Doesn't Every Family Have A Smith?

I am sure every researcher has a plethora of Smiths in their lines and our Nova Scotian Smiths are no exception....and of course there are problems

courtesy of teddybeartrails Ancestry

There is a huge Smith connection out of New York but in Nova Scotia, the connection to my Vincent line began when an Englishman landed on the north shore of Nova Scotia.   

John Smith a farmer born about 1793 in Bristol, England married our Catherine Mary Vincent - she was the daughter of George Vincent & Mary HIggins.  

John and Catherine were married 19 Nov 1839 in Pictou Co, NS - this was found in a book by Heather Allison Long, "Marriages in Nova Scotia (Excluding Halifax City), 1752-1841", Volume 4 (Q-Z), pg 128.

A hint from a tree on Ancestry by Arlene Smith-Lowe, aka teddybeartrails, was that John Smith died in 1866 and I found his death entry at the Cumberland Co Genealogy website and then I was able to confirm it on the Nova Scotia Vital Statistics website.

Catherine, on the other hand, is still unverified.  According to teddybear, Catherine died in 1886 at New Annan, NS but I can't find a death entry anywhere and there is a possible second wife with the same date of death - ugg

I last found Catherine living with her son Charles in 1881 at Wentworth so it does lend itself to her dying after that year; however, the where could be challenged.  

A vitals entry would help confirm her death and with finding their burial locations - I want to say they are buried at the New Annan Bell Gift Cemetery where a couple of their children are but again, no proof - ugg

BUT - here's where it gets confusing and messed up..

According to some notes from Arlene Smith-Lowe, John may have been married twice but no mention of the first wife.  Also, it states that John and Catherine had 4 children: John Smith, Joshua Smith, Annie Smith, and Charles Smith.  Then on the tree, there is a Mary Jane, Nancy, and a George.

First George - he's on the 1871 census and he can't be John's son because he died in 1866 and the George on the census was born in 1869/1870 - turns out he was Catherine's grandson.

Second, Mary Jane - according to the marriage entry to John Archibald Campbell, her mother was Ann Fraser (maybe the 2nd wife?) and her death was found on the old GeneJanes site (since shut down).  She was born in 1842 so she can't be Catherine's given that John and Catherine were married in 1839 - so at this time, I have un-linked her from this line because there are no hard records to prove the connection.  Those who have linked Mary to John have Ann as the wife and her death is listed as the same as Catherine's?!

Third - I think Annie and Nancy are one in the same - Nancy is on the 1871 census with her mother born around 1847.  Then we have Arlene's notes which says that Annie was born abt 1852 but that would make her a twin to her brother John? And then Arlene also has a Nancy in her tree born abt 1844.  The notes for Annie say she married a Neil Campbell - so far I haven't had any luck confirming either.

I don't know where Arlene got all her notes but there are problems with them especially with the 'extra' children but the three boys, Charles, John Jr & Joshua are confirmed.