John Adam Gibb (Johannes Gib) 1874-1952 (Great Grandfather)

According to database "Germany, Select Birth and Baptisms",  Johannes Gib was born December 21, (alternate date, December 28), 1874 in Bavaria, Germany.  His christening was held January 1, 1875 at  Katholisch, Fischbach, Dahn, Pfalz, Bavaria.

Johannes parents were Father, Danielis Gib and Mother, Mariae Annae Bauer.

He was one of  eight children. 

His siblings were:

Magdelana Gib (1872 - unknown)

Daniel P. Gib (1876 - 1926)

Magdalenum Gib (1878 - unknown)

George Gibb Sr. (1881 - unknown)

Anna M. Gibb (1883 - 1961)

Elisabeth (Lizzie) Gibb (1885 - unknown)

Joseph Gibb (1889 - unknown)

Philip Martin Gibb  (1891 -1986)


On the New York Passenger List.  The family is recorded as arriving in New York on April 15, 1880 on the ship  Amsterdam.   The ship departed from Rotterdam, Netherlands but the family was listed of German origin.

Members of the  Gib family listed were:

Daniel, Age 34,  Marie, Age 30, Johanne (John), Age 5, and Daniel, Age 3.  Father, Daniel's occupation was listed  possibly as Builder (transcribed).

Marie's parents, Johanne Bauer, Age 60 and Magdalene Bauer, Age 60 were also passengers.  Their occupation was listed as farmers.

Marriage
John Gibb, Age 20,  married Anna Nelson, age 19 sometime in 1894 according to the 1900 Census.

                           John and Anna Gibb with baby Elizabeth

Children
John and Anna had three surviving children:

John Daniel Gibb (1894-1984)  John joined the army in 1917 and moved to Los Angeles.  He married Zana Harrington Murphy on July 2, 1918 in Comanche, Oklahoma.   They settled in Los Angeles and I have no record of children.  Although I don't have record of a divorce, Zana remarried in 1930 so I am assuming they did divorce at some point.  John died January 27, 1984 and is buried in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, HI

Elizabeth Gibb (1899 - 1961) (our Grandmother)  There will be a separate post for Elizabeth.

Anthony J. Gibb (1908 - 1974)  Anthony was age 8 or younger when his mother left the family.  It appears that Elizabeth took care of him because in the 1930 census,  Anthony is living with Elizabeth and her husband, Thomas Kenny.  Anthony married Pauline Lee from Peekskill, NY.  I am not sure of the date.  They had one son  John Gibb, born in 1938.  I have not been able to find any information on John besides his birth.  In 1942,  Anthony joined the army as a Warrant Officer.   He listed his occupation as a chauffeur. 


Census Reports

Census reports record the family residence in the United States beginning in 1880:

1880 U.S. Census - June, 1880 - resided at 382 Wallabout St. in Brooklyn.  John, age 6 is living with his parents Daniel and Mary.  His brother Daniel and Magdeline, age 1.   His parents birthplace is listed as Bavaria, Germany and father Daniel's occupation is listed as Laborer.

Mary's parents, John and Maria Bauer are also listed as residing at this address.

1900 U.S. Census - June, 1900 - resided at 162 Hamburg Avenue in Brooklyn.  John, Age 25 living with his Wife Anna, Age 24 and two children, John, Age 5 and Elizabeth, Age 9 months (grandmother).    John's occupation was listed as Car Repairer, Electrician.
John recorded his and his parent's birthplace as Germany and Anna recorded hers and her parent's birthplace as New York, New York.
It is also interesting to note that at this point Anna was recorded as having had 4 children, 2 living.

1905 New York State Census - June, 1905 -  resided at 1656 DeKalb Avenue in Brooklyn.
John, Age 30 is recorded as living with his wife Annie, Age 29 and their children John, age 10 and Lizzie, Age 5.   John listed his occupation as electrician.

1910 U.S. Census - April, 1910 - resided at 456 North Street, in Queens, NY.  John, Age 35, is recorded as living with his wife Anna, Age 34,  John Jr, Age 15, Elizabeth, Age 10, and Anthony, Age 1 year, 8 months.  Anna has recorded that she had had 5 children,  3 living.   At this point John and Anna had been married 16 years.   John's occupation is listed as electrician with the railway and John Jr. is working in a knitting mill.

1915 New York State Cenus - June, 1915 - resided at 2031 Greene Avenue,  Ridgewood Station, Queens, NY.   John, Age 39,  is recorded as living with his daughter Elizabeth, Age 16 and son Anthony, Age 8 and a domestic servant Margareth Geyer, Age 30..   John's occupation is listed as Electrician and Elizabeth is keeping house.   It appears at this point that Anna did not die, but left her family.   There has been speculation within the family that Margareth was more than just a domestic servant. 
The oldest son, John Gibb Jr.'s is no longer living with the family, and his trail picks up again in May, 1917, where he registered for the draft, enlisted in the Army and listed his address as 545 1/2 N. Westmoreland Rd, Los Angeles, CA

1920 US Federal Census - January 13, 1920 - Resided at 2031 Greene St. , Ridgewood Long Island.  John lists himself as age 44 and widowed.  He is living with daughter Elizabeth, age 20, son Anthony, age 11 and Margareth Geyer, Boarder, age 34.   John's occupation is listed as Electrician and Elizabeth as a clerk in a Dept. Store.  Although he listed himself as a widower,  records indicate that his wife Anna lived until at least age 88. 

1930 US Federal Census - April 14, 1930 - Resided at 12 Cruegers Cortlandt Town, Westchester County.  John, age 54, is listed as living with Margaret Geyer, Servant. age 44.  He owns the home and it is valued at $2000.   He also lists his birthplace as New York.   His occupation is an Electrician with the Railroad.  Margaret lists her occupation as servant with a private family.

Note:  Up until the 1915 Census reports,  John listed his birthplace as Germany,  from 1920 on,  he began listing his birthplace as New York.
I did find that in November, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson began requiring German born men who had not been naturalized to register with the US Government.  This might have something to do with the change in birthplace.

                                               Margaret Geyer

Draft Registrations

WWI
1917-1918  - Age 42.  Listed his birthdate as December 28, 1875. Residency at 2031 Greene St.  Ridgewood, Queens and his occupation as Electrician at the Museum of Brooklyn Institute.  Anna Gibb was his nearest relative.  He also says he is native born.

WWII
1942 - Age 61.  Residency as Main St. Cruegers, Westchester, NY.  Listed his birthdate as December 20, 1880 and place of birth as Brooklyn. (probably not a popular thing to be German at that point).
He listed his employer as NY Central RR and the "Person who will always know your address" as Margaret Kenny, our great grandmother on the other side.

In March, 1937,  there is a record of a SS Application which lists John's birthdate as December 28, 1880 and his parents as Daniel Gibb and Anna M. Bauer.   I can understand why he changed his birthplace over the years but I'm not sure why the birth year was bumped up from 1874 to 1880.

Death

According to the NY Death Index,  John Adam Gibb died on October 8, 1952 in Peekskill, NY (Peekskill Hospital) at age 75. (or age 77 if you go by the original birthdate). 

There is record of a will filed as of 1/22/53 in the NY Probate records.

Updated Note -  I had a conversation with a distant cousin, Marvin Gib who lives in Germany and he provided me with more information about where our family originated from:

"With the information of the local family book nearly all Gib‘s stayed in the last centurys (including the 20th) in Herxheim bei Landau/Pfalz. So, two of the five kids of my grandparents still live there. The other three (including my father)
went to other nearby germany towns. As example we are living in Landau which is just 15 mins away from Herxheim. My father told me that the one grandkid of my grandaunt (his aunt) went with his wife to New York City. Btw They got their first children couple of days ago! Herxheim was till end of World War 2 part of Bavaria, so it‘s basically the same as Herxheim. Since then it‘s part of the new state Rhineland-Palatinate."