The Rev. Charles Smith (1801-1841) was Vicar-General to the Lord Bishop of Elphin, and rector of Gort and Vulnamanha, Ireland. Charles replaced his father, the Rev. William Smith V-G Elphin upon his death in 1835. He had supported his father in teaching at the Elphin Diocesan School (the grammar school) prior to that.
He died suddenly of Typhus fever in December 1841 leaving his wife, Olivia, destitute with 9 children (and another one on the way). All this is confirmed by the announcement of his birth in the following newspaper...
Dublin Evening Mail - Monday 17 January 1842
January 14. in Elphin, Olivia, relict the Rev. Charles Smith, Vicar General, of son, being the tenth child living.
AND in Olivia's death notice:
Gloucester Journal - Saturday 29 November 1873
Smith.—Nov. 15, Bisley, in this county, Olivia, daughter the late Thomas Meredith, Esq., Cloonamahan, Sligo, and widow of the Rev. Charles Smith, M.A., Vicar General of the Diocese of Elphin, Ireland.
Olivia's maternal grandfather was Thomas Rutledge who bought Cloonamahon when it was confiscated from the O'Harts.
An appeal to assist Oilivia in her "destitution" was launched in December 1841 and subscriptions came in to the "Friends of the late Rev. Charles Smith Fund" across the UK and Ireland (CofI).
By the time of the 1851 Census, 3 daughters and 2 sons (all born in Elphin) were residing with their mother, Olivia Smith, in Bedfordshire, England.
CHILDREN
Annie Smith (b.1825) their second daughter, married Joseph Earle, Esq., surgeon, Brentwood in 1858:
Durham Chronicle - Friday 06 May 1853: At Bedford, at St. Peter’s, 28th ult., Joseph Earle, Esq., surgeon, Brentwood, third son of the late Rev. John Earle, of Walton Abbey, incumbent of Walton and Barlby, and youngest brother of the late Rev. John Earle, vicar of Aughton, East Yorkshire, to Anne, second daughter of the late Rev, Charles Smith, Vicar-General to the Lord Bishop of Elphin, and rector of Gort and Vulnamanha, Ireland.
The birth of one of their daughters was 11 April, 1828 (Newspaper BDMs).
Isabella Smith (b.1836) their third daughter, married George Chester Wood of Brixworth Hall in 1860:
Bedfordshire Times and Independent - Saturday 14 April 1860: On the 12th inst., at St. Peter’s, Bedford, by the Rev. Charles Smith, brother of the bride, George Chester, youngest son of Thomas Wood, Esq., of Brixworth Hall, Northamptonshire, and Toft Monks, Norfolk, to Isabella, third daughter of the late Rev. Charles Smith, Vicar- General of the diocese of Elphin, and Rector of Gort and Kilmana, Ireland.
John Smith (b.1838)
Elizabeth aka Bessie Smith (b.1840)
Robert F. Smith, their last baby, was born 14 January 1842.
The John H. Smith Esq. of Elphin, solicitor (with lands at Carrownurlar and Emlagh) was Charles' brother (Olivia's brother-in-law). He died in 1836 (survived by his wife, Hannah Mary). In 1836, together with the Lord Bishop of Elphin, John contributed £500 towards the Co. Roscommon Loan Relief Fund.
In 1840, Rev. Charles Smith reported that the poor of Elphin were "wretched to the extreme". Charles was a peer of the Rev. John Lloyd.
By all accounts this family were very concerned with helping relieve the poor of Elphin who were suffering long before the Great Famine.
