Martha Gibson (abt. 1818 - 1906)

Born about 1818 in Townland of Cladagh, City of Cavan, in Castlerahan parish, Ireland

Descendants

Died 4 Apr 1906 at about age 88 in Bedford, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada

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Biography

"Ireland Census, 1821," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9S-RW42 : 18 July 2016), Martha Gibson in entry for Jane Gibson, 1821; from "Ireland Census 1821-1851," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2014); citing Castlerahan, Cavan, Ireland, household 66828.

In the 1821 Census listed above, in the Townland of Cladagh, City of Cavan, in Castlerahan parish. Her mother, Jane, presumably a widow was listed as head of the household and was age 43. Her children were listed as well: Robert was 19, archer was 17, Jane was 16, anne 13, mary 9, ally 7, Margt 5 and the youngest was Martha at age 3 yrs. Probably pregnant with her last child James born about 1821.

On the 1871 Ontario Census Martha is listed as head of the household age 48 and a seamstress.

Martha Gibson died April 4, 1906 (aged 85 years, 7 months). She is buried at High Bluff Methodist Cemetery, Portage La Prairie. (Data taken from the Canada Gen Web Cemetery Project online site where there is a great picture of the tombstone.) Of the two parents, only Martha appears on the tombstone. Ira Sparks was left behind when she went west to Manitoba. (Sarah, her daughter and her husband John A Lee also appear on the side of the stone)

Sources

• "Ireland Census, 1821," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9S-RW42 : 18 July 2016), Martha Gibson in entry for Jane Gibson, 1821; from "Ireland Census 1821-1851," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2014); citing Castlerahan, Cavan, Ireland, household 66828.

On the 1871 Manitoba Census she is listed as head of the household age 48 and a seamstress.

Also mentioned in: Detail Manitoba Free Press Winnipeg, Wednesday, April 11, 1908 Vol 33, No. 240 Transcription of text PROBABLE HEIRS TO RICE’S MILLIONS Residents of Manitoba and British Columbia Closely Connected With the murdered Millionaire of New York For Killing Whom Patrick is Now Under Sentence of Death---Claims Being Investigated A Free Press correspondent sends the following biographic sketch in connection with the death of Martha Sparks which occurred recently at the home of her daughter, Mrs. John A. Lee, of High Bluff, Man.; In 1837 four young people, Elizabeth, Margaret, James and Martha Gibson, came from the county of Down, Ireland, and settled In the county of Leeds, Ontario, where they all married. Margaret was married to Robert Blair, near Westport; four of their sons have been prominent in mining circles in British Columbia. Elizabeth was married to Samuel Hannah, who was well known at Seaforth, Ont.; his son, the late Samuel Hannah, carried on extensive farming operations at Griswold. Man., and was killed some five years ago by falling into a well beneath a windmill which he was repairing on one of his farms. James Gibson was married at Westport. He died some years ago, leaving three sons, David, James and Robert, all well known in that locality. Martha, whose demise is just reported, was married to Ira Sparks, by whom there were six children, Mrs. Stafford, of Tichborne, Ont.; David, liveryman of Debolco City, Pennsylvania; Richard, of Prince Albert, Sask.; and Mrs. Joseph Thompson, Mrs. John A. Lee, and Amos Sparks, all of High Bluff, Man. Amos Sparks married Lucietta Rice, an American born lady. who came to Canada from near the border of the state of Connecticut, leaving nearly all her friends behind her. She had a brother, Marshall, unmarried, who had been in business in Texas. Amos Sparks and his friends owned pretty nearly the whole town site of Bytown, now the city of Ottawa; the name is still preserved in that of Sparks street. Lucietta had three sons, Amos, Reuben and Ira Sparks, all of whom moved up near Westport where Ira and Martha Gibson were married, and had the six children whose names have already been given. After a few years, Amos Sparks moved to Texas and Reuben Sparks to Arkansas, leaving their mother on the farm where their father had died in 1869; but later she sold the farm and joined her son Reuben; it is believed that she has since died. Heirs of Marshall Rice. Four years ago Marshall Rice, whose name was identical with the one already mentioned, was murdered in New York city by his underwriters, Jones and Albert T. Patrick, of what the latter is now in the prison at Sing Sing under the penalty of death, the former having been allowed to go free for giving state evidence. Marshall Rice is said to have been eight times a millionaire when assassinated. In 1896, he made his will, a copy of which is in the possession of John A. Lee, High Bluff; in it the name of Lucietta appears. The fact of one of his sisters having gone to Canada many years ago, and the fact of his friends being unknown, led to the connecting of the names of Amos Sparks, Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. John A. Lee, of High Bluff, with the story, but the carelessness of the people and the poor system of registration of nearly a century ago have made it very difficult for the commission which is still investigating to establish the facts. DetailManitoba Free Press Winnipeg, Wednesday, April 11, 1908 Vol 33, No. 240