Smiley Family History
Phoebe Jane Smiley 1865-1950
Family line:
Francis Smylie/Smiley 1689 → Hugh Smiley 1723 → William Smiley 1757 → Hugh Smiley 1785 → Shepherd Parkman Smiley 1828 → Phoebe Jane Smiley 1865-1950.
Phoebe Smiley
Born: 12 October 1865, Linton, Vic
Died: 13 February 1950, Mosman Park, West Australia, aged 84
Married: George Arthur Debnam, 1 August 1888, Melbourne, Vic
Children: 8
Phoebe Jane Smiley was the fifth of the seven children of Shepherd Parkman and Margaret Phoebe (Ward) Smiley. She was born at Linton, west of Ballarat, on 12 October 1865.
By the time she attended primary school the family was living at Wickliffe, west of Linton.
In Melbourne on 1 August 1888, Phoebe married George Arthur Debnam, who was born in England in 1862 and who had migrated to Australia. By the mid-1890s, the couple was living in Perth where five of their eight children were born.
George died at Perth on 25 May 1948 aged 86, and Phoebe died at Mosman Park on 13 February 1950, aged 84.
Children of George and Phoebe (Smiley) Debnam
- George Parkman Debnam (1889-1915), died in Gallipoli campaign
- Harry Debnam (1891-?)
- Maria (Mia) Debnam (1893-1993), married John Boughton Harris
- (Phoebe) Isobel J. Debnam (1895-1987), married Charles Bourne
- Gladys Margaret Debnam (1898-1996), married Charles Randell
- William Debnam (1900-1901)
- Mary Ellen (Nell) Debnam (1903-1993), married Frank Prentis
- Frank Debnam (1905-?)
