William James Gibbs b. 1852

[Harold1066]

Never done any work with American Records but if you know his children, do you know any details of his wife. 

In the UK Birth certificates given maiden name of the mother, if you have this you should be able to pin down their marriage.

Again in the UK Marriage certificates give you, the age of the Bride & Groom and the name of the respective fathers.  From this you may then be able to tie him down to one or other of the GIBBS families.

PS:  Glad to be of help - One of my wife's grandmother' lines is a GIBBS family, which is what caught my eye.  Sadly they are  not from Stratford but a village about 20 miles away from there over the border in Oxfordshire and as far as we know none made it as far as Stratford, until around the 1930's when her married Grandmother (now not a GIBBS) was in that area with her husband and family.

[tracerstlm]

Well perhaps somewhere far back we are still related!??!  Ha!

Since William (my g-g-grandfather) came here when was 4, he was unmarried.  His wife is "Nellie May" but I have not been able to find her maiden name.  I have not ordered any documents yet, I was kind of building a list of those I want in order to buy at once.  That may be silly, I'm not sure.  But I definitely need a marriage certificate for my Littleport emigrating family as it is, so I definitely have 2 to buy.

I am really quite confident now that I've gone back over the census records I have very closely, that William's family are Henry & Mary Ann Gibbs with children Henry, Frederick, Emily, William, and Walter.  The ages and names for the parents and 2 older sons match PERFECTLY on both sides of the pond.  Both Emily and William were born after the 1851 census and emigrated before the 1861 census so no luck there.  The youngest, Walter, was born in New York. 

In digging around the census records for Walter, I found his sister living with him and his daughters in 1900 and 1910.  Apparently Walter's wife had passed and the census record tells me Emily never married nor had any children.  It does tell me she immigrated to America in 1856.  This is the same year as my g-g-grandfather, William.  I'm more convinced this is the right family. 

On the 1851 UK census, I see that the family interviewed immediately before Henry, Mary Ann, Henry, & Frederick, are a William and Elizabeth Gibbs.  I also noticed that both Henry and William ("next door" or very nearby) are both listed in census records as being born in Marston Sicca or Long Marston.  William and Elizabeth are quite perfectly aged to be his parents, but I suppose I will be adding another birth certificate to my order!?!? 

Ultimately, I still can find no immigration records mathing the family ages correctly.  But there are no discrepancies in the oldest 4 family members between the UK and USA so I am thinking this likely them.  I don't find an 1861 UK census with the family either - further proof they have emigrated? 

Lastly, 2 records confirm Emily was born in Dec 1851 and William in Nov 1852 which actually does not match your search. 

ARGH so frustrating!  But it feels really good when you find a nugget that leads somewhere, yes?

I'm now starting some UK research on my father's side - much harder since they have been in the USA since the 1600's and 1700's.  But you mentioned Derbyshire I believe - my MANFULL line is from Derby apparently.....

[tracerstlm]

Perhaps you did not mention Derbyshire - that might've been an e-mail I got earlier today.  I cannot see what you wrote as I type, apologies!

I am next going to find out if US marriage/birth records from the 1800's can be ordered and might contain the same info the UK has.  I'd like to know who Nellie May is!  I know one of her parents was born in England, but she and the other parent are from the States.  We'll see where it leads!

[Harold1066]

I did  mention Derbyshire - but the connection is through distant lines that went there during the 1850 - 1901 period.  Although it seems to have had some big draw because my wife's distant Bedfordshire family went that way and so did some of my Kent Family - although they do not seem to have crossed paths as far as I can see.

Like I said my wife's GIBBS side come from a very small Oxfordshire family and where there from at least 1700 - unfortunately the village had a fire in the early 1700s and amongst the things that were lost  the Parish Records got destroyed - so we have got stuck there.  However there are hints that the GIBBS line came from another village but which is in the opposite direction to Stratford.

GIBBS seems to be a popular surname in that particular area of the Country and there is another family from one of the next villages that whilst they do not appear to have any connections to the GIBBS line I am working on they seem to have children with the same name born in the same year which can lead to a lot of confusion as you are  finding out - but that's what makes this all worth doing .

Good luck in your research - unless you are certain about the certificates it might be worth getting a few at a time then if all turns out wrong not too much money wasted.

[tracerstlm]

Thanks so very much and good luck to in your research as well!

[Gibbs Seeker]

Hello Ward Gibbs;
 This is Robert (Bob) Gibbs in Ripley, New York. Not far from Dunkirk. I believe we are related because of the information you have provided. My ancestors came from Stratford upon Avon Eng. Where I have just returned from. I have found that William Henry Gibbs was born in 1778 in Long Marston and married Elizabeth Taylor  from Bidford Upon Avon. They lived at 56 Waterside st. in Stratford Upon Avon. Thier Son lived at 57 Waterside St. and was married to Mary Ann Taylor. William and Elizabeth shows up on a census back at and Almsman (an old folks home) Where William died at the ripe old age of 90 in 1868. Henry and Mary Ann moved to Dunkirk N.Y. in 1856 with their 4 children Henry James Gibbs Jr., Fredrick Gibbs, William James Gibbs, and Emily Gibbs. Walter John Gibbs was born in Dunkirk in 4/11/1858.  His other Children were Sarah, Mary, and Ellen who all stayed in England.
  For further information please email me at (*)

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[Gibbs Seeker]

Nellie Mae Hempstead