Determining connection to 18th century DNA matches (Liverpool/Wirral)

[History Lives]

I'm looking to determine the relationship between a number of my DNA matches, who are all descendants of Samuel Edge and Jane Gilbert, and myself.

Long story short, my ancestor John Potter was a mariner of African descent born circa 1778, likely in the vicinity of Liverpool. There are several posts on this forum regarding him already so I won't duplicate the details.

Many of his descendants are DNA tested and I have access to multiple kits. Across these kits, several are matching descendants of Samuel Edge and Jane Glibert, who were married in Heswall, Cheshire in 1834. These descendants all have small percentages of African ancestry also. The matches are in the 10-30CM range primarily.

I have built back several generations of their tree (an image of which I've attached) and tried to add in as many descendants as possible for the ThruLines but am still struggling to establish a connection.

Jane Gilbert was born in Huyton, Lancashire, as was her mother Catherine Newell, so I'm looking at that branch most closely due to the proximity to Liverpool.

I have had a cursory look through news articles from the time and also the parish records that I could actually view images of to see if I could find any mention of African ancestry but so far I've been unsuccessful.

Totally stumped at the moment, so I'd appreciate another pair of eyes to check over the tree and also see if there's anything in any records I may have missed that would provide the answer.

Thanks in advance. Trees are available on ancestry for reference as well.

[garstonite]

Very intrigued by this Thread
I had a good friend - sadly passed - KEITH GILBERT - from Speke ,Liverpool - with African descent - Keith and his brother - you could see the colour in them - yet you say it comes from John Potter - so I need to know - was John Potter  BLOOD related to Jane Gilbert ??
Speke to Huyton is 8 miles by road - probably 5 across countryside - would you like me to contact the Gilbert family in Speke
 

[garstonite]

Just opened the tree - and it is such a coincidence
Gilbert
Hand
Newell
Edge
Potter
I KNOW someone in every one of these families -  Newell -  is in Garston - the other 4 are all in Speke ,Liverpool .

can I ask are you local to these families in Liverpool ?

[History Lives]

Very intrigued by this Thread
I had a good friend - sadly passed - KEITH GILBERT - from Speke ,Liverpool - with African descent - Keith and his brother - you could see the colour in them - yet you say it comes from John Potter - so I need to know - was John Potter  BLOOD related to Jane Gilbert ??
Speke to Huyton is 8 miles by road - probably 5 across countryside - would you like me to contact the Gilbert family in Speke
 

Thanks for your reply, that's very interesting. I'm asking the same question you are, how was Jane Gilbert, or possibly her husband Samuel Edge, related to my ancestor John Potter? I don't know who John Potter's parents were because the name is a bit too common in Liverpool to pin down one individual without more information at the moment.

Although Jane Gilbert was born in Huyton, her father may have been born on the Wirral though this is just a supposition based on some recurring names like Lydia, which are found across multiple generations. Lydia Gilbert was Jane Gilbert's sister and there's also a possible auntie called Jane Gilbert as well born 1761 in Thurstaston.

It certainly wouldn't do any harm to reach out to this other Gilbert family, just in case they are somehow related.

I live in Chester so I'm not far away. John Potter, my ancestor, married and had children in the Pall Mall area of Liverpool before later moving to Chester where his wife was from. Some of his children moved back to Liverpool, mostly ending up in West Derby and Everton if memory serves my right, which is not far at all from Huyton, so they may have had family there.