In 1902, Mrs. Pleasant stated her first husband was a Cuban man named, James W Smith (elsewhere James Henry). She indicated he worked in construction and was active of the Underground Railroad and Abolitionist movement. While not seemingly present in the 1840 Federal Census, a study of Boston Area Directories does find James W. Smith (sometimes cited as Carpenter) in Boston starting in 1831. Interestingly, Mr. Smith’s residence starting in 1843 through 1850 is 3 Hancock Avenue, North Beacon Hill steps away from the African American Baptist Meeting House, the beating heart of the 19th century Abolitionist cause. This location supports Mary’s statements that William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, George W. Green and Louis Hayden visited their home, as it was conveniently located steps away from the Meeting House. Hancock Avenue no longer exists; it was formerly the site of John Hancock’s residence near the current State House building.
Listings above from Boston 1845 and 1844 City Directories.
Mr. Smith also has a residence in 1845 in Charlestown, MA where Vital Records show the birth on the 6th of July 1845 of Elizabeth Jones Smith to James W, (Carpenter) and M. Ellen Smith.
Mrs. Pleasant stated she was introduced to James by Father McElroy at St Mary’s on Endicott Streert where she was a paid accompanist. A check of the annual Catholic Directories reveal that Father McElroy was not at St. Mary’s until 1847. However, in his personal correspondence files are letters reflecting that he had spent time in Boston prior to 1847. (Booth Family Center for Special Collections, Lauinger Library, Georgetown University).
The Stimpson Boston Directory for 1843 also has this intriguing entry:
Mary stated that after leaving Nantucket for Boston, she worked as an assistant tailor on Merrimac street. This entry is in the general section of the Directory (not in the back of the Directory under the People of Color list).
Another Boston area Vital Statistic record shows a Mary W. Smith marries a James L Smith on 22 March 1835 in Bedford, Mass. This seems too early as Mary said she left Nantucket after her friend Phebe Hussey married widower Captain Edward W Gardner, which occurred in 1839.
A record of the marriage between Mary Ellen Williams and James Smith has not been located after consultations with the Boston or Washington, DC Dioceses.