While his military records show him as born 1892, it was always said he had lied about his age to join the Navy. Further, if Louis was born in 1892, it’s not possible that Ernest was, too.

1925 Fed Census lists him as age 32, carpenter, Badgley Road, Glenville. Lived right next door to (or with?) brother Louis S. Smith.

He listed his birthplace as Greenwich, NY on his marriage certificate.

230 Mohawk Ave., Scotia at time of death; I have receipts, etc. that put him on Balltown Road in the late ‘50s. Barbara Crisalle lived with them on and off through that time.

In the 1900 census, he is in Greenwich, Washington County, NY, living with his mother Lottie Smith and half-brother Carroll Hall on Washington Street. He is 7.10

In the 1920 Census, he is at 131 Sanders Ave., Scotia, renting a home. He is 26, lists parents’ birthplace as New York, and is a salesman for a motor company (not named). With him are Hazel, 25, and Thelma, 3 and 8 months (census taken January).

Interestingly, in scanning around for other names I know, I found on Ten Broeck St. a William Matty, an immigrant from England, and his family, including a son William who was then 8. This was Bill Matty the junk man who owned the old confectionery turned junkyard across from the Mohawk School. All children except Bill were born in England. William Sr. worked at the locomotive works (ALCO).

There is a WWI draft registration card for an Ernest Smith, RD#8, Schenectady, NY. Very hard to read at Ancestry. It gives his DOB as February 7, 1892, lists him as a natural citizen born in Greenwich, NY. He is a farmer employed by Hiram King of Glenville, NY. He lists a wife and child as dependents, and lists previous service of 2 years in the U.S. Navy as a seaman. He is tall, slender, light brown eyes, light brown hair, not bald. He registered June 5, 1917.15

There is a World War II registration card, specially for men “born on or after April 28, 1877 and on or before February 16, 1897”. He lists himself as Ernest Goodrich Smith, place of residence Sycamore, Newtown Twp., Bucks County, PA. Mailing address, Newtown, Pa., General Delivery. No telephone, gives age as 49, DOB Feb. 7, 1893, born in Greenwich, NY. For “Name and Address of Person Who Will Always Know Your Address,” he listed Mrs. Ernest E. [sic] Smith, R.D. #7, Schenectady, N.Y. His employer’s name and address is Iron Works Creek Construction Co., of Churchville, Bucks County, Pa. He is listed as 5’4” (which is wrong), 145 pounds, eyes blue, hair gray, complexion light. The card is undated, but is a form dated 1942.16

In the 1940 census, he is living at RFD 7, Route 146 (Balltown Road) in Niskayuna. He is 47 and married; his highest completed grade was the 2nd year of high school. In 1935 he had been resident on a farm in Saratoga County (Rexford -- there is reference to this property in Hazel’s deeds and loans to Helen). He was employed as a private carpenter, had worked 26 weeks in 1939, and had earned $800. Wife Hazel was 45, had completed only 8th grade, and did not work.6

In 1953 they received a Verified Transcript from the Register of Marriages, in the Town of Glenville (No. D131813), County of Schenectady, State of New York.
Date of Marriage: September 11, 1915
Full Name of Husband: Ernest G. Smith
His Residence: Glenville, New York.
Age: 22
Husband’s Birthplace: Greenwich, New York
His Father’s Name: Fred Smith
His Mother’s Maiden Name: Lottie Goodrich.
Number of Husband’s Marriages: First
Full Name of Wife - Maiden: Hazel G. Cath
- Married: Hazel G. Cath Smith
Her Residence at Marriage: Glenville, New York
Age: 20
Wife’s Birthplace: Glenville, New York.
Her Father’s Name: Teunis Cath
Her Mother’s Name: Nellie Seaman
Number of Bride’s Marriages: First
Name and Official Position of Person Solemnizing the Marriage: Alerio James Drew, Clergyman
Place of Marriage: Renssalaer, [sic] New York
When Registered: September 1915
Register Number: 217
I hereby solemnly attest that this is a true transcript from the Public Register of Marriages as kept in Town of Glenville County of Schenectady and in the State Bureau of Vital Statistics of New York. (Signed) Andrew K. Shannon (Official Title) Registrar
Dated at Scotia the 20 day of July 1953.

(I do not find this marriage in the Rensselaer County registers listed at the Troy Irish Genealogy Society.)


According to his own WWI draft registration card, Alarie James Drew lived at 15 Riverside Ave., Rensselaer, NY, was born September 23, 1886, was natural born in Moira (Moriah?), NY. He was a clergyman at the “Church of Messiah” in Rensselaer, he had a wife and daughter who were dependent on him, was married, caucasian, and had no military service. I include this to help figure out why Ernest and Hazel were married in Rensselaer. What looks to be the same person, Alaric James Drew, appears with his wife Buella, and children Carolyne and Alaric, in White Creek, Washington County, in 1920 -- so perhaps he was from a family that Ernest knew in Easton or Greenwich. (Though White Creek is near the Vermont border.) He was listed as a candidate for holy orders Nov. 1, 1910, in the Journal of the Annual Convention of the Diocese of Albany of the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which the Church of the Messiah in Rensselaer was a member. The Church of the Messiah was at Third Avenue and Washington Street, formed in 1851, and was torn down in the early 1990s.


The photograph he sent to Hazel of himself in Naval uniform was addressed to Mrs. E. Smith, 131 Sanders Ave., Scotia.
That would be one of the bungalows in the same block of Sanders as the Moonans, same side of street.

Obit: Born Greenwich, resident of Sch'dy area for 50 years, was a carpenter doing general construction work for various companies, member United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local 146. A resident of the Schenectady area for 50 years, he had resided in Scotia for the past four years.17

The Gloversville Leader-Herald ran this obituary Nov. 7, 1963:

Ernest G. Smith, 70, of Scotia, half-brother of Mrs. Melvin Mason of Gloversville, died yesterday at Ellis Hospital. He was in ill health a short time. Born in Greenwich, Washington County, Mr. Smith resided in [sic] Schenectady area for 50 years and in Scotia the last four years. He was a carpenter and did general construction work in the Schenectady area. Mr. Smith was a member of Local 146, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. Survivors in addition to Mrs. Mason are one daughter, Mrs. John Crisalle of Schenectady; two granddaughters, two great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews.