http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=428026.0 has some interesting information regarding Elizabeth born 1799 that confirms that her parents are Joseph SMITH and an aboriginal woman but falls short confirming that Joseph SMITH is the 1790 convict.
"I have traced Elizabeth Smith back to her common law marriage to John Bailey, therefore confirming that she is my family’s Elizabeth. When trying to trace her parents I found two Elizabeth’s. The first had parents listed as Thomas Smith and Ann Colpitts. But our family tree did not trace to this couple. (Unfortunate as I would have loved to have First Fleeters in our family). The other Elizabeth has no birth record but through a private source I have been told her father was Joseph, mother unknown but believed to be aboriginal. This brings me to Joseph Smith.
The only Joseph Smiths in the Hawkesbury at that time was Joseph Smith, convict from the Neptune, and his son Joseph born 1804.
Joseph did marry Margaret Holmes in 1812. They had a common law marriage prior to that from 1802.
In the book “The Second Fleet – Britain’s Grim Convict Armada of 1790” by Michael Flynn it was recorded that in 1806 the couple were supporting 4 children. Margaret had 4 children prior to her becoming the partner of Joseph but two of these children died by 1799, which left 2 of Margarets children, plus one child with Joseph, and Elizabeth to make up the four recorded. (Margaret and Joseph’s other 2 children were born after ths 1806 record). And again on his death certificate it only lists 3 children to Margaret. We have Elizabeth born c 1799 prior to Joseph and Margaret getting together. Margaret was in another relationship at this time.
Elizabeth Smith had a common law marriage to John Bailey. A map of the Mcdonald Valley, Hawkesbury in the early 1800’s shows much land belonging to the Smiths and the Baileys. Thinking back to those early days, people did not travel far and it is not inconceivable that before they married Elizabeth lived close by to John. This can be seen in fly map from the book “The forgotten Valley” by Marjorie Hutton Neve.
I have searched for information of Elizabeth’s parentage on many sites, many forums. I know that you can not take forum information as THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH but just about every one that I have read lists Elizabeth as Father Joseph Smith mother Aboriginal. (A lot of information from the Hunter Valley Geneology Forum). As records of that time are hard to trace and indigenous genealogy almost impossible, I do not know how to go any further. Again the only Joseph Smith I could find in that area at that time was Joseph from the convict ship Neptune.
All this information was placed before Mrs J Woollard, a noted family historian from the Southern Highlands and she reached the conclusion that there was a 99% chance that Elizabeth was a child of Joseph. I would love to have proof absolute that Elizabeth is this Joseph’s child but I have not been able to find proof that she is not his child and until I do will accept that this is likely to be correct. If anyone has proof or information contrary to this please let us know."
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