John Gaten COMPLETED

[egaten]

My first post. I'm looking for the parents of my grandfather, John William Gaten, who was the subject of a post earlier this year which is now marked completed. He was born in St Helier, Jersey in 1871 but he does not appear the census for that year, nor are there any potential parents named Gaten. Does anybody know who the parents of John William Gaten are?

[Hill]

Hi

You're in luck!

John William Gaten was born 2nd Dec 1870 and baptised St Helier Church, 15th Jan 1871. Father was John Gaten, a Bandsman in 17th Reg. and mother Elizabeth Holmes. Godparents were John Gaten and Laura Griffin.

Stewart

[CaroleW]

1871 census for 3 Patriotic St St Helier - all children b St Helier

William Holmes 53 Sawyer b England
Jane   51 b England
Elizabeth   18 daughter - married but shown as Holmes
Thomas   15
Jane  10
John W Gaton 4 months grandson - spelling as per image
RG10 Piece 5755 Folio 60 Page 6

[egaten]

Thanks to Stewart for the information - I suspected he was a soldier.
Thanks also to CaroleW. I'm sure it must be the same person, just a change in spelling. As he was living with his grandparents at the age of olny 4 months, do you think he has been orphaned? Or perhaps his father has been posted abroad?

[CaroleW]

Hi

Please see my reply above

Elizabeth   18 daughter - married but shown as Holmes

Elizabeth was his mother

[egaten]

Yes, I see that now. Would the fact that she appeared under her own name be of any significance do you think? Perhaps her husband had died or left her?

[CaroleW]

I think it was just an enumerators error recording her under her parents surname instead of her married name

[egaten]

Thanks to all those who posted and to HistoryFan for the very informative PM

[Bannasidhe]

I just discovered my connection to John Gaten and Eliza Holmes today.

My great-Grandfather was Edward Hugh Gaten - son of John  Gaten and Eliza Holmes. Ed Gaten married Julia Herlihy of Kerry but disappeared out of our  family story c 1901/1902 and we never found out what happened.

Julia moved to Holyoke M.A in 1904 with her daughter Mary and told everyone that her husband died of Malaria in Egypt in 1902 while serving in the French Foreign Legion. My grand-mother, Hannah, was raised by Julia's sister in Cork and told her family that her father had died in the Boer War in 1902. My father is named Edward after him.

Today I learned he died in Jersey in 1904 and had two brothers - this is all  news to us.

I would be very grateful for any information anyone can give me. Especially about Edward Gaten - my long-lost and very mysterious great-grandfather.