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It would appear that Mary Pickford was an ancestor of ours

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  • It would appear that Mary Pickford was an ancestor of ours

    I got together with my long lost cousin over the weekend and one of the things he showed me was a scrapbook that had been made by a great aunt. What he thought was strange was that stuck in amongst all the other cuttings was a signed photo of Mary Pickford.

    You could be forgiven for thinking that lots of people stick into scrapbooks all sorts of things and there is no family connection. Anyway I googled Mary Pickford and what I found makes me think there has to be a connection. My cousin has been told on several occasions as he was growing up, there is one, but we'd now like to know how, what, when.

    Mary Pickford was born 8th April 1892 Toronto, Canada, she died in Santa Monica. California in May 1979 of a cerebral haemorage aged 87. Mary Pickford was a stage name, her birth name was Gladys Marie Smith, I have checked this detail out on the IGI, as well as a few other sources and also asked my cousin whether he knows of any other info, something his Mum mentioned in passing that might help us.

    Our grandmother was born a Smith in 1895, for Mary Pickford to be a cousin, one or both her parents would have had to have gone to Canada around 1895. Its her where I draw a blank, it would appear that he fathers name was John Smith and apart from JS and herself also being in the acting profession, I cannot say with certainty who they were.

    Does anyone have any ideas on where my cousin and I should go next. As always MTIA :smilee:

  • #2
    Can you find Gladys Marie Smith with her parents on Canadian census? This would show her mother and father's birth place which might help confirm or eliminate the connection. You need to find the marriage of her parents I think to see if John Smith's father is known in your tree.
    Margaret

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    • #3
      Unfortunately my membership of ancestry does not allow me access to the Canadian census and neither does my cousin's

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      • #5
        I am just on ancestry and having searched on the 'family tree tab' I see a tree which shows her father as John Charles Smith born 8 April 1869 in Canada. her mother is given as Charlotte Pickford Hennesey b1872.
        I have the basic membership so I think you will be able to see that tree too.
        Margaret

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        • #6
          There's a Gladys M Smith in 1901 Canada with father John.
          John is born in Canada and a photographer.

          I'll check for more.

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          • #7
            There's only two Gladys Smiths with father John on the 1901. Both fathers are born in Canada.

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            • #8
              Do you have an Irish connection, at all?
              Mary Pickford's first husband, Owen Moore, was born in Ireland. He and three of his brothers later emigrated to the USA.
              Might she have been a cousin by marriage?

              Jay
              Janet in Yorkshire



              Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

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              • #9
                You can get a lot of basic info from here, of course:

                Mary Pickford - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                Christine
                Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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                • #10
                  As luck would have it, just as things are getting interesting, my sub has run out.

                  It so happens that Mary Pickford's grandfather Joseph could well fit into my family tree. The Joseph I have was born in Gloucestershire and I am wondering whether this is the same one talked about in Wikipedia but there it says he came from Liverpool. Was he a born and bred Liverpudlian or was it just the port he left from?

                  My late uncle spoke of the Lawrence River and my family trading out in Canada, but being ten I thought he was off on another flight of fancy (as he was want to do) but now it seems I could have down with paying a little more credence to his words.

                  What is also interesting is that keying in John Charles Smith in the search engine, brought up entries connected with Waterloo. This seems to add more evidence for the family fortune in my great grandfathers time to have come out of Waterloo and the connection to the Duke of Wellington.

                  I like puzzles, I am so close I can practically taste it, its shame this information has come to light when I am subscriptionless, so I will have to look round for a good deal :smilee:

                  Thanks for all your efforts so far, much appreciated.

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                  • #11
                    HI

                    I dare say you've seen this site but I'll post incase not.


                    Mary Pickford - Biography


                    And this link too




                    If you scroll down the page ot where her mother's name is mentioned it will to info abt her.
                    Last edited by WendyP; 15-10-09, 08:04.
                    WendyP

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                    • #12
                      Lorraine, I've just been trying to see John Charles Smith in Canada censuses but as you might expect not having a lot of success!
                      What details have you got for your Joseph? that is the only positive we have on this for searching I think?
                      Margaret

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                      • #13
                        HI

                        here's a quote anothe link to this lady


                        In 1898 when Gladys was nearly six, her father died from an accidental blow to the head, leaving his family without savings or income.
                        WendyP

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                        • #14
                          Originally posted by margaretmarch View Post
                          Lorraine, I've just been trying to see John Charles Smith in Canada censuses but as you might expect not having a lot of success!
                          What details have you got for your Joseph? that is the only positive we have on this for searching I think?
                          Margaret
                          This is a snapshot I have of the information on my Joseph. It may well be that this is another Joseph within the family, but I don't have a clue whether or not this is the same one.

                          This Joseph was born around 1835 in Haresfield, Gloucestershire. He had James, Elizabeth, William, Charles, Eleanor and Jane as siblings, his parents were William Smith who I gleaned from IGI was born about 1796 and his wife Grace. Charles Smith married Elizabeth Bick, who was one of my 2XGGF's sisters.

                          If this link is right, Mary Pickford wouldn't exactly be a close relative, but I am guessing that that would make her second or third cousin to my grandmother.

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                          • #15
                            Of course there are a stack of John Smiths...lol

                            There is a Gladys Smith born at the right time with John and Annie for parents.
                            Her father was born 1849 Ontario.

                            So far there is one John Smith with father, Joseph. Joseph was born 1824 in Ireland.

                            I'll be back.

                            Let me know if there is anywhere I should be looking....lol...I'm not great at this.

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                            • #16
                              Had a look for Joseph Smith in 1871 with son John Charles but of the few that are there none were born Gloucestershire and there is no clue as to whether any are right. I guess the only way to do it is find the marriage for John Charles to Charlotte and see what parents names are.
                              I have some from Ontario and the record often gives fathers and mothers names for bride and groom.
                              Margaret

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                              • #17
                                Are we looking for Gladys' father, John born England????

                                The only ones I can find are born Canada.

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                                • #18
                                  Originally posted by Harrys mum View Post
                                  Are we looking for Gladys' father, John born England????

                                  The only ones I can find are born Canada.
                                  No, Gladys' father John was born Ontario. His father was Joseph possibly born Liverpool England but this has come from someone's tree on ancestry so it's not known how reliable the info is. Also there are several differing trees for Mary Pickford so we need to be careful.
                                  Margaret

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                                  • #19
                                    I know we have to be a bit careful about this, in making incorrect assumptions. However, we know that Gladys was born on 8th April 1892 in Toronto, Canada and her parents were John Charles Smith born in Canada on 8th April 1869 and Charlotte Pickford Hennessey born about 1872 (possibly in Ireland, as at that time the British Government paid passage). These facts seem to come out in detail on the IGI with dates, as well as what can be seen on this persons tree, but there is the possibility that he/she made incorrect assumptions. I need to look for a marriage on IGI in Canada.

                                    Also on IGI Joseph is named as John's father at his birth, but the thing I find questionnable is whether infact he was a born and bred Liverpudlian or whether he left England through Liverpool from somewhere else, is going to take some detective work.

                                    Do we have any idea what the name is of Joseph's wife, as according to IGI there are quite a few possibilities, unless of course someone knows of a foolproof shortcut?

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                                    • #20
                                      There is no John Smith born around the right time with father Joseph born England. There are some with Joseph born Ireland. Actually very few at all with fathers born England.
                                      Most are Canada, Ireland or Scotland.

                                      I'll have another look later this morning.

                                      If you'd like to put anything about Gladys that you know is correct, I'll go from there.

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