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Smiley Family History

Early history and family tree

This family history website is about the Australian descendants of Shepherd Parkman Smiley who migrated from America to Australia in 1853, along with brief information about his ancestors. There are a number of other Smiley families in Australia, but their family line will be different from the one outlined on this website.

The story of the early Smiley generations is somewhat clouded and further research is desirable, but there appears to be general agreement on the family's origins.

Smiley Pedigree, produced in July 1979 by Genealogical Services of Mt Claremont, Western Australia, was based on a record produced in 1949 by M. D. Smiley of California. This website displays a slightly different lineage, which reflects more recent research into the family.

The 1979 document states that a William Smelly, the earliest-recognisable member of the family, moved from Scotland to Ireland in 1616 at the time when English and Scot Protestants were taking possession of the province of Ulster, in the north of Ireland.

A similar version but with variations of the names, has been posted onto a message board on the Ancestry website, by a B. Smiley. He believes that around 1650, Thomas Smiley (Smylie?), a Presbyterian minister, moved from Scotland to Londonderry in northern Ireland. There, according to this story, his son Thomas (born about 1650) was killed during the siege of Londonderry, the 1689 battle between the forces of William of Orange and the Scottish King James. Thomas was honored for bravery and courage by the award of the Smiley family crest.

It was a son of this Thomas (or perhaps William), one Francis Smylie (later Smiley) who migrated from Ireland to America and from whom Shepherd Parkman Smiley descended.

Please remember:
(1) There have been many variations of the name - Smelly, Smylie, Smiley, Smillie, Smilie, Smilley, Smily, Smyly - apart from the very early ancestors, this website has used 'Smiley'.
(2) Over the years, many members of the family have migrated to places including Australia, but this website deals only with Francis (1689-1763) and his descendants including his great great grandson Shepherd Parkman Smiley (1828-1903), and the subsequent Australian family.

See also: Origin of the Smiley name

Family tree

Francis Smylie (later Smiley) born 1689, Ireland, married Agnes Wilson in Ireland, migrated with family to America in 1743, farmer, died 1763 in New Hampshire.
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Children:

Hugh Smiley born 1723 in Ireland, migrated to America with parents in 1743, married Mary Park in 1745, farmer and soldier, died in Vermont in 1813.
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Children:

William Smiley born 1757 in Maine, married Rebecca Moore in 1785, farmed at Sidney, Maine, died there in 1850.
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Children:

Hugh Smiley born in Maine in 1785, married Mary (Polly) McDonald in 1807, farmed at Skowhegan, Maine, died there in 1860.
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Children:

Shepherd Parkman Smiley born in Maine in 1828, migrated to Australia in 1853, married Margaret Phoebe Ward in Melbourne in 1855, gold miner and stage coach driver, died in Melbourne in 1903.
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Children (the family tree continues on individual pages for these Smileys):

 

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