Smith/Ellingsgard Family History

Our SMITH branch came to this country from Manchester, England in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. John Robert originally came to this country with his siblings and worked as a Journeyman Plasterer. The family settled in Brooklyn, NY. John Robert immigrated to this country in 1890 and became naturalized in 1905(according to the 1920 Census). John Robert, I was told, worked on the Panama Canal. He made many trips back and forth to England where he met and married Elizabeth Anne GARRY. Together they had eleven children, seven girls and five boys. Only seven children would grow to adulthood. Of the surviving children, six were girls and only one son who passed away from pneumonia at the age of 24. Lizzy (as she was called on the 1920 Census) came to America in 1910 on the SS Cambria (Ellis Island Records) with four of her children born in England. Of the five children born here in America, only three girls would survive.

Our ELLINGSGARD(originally spelled ELLINGSGAARD) branch came to this country from Denmark in the year 1872 and settled in Brooklyn. I found confirmation on their arrival in the 1910 Census. I have not been able to find them in the 1900 Census, yet. Nor have I been able to find them in the immigration records. The ELLINGSGARD branch was a much smaller family. John H, who had three sisters, married Margaret DALY here in the states and they had three children, two sons and a daughter.

Searching out these family roots has been a challenge. Finding links has been very difficult for many reasons. SMITH is hard to find for obvious reasons and first names like Mary and John are not a lot of help. ELLINGSGARD on the other hand is difficult for the opposite reason. It is very rare and non existent here in the States. My family is the only family here in America. If you search the SSDI you will find only three individuals, two of whom are my grandparents. Both branches of the family have been here for barely a century. Finding information abroad is not an easy task.

I have searched the family back to the early 1800’s, to countries including; England, Ireland, Italy Denmark and now Norway. The family file contains 17 generations of over 700 individuals with 172 surnames dating back as far as 1550. Most common surnames include; SMITH, ELLINGSGARD, PETERKIN. Some elusive surnames include: GARRY, DALY, DONALDSON, IKIN, MICHAELIS (from Prussia), MOLETI, KEAVENY and LEAVEY. Other surnames not researched too far would include: MADDEN, FARRELL, WETZLER and MANN

Family Photos

• Smith Girls (397 KB)
  Abt 1954

Related Links

• ELLINGSGARD's of Brooklyn
• Ellingsgaard Tree