Person talk:Hannah Gibbs (15)

Evidence is needed [15 September 2018]

From the Family page to George Bosworth: "to Hannah Gibbs, but I think this is an error because all other documents has her as Giles."

This is not accurate and not a genealogical argument. First of all, one credible and authoritative source often outweighs numerous secondary sources. But specifically it does not stand up to what evidence available.

The results of a quick search says three separate documents say Gibbs and one says Giles. So "all other documents" is misleading.

The marriage record says Gibbs (first document).

There is a record attached to the family register (obviously not recorded until after her marriage, not a recording of the actual birth and not showing the parents) that says Hannah's maiden name was Giles. Now, of course, when this is indexed, each child's birth gets listed as Hannah Giles, but ultimately this is all derivative data from a single original document, so only counts as one. Further, the family register that gives the name Hannah Giles is clearly a copy, and the original does not seem to be available online. The first two children's births are found here and there is no mention of Hannah's maiden name or Hannah's birth there, so it is not known what the original that informed the copy actually says. It would be easy to misread Gibs as Giles, for example.

The death record of son Danford F. Bosworth #3 gives the mothers maiden name as Gibbs (second document).

The death record of daughter Lucy (Bosworth) Lincoln #11 does the same (third document).

Additional supporting evidence is that a Hannah Gibbs is baptized in Templeton 26 May 1771 to Jonas Gibbs (which of course would be a good match to a birth on 11 May 1771 as stated in the family register) and George and Hannah do name a son Jonas. Unfortunately no probate has been found for Jonas, since it would probably provide proof.

Searching Massachusetts records, no birth of a Hannah Giles is found anywhere. Phillipston records show no births or deaths under either name, and the only marriage in this timeframe under either name is a Sally Gibbs in 1789, and Jonas of Templeton has a daughter Sally born in 1769.

ma-vitalrecords.org adds the following comment to their index of Peterhsam record giving the name Giles: "Maiden name should probably be Gibbs."

I am changing Hannah's maiden name to Gibbs. --Jrich 04:20, 16 September 2018 (UTC)