. Art. Priests and Bishops who served in the Diocese of Charlottetown, 1829-1996.

Parish register for St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church, Summerside, PEI.

Parish register for St. Dunstan's Roman Catholic Basilica, Charlottetown, PEI.

1891 Prince Edward Island Census, Summerside. Transcript by the PEI Genealogical Society.

1901 Prince Edward Island Census, Summerside. Transcript by the PEI Genealogical Society.

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