Need help searching for "Gibsons" please

[SusanMC1]

Hello:  I live in B.C. Canada and I am hoping to find the origins of my Great Grandparents who are listed in the censuses I have available as being born in "Scotland".  My Great Grandfather is John Gibson, born 8 Oct 1856 and his wife is Barbara M. born 1 Jan 1861.  I went through every listing on Scotlandspeople for John Gibson, 1856 and nearly all the listings for 1855 as well and finally gave up without success.  Any guidance as to where else I can search would be most appreciated.  Susan Cunningham (Gibson). 

[MonicaL]

Hi Susan

I think those birth months for John and Barbara may be variable. I think this is them, mistranscribed in 1901 1911, showing different birth details in Mahon 4th, North Vancouver:

John Asbson 50 - birth date July 1860
Barbara Asbson 49 - birth date May 1862
James A Asbson 18
Walter E Asbson 16

Likely John and Barbara married over in Canada. Their migration years show as:

John - 1867
Barbara - 1890

Monica 

[SusanMC1]

Hello Monica:  Thank you very much for taking the time to check this out for me and to reply to me.   I was wondering if you could tell me where you found this information as it has me more confused than ever.  Is it possible for such mistakes with the birth years to have occurred?  The location of 4th and Mahon is correct, the two siblings are correct except Walter E. should be Walter V. for "Valentine".  No wonder I couldn't find John Gibson on Scotlandspeople with me having the wrong birth year!  Is there any way of finding John and Barbara on another site so that I can trace their place of birth?  I would like to go back one more generation with both of them for my family tree.  Thanks again for your work.  Susan

[MonicaL]

The 1911 census entry came from Ancestry's 1911 transcription of the Canadian census - so probably explains the mis-transcription on names. I have looked at the original image of the census there, and the details I have added re migration dates and birth months/years is as shows.

I think you might need to hunt for the marriage or death certs. in Canada to try and establish any parents' names for John or Barbara to try and work back to their families. Just one comment, to add to search parameters, with the fluidity of spellings for surnames in those times, it is also worth considering McGibbon on your searches.

Monica 

[SusanMC1]

Thank you very much Monica for the follow-up and information to continue.  I don't think I can trace back to John's parents as it is only his name and his wife's name that I have from all the Canadian census records I have available to me.  I might give Scotlandspeople another try with the new birth year of 1860 rather than what I was using of 1856.  I will probably have to save up some money, though, as I broke the bank in my first searches on that site!  Susan

[MonicaL]

It's an expensive way to do it Susan. You need to find some verification of John and Barbara's parents from their certs. in Canada, otherwise you won't know when looking at birth certs on SP whether it is the right cert and parents

For now, have a look on IGI www.familysearch.org. It is very good for births post 1855 in Scotland, up to around 1874 when the Mormons stopped loading on data.

Why don't you put a post up on the Canadian Board here on RC. The Canadian RChatters are great  They have access to more specific Canadian resources and may be able to find something that could help, www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,166.0.html

It would also help, perhaps from either of the boys' birth certs to try and confirm Barbara's maiden name as this would help with the searches.

Monica

[ev]

hi all 

agree with Monica
given the variation in birth dates they will be hard to trace in scotland and
impossible to verify

had a look at british columbia archives -

http://search.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/sn-1AA2752/gbsearch#form

found walter valentine gibson birth 14th feb. 1895
can't see a marriage here
i suspect that james A gibson(born 20th dec. 1892 ?) was born elsewhere
can't make it out on 1901 or 1911 census
so marriage might not be british columbia

there is a marriage for walter valentine gibson to lavinia blair 3rd oct. 1917
perhaps this would have barbara's maiden name 

ev

[ev]

 

james arthur gibson born 20th dec 1892 saskatchewan
father john gibson , mother barbara mcphail

http://www.isc.ca/VitalStatistics/Genealogy/vsgs_srch.aspx

you need to put his full name i.e. gibson , james arthur

looks like marriages will start once they have finished the deaths

ev

[MonicaL]

Well done Ev - that's a great find!

Monica