Sam Smith and Mary Carty

About Sam & Mary

From Saunders Family History Book

According to family history, Alice Carty (Clarty or Redmond) arrived in the United States from County Cork (Cork Harbor), Wexford, Ireland.  Samuel Smith (also know as Black Sam) found Alice Carty weeping as she sat near the dock at New York harbor.  She had expected to be met by her promised husband when she arrived in New York (1860-1861?).  However, to her dismay, she discovered that he had died prior to her arrival.  She was utterly distraught.

Sam Smith befriended her & introduced her to his employer.  At the time, Sam was working as a butler.  His employer agreed to hire Alice as an upstairs maid. 

Widespread poverty, disease, and ethnic gang violence defined the period around the docks in NYC at the time.  And ongoing race riots between Irish-American & free African-American residents of New York City occurred between 1849 - 1863.

Alice attended the Five Points mission school in New York.  The school records are being maintained at Duke University.   (no family investigation / verification at this time).

Oral family history also records that Alice Carty Smith & daughter Mary Jane Smith were living in Baltimore, MD at some time during 1873. 

No information is available regarding the whereabouts of Samuel Smith, Sr. or Samuel Smith, Jr. during this period. 

 According to Charles Johnson, Jr.  (during 2004 family reunion);  Sam Smith, Sr. died sometime in 1925.