Smithwick Genealogy

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William Francis Smithwick

William Francis Smithwick

Male 1882 - 1945  (63 years)

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  • Name William Francis Smithwick 
    Nickname Bill 
    Born 6 Jan 1882  Oola, Co. Limerick, IE Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Census 1900  Valley Street, Bristol, CT, US Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Died 15 Nov 1945  Bristol, CT, US Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried 17 Nov 1945  St. Thomas Cemetery, Bristol, CT, US Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I118  Smithwick Family Tree | Smithwicks in Ireland
    Last Modified 23 Mar 2020 

    Father John Smithwick,   b. 7 Aug 1830,   d. 27 May 1891, Kilduff, Pallasgrean, Co. Limerick, IE Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 60 years) 
    Mother Catherine Bradshaw,   b. 12 Feb 1853, Kilduff, Pallasgreen Parish, Co. Limerick, IE Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 May 1915, Bristol, CT, US Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 62 years) 
    Married 12 Feb 1871  Templebraden Chapel, Pallasgreen Parish, Co. Limerick, IE Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Family ID F6  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Josephine M. FitzSimmons,   b. 1885,   d. 23 Jul 1955, Bristol, CT, US Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years) 
    Married 21 Nov 1906  Bristol, CT, US Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Children 
    +1. Bernice Constance Smithwick,   b. 30 Jul 1917, Bristol, CT, US Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 5 Jul 2008, Hannacroix, NY, US Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 90 years)
    Last Modified 10 Feb 2020 
    Family ID F49  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 2 Private 
    Children 
    +1. Living
    +2. Private
    Last Modified 23 Mar 2020 
    Family ID F1670  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    William Francis Smithwick
    William Francis Smithwick
    William Francis Smithwick
    William Francis Smithwick
    Smithwicks and Bradshaws, Valley Street, Bristol, CT around 1902
    Smithwicks and Bradshaws, Valley Street, Bristol, CT around 1902
    (Top,l-r) Rebecca Smithwick Welton, Catherine Bradshaw Smithwick, Mary Smithwick Johnston
    (2nd row) Tommy Bradshaw
    (3rd row) William Smithwick, Anne Smithwick Hogan, Michael F. Hogan, Maude Smithwick
    (Front) Joseph Smithwick, Thomas Bradshaw
    William Francis Smithwick and daughter Bernice Smithwick
    William Francis Smithwick and daughter Bernice Smithwick
    (Back row, 1st on left) William
    (Front row, 3rd from left) Bernice
    William Francis Smithwick
    William Francis Smithwick

    Documents
    John Smithwick family - immigration
    John Smithwick family - immigration
    William Francis Smithwick - obituary
    William Francis Smithwick - obituary
    Smithwick Rites Held In Bristol

    By Special Correspondent
    Bristol, Nov. 17 - Funeral services for Charity Comsr. William F. Smithwick were held this morning from the home to St. Joseph's Church at 10 o'clock. A solemn high Mass of requiem was celebrated by Rev. William P. Laflin, pastor of the church.

    Rev. John F. O'Donnell, assistant pastor, was deacon and Rev. Francis T. Monohan as sub-deacon. A quarter composed of Mrs. Josephine Dutton, Mrs. Mary Olson, Gaston Beliveau and William Moeller sang. Burial was in St. Thomas Cemetery.

    Attending the services were Acting Mayor Charles M. Riggs, Town and City Clerk Rolfe E. Rowe; Tax Collector Francis B. Riley, Assessor Edwin M. Decker, Police Chief Edmund S. Crowley, Fire Chief George C. Graham, School Supt. Kari A. Reiche, Health Officer Dr. B. B. Robbins and members of the police and fire departments, the Finance Board, the Park Department, the Bristol Real Estate Board, the Bristol Rotary Club, the Bristol Club, a delegation of the state and national officers of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, a delegation of officers of the State Welfare Department, welfare officials from other cities and clerks and employees of the various Bristol city offices.
    William Francis Smithwick - obituary
    William Francis Smithwick - obituary
    W.F. Smithwick, Uncle of District Attorney Frank Hogan, Dies in Connecticut at the Age of 63

    William F. Smithwick, one of the outstanding citizens of Bristol, Conn., and for many years Charity Commissioner in that city, died in the Bristol Hospital after a long illness.

    He was appointed a Charity Commissioner in 1917, and held that appointment up to the time of his death. In that position he was noted for his sympathy with the poor and afflicted and was a great favorite with the downtrodden whom he was ever willing and ready to help.

    He was one of the legislators of the state representing BRISTOL and as such served as chairman of the Humane Relations Committee. It was his deep interest on this committee, that led Mayor Dutton to appoint him Charity Commissioner.

    At one time he was one of the principal merchants in the town, and in addition was engaged in the Real Estate and Insurance business. He was also Treasurer of the Volunteer Fire Department.

    Bill Smithwick, as he was affectionately referred to by those who knew him intimately, was born in the town or parish of Oola, County Limerick, Ireland on January 2, 1882. He was the son of John Smithwick. His mother Katherine Bradshaw Smithwick, was from the same place, and both with a large family of whom Bill was the youngest came to the United States, and settled in State of Connecticut. He attended school in Creystone in that town about forty-seven years ago his family moved to Bristol.

    Although leaving Ireland at a very early age, Bill was a great Irishman and intensely interested in everything that had for its object the welfare of the old land. He was at one time National Director of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and served as County and State President of the Order in his own State. For more than forty years he was an outstanding figure at national conventions, and was well known to those who were active in the Order. The late Pat. Keane of Montreal was his close friend. So were John McNamara of Ansonia, and William Looney of New Haven, Conn., and Michael B. McGreal, Treasurer of the Friends of Irish Freedom, and many others throughout the country.

    He was an outstanding Catholic and was an exemplary living man.

    In recent years, he rarely missed coming to New York on March 17th to witness the St. Patrick's Day Parades, and was a very close personal friend of the Chairman of that Committee.

    His funeral on Saturday, November 17th, from St. Thomas' Church was attended by the largest gathering that has ever assembled there on a like occasion. Besides his widow, Josephine M. FitzSimmons Smithwick and his daughter, Beatrice C. Smithwick, he is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Michael Hogan of Waterbury, Mrs. Robert Welton of Bristol, and Mrs. William G. Johnston of Thomaston. Four brothers also survive, John of New Britain, Robert of Cheshire, Henry of Waterbury and Joseph of Bristol. Bill always referred to his nephew Hon. Frank Hogan District Attorney of New York and took a great pride in the latter's record.

    Headstones
    William Francis Smithwick - footstone
    William Francis Smithwick - footstone
    William F. Smithwick
    1882 - 1945
    Faithfully served the City of Bristol
    as Charity Commissioner for 28 years

  • Sources 
    1. [S148] IrishGenealogy.ie, https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1871/11335/8160529.pdf.

    2. [S433] Connecticut State Library Data, https://www.ctatatelibrarydata.org/marriage-records/.