Isaac Gibson, Sea Captain

[ShaunJ]

The names Prince and Gibson seem somewhat interchangeable in this family so I am wondering if this is your Mary Ann in 1861 at the Eastham Packet in Great Boughton:

Hannah Leftwick    Wife Mar 49 Publican & Flat Man's wife, Stanney, Cheshire   
Emily Leftwick daur 9   1852 Scholar, Chester   
Mary A Prince Grand Daughter 10 Scholar, Chester

EDIT - probably not - there is a William Prince/Elizabeth Leftwick marriage in Chester in 1854

[jackie hubbard]

Thanks, Shaun. It really is confusing. There is a Mary Ann Gibson, born to Mary Ann Dale and Isaac Gibson in 1850. But, I believe she died in 1852. The Mary Ann Gibson I am looking for is listed in a marriage entry for 1877:  Mary Ann Gibson to Thomas Barnes. The bride's father is a Sea Captain. Her age at the time -- and in Census Records for 1881 and beyond -- is consistent with her being born c. 1855. In theory, she is my great grandmother. (Her son, John Barnes, was my grandfather.) Perhaps she lied about  her age. If so, it was a lie that started with her wedding day and ended with her death. 

[ShaunJ]

It is interesting that, of the "Prince" children, Charles and Elizabeth also named their father as Isaac Gibson, sea captain, on their marriages. (Mary's brother John named his father as Isaac Gibson deceased, master mariner).

The 1871 census shows all the children as Gibson, and the only Mary is the one listed as aged 12. So I too am coming round to the conclusion that the Mary who married Thomas Barnes was the one baptised as Mary Prince in 1860, and that she misrepresented her age on marriage. 

[jackie hubbard]

Hi Shaun. I believe Isaac Gibson died between 1851 and 1861 (I need to verify that Mary Ann Dale was listed on the 1861 Census as remarried and living with her mother.) I will also check the date of John's marriage. (He appears to be the only legitimate claim to Isaac as a father.) I have yet to explore the Prince marriage/relationship. It's interesting that, although Mary Ann Gibson claimed Isaac as her father, she failed to add 'deceased.' Which is why I initially thought -- wrongly, as it was pointed out -- that Isaac was alive at the time of the 1877 wedding. Good reason to misrepresent her age: the bride was 17 and the groom was 32. (He did outlive her by the way.)

[jackie hubbard]

Interesting:  There is a marriage between Mary Ann Dale and Charles Prince, 1854 Stockport, Cheshire (FreeBMD - 8a page 12). Not sure why she reverted to her maiden name. According to the 1877 marriage entry, Mary Ann Gibson was born in 1855, or thereabouts, so draw your own conclusions. (No proof of the birth so far.) HOWEVER, there is also a record on Family Search for the Stockport Sunday School:  24 June 1855, Mary Ann Gibson, father Isaac Gibson. This would fit with the 1850 birth of Mary Ann Gibson. Except she supposedly died in 1852. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

[ShaunJ]

The Gibson children in the Stockport Sunday School records (Job/John/Josh, Joseph, Sarah, Ellen, Mary Ann) are I think the children of Isaac and Ellen Gibson of Stockport. Ellen was formerly Ellen Hudson. Per the 1851 census these were:

James Gibson 1833
Job Gibson    1836
Sarah Gibson 1837
Mary Ann Gibson 1841
Ellen Gibson 1843

This Isaac doesn't appear in the censuses either but the father's name is corroborated by James's Massachusetts 1900 marriage record,  Job's 1836 baptism at St Mary Stockport, and James's 1838 national school record, all on FamilySearch.

[ShaunJ]

This Isaac doesn't appear in the censuses either

Correction:  the "Stockport" Isaac is on the 1841 census with his family in Warrington. Aged 35, a dresser (or a draper?).   

[jackie hubbard]

Thank you for clearing that up. I am now left with Mary Ann Gibson actually being Mary Ann Prince. I always wondered about her signature on the marriage entry. The Gibson part of the signature appears as an afterthought -- separate from the rest.  I still don't understand why she continued the fiction for 40 years.

[ShaunJ]

Mary Prince was baptised Mary, not Mary Ann.  I think it probably was her that married Thomas Barnes and I am wondering if she used her deceased sister's birth documents to avoid the complications of being a minor on marriage, so becoming Mary Ann. Just a theory !