Genealogy Reseach Information
This page is for those of you with an interest in the hobby of genealogy
and those who are interested in the research we have been doing, what we
have found and what we are currently working on.
March 20, 1998: US Gorbys Web Site Update
First Year Anniversary Online! Thank You!
In our first year online a lot has been accomplished, starting with
the addition of 2706 individuals to the web site in only 12 months.
We have been able to update the web site every two months with new, and
corrected information, something only possible in an electronic medium.
Our ISP has logged over 3500 'hits' against the web site during that
time period, an average of over 9 per day. That may not sound like a lot,
but it is almost three times what we expected when we started it.
80 different individuals have contributed information to the web site,
and we have 'met' many friendly and interesting relatives and fellow
genealogists during this time.
The most exciting aspect about our electronic "soapbox" which keeps the ball
rolling: The ability to share knowledge with our family members about
their history and where they came from.
Lots and LOTS of data entry accomplished with 1324 individuals added to the
project since the January 19, 1998 update. In fact, that's how we have
spent most of our time this last two months. Are we caught up yet? Don't
believe it!
David Gorby, son of Jesse, son of Thomas who was missed during the compiling
of both the 1936 and 1979 versions of the Gorby Book has been made known to
us. His great-grandaughter Alberta Lankford has information on over 200 of
his descendants.
The descendants of John Edward Gorby, son of William, son of Samuel George,
son of Joseph have been located in Michigan. This branch of the family is
doing well and has spread as far as Iowa and Texas.
Marge Higginson in Utah has been meticulously combing through the Delaware
Tax records of Brandywine Hundred from 1700-1850 which still exist. Her efforts are greatly
appreciated as she has added much to support the "Three Joseph" theory, i.e.
that the Joseph Gorby who married Hannah Stilley was the son of the Joseph
who married Mary Littlejohn/Steham/Loan, and that he also has a son named
Joseph. We also believe at this time that John, listed in the 1936 Gorby
book as "mother unknown" is also a son of Hannah Stilley.
Thanks to Jim & Linda Rambo and Don Mosemann, we now have in our possession copies
of four deed records from Joseph (II) and his wife Mary Littlejohn/Steham/Loan
when they sold property Mary inherited from her first husband Erasmus Stedham.
They are the oldest known documents relating to the Gorbys in America and make
for interesting reading. Partial images and transacribed verbiage can be found
in the Photo Album.
Some Gorbys have been located living in Kent Co, DE between 1850 and 1900.
We do not yet know how they "fit in" to the rest of the family.
We have also made contact with a family of 'Gorbeys' who live in Media, PA,
just west of Philadelphia and are trying to determine if they also are a
branch of our family.
Thanks to Joe Chaplow, his wife Linda (Justison) Chaplow and especially to
Joe's mother Sarah Ann (Gorby) Chaplow, and also to Terry's sister Lyn (Gorby)
Black, we have made great strides in unravelling the morass of Gorby lines in
Columbiana Co, OH. Several hundred 'new' Gorbys now appear on the web site
due to their efforts including the discovery that 'George Norman Gorby' was
really Norman L Gorby, son of John Clark, son of John, son of Samuel George,
son of Joseph. His descendants now appear on the web site.
Much new information added on the descendants of the following Gorbys:
Descendants of John Clark Gorby, son of John, son of Samuel George, son of Joseph,
especially descendants of his sons Bartlett H and Norman L.
Descendants of Francis Marion Gorby, son of Thomas Wilson, son of Jesse, son of
Thomas.
Descendants of William Gorby, son of Eli, son of Thomas.
Descendants of George Merritt Casey, son of Mary Ellen Pierce, daughter of
Lena Gorby, daughter of Joseph.
Descendants of Steven E Gorby, son of George Nelson, son of George Henry,
son of Samuel Stilley, son of Samuel George, son of Joseph.
Descendants of John Mack Gorby, son of Marion, son of John Ryan, son of Eli,
son of Thomas.
Information has been added to the gedcom on the following Related Families:
Bonar, Pierce.
January 19, 1998: US Gorbys Web Site Update
Greetings! A lot of research has been accomplished in the last two months,
mainly concentrated in two areas: Ohio 1870-1910 Census information, and
any available Delaware information 1700-1850.
As a result, quite a lot of new information has turned up as evidenced below
by the large numbers of individuals both added to the project (575) and removed from
the "Unknown US Gorbys" page (60).
We are quite excited about many of our findings, several of which are detailed
below:
The Joseph Gorby Homestead of 1760 which was pictured in both the 1936 and
1980 versions of the Gorby Book has been located and is currently owned by
Cousins Jim & Linda Rambo, descendants of Lena and Joseph Pierce through their
daughter Mary Ellen.
A descendant of Lena Gorby and Joseph Pierce through their son Uriel Pierce
has been located. Cousin Don Mosemann has been able to confirm that Joseph
Pierce was indeed the brother to Samuel George Gorby's wife Ann Pierce and has
provided other valuable information as well.
We have received quite a bit of help from Lyman Lewis Justison, his daughter Linda
and son-in-law Joe Chaplow (Joe's mother is also a Gorby). They have sent us
information from Lena Pierce Justison's family Bible and were able to locate a
copy her father's will which was probated in 1858.
Family of Hannah Stilley Gorby found. We are also working with the
Daguerrian Society to see if it can be determined if she is the oldest
known individual for whom a photograph exists.
For more information on Hannah's ancestors, follow this link to
Mandy Robert's Home Page.
Mary Loan found. This information came to us too late to be included in
the family information pages or the GEDCOMs:
Mary Littlejohn (probably the daughter of John and Maria Littlejohn) married
Erasmus Stedham on 3 Dec 1726, Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church in
Wilmington, DE. Their children were:
--> Erasmus Stedham, b. 20 Oct 1727.
--> Maria Stedham, b. 8 Oct 1729.
--> Catherine Stedham, b. ca 1731.
After Erasmus Stedham died in 1732, Mary married William Loan in Philadelphia,
PA 18 Oct 1732.
Mary married Joseph Gorby on 26 Feb 1745, Holy Trinity Church.
We now believe evidence shows that the Joseph Gorby who married Mary Loan
in 1745 is not the same Joseph Gorby who married Hannah Stilley in 1770.
The "Official" Family Tree as described in the 1936 Book will not be
revised until further research is complete and we better understand the
relationship between these two Joseph Gorbys. It also appears that Joseph &
Hannah were also the parents of a Joseph, and a John in addition to
Samuel George, Mary, Lena and Jonathon.
James A Gorby, a descendant of Pierce Gorby, son of Samuel George, son of Joseph & Hannah
has been located, though we have not yet had time to include his family
information on the site.
Much new information added on the descendants of the following Gorbys:
George M Casey, son of Mary Ellen Pierce, daughter of Lena Gorby,
daughter of Joseph & Hannah.
Eliza Gorby, daughter of Jonathon, son of Joseph and Hannah.
George Ira Gorby, son of John Clark, son of John, son of Samuel George,
son of Joseph & Hannah.
John Slathial Gorby, son of Jacob, son of Samuel George, son of Joseph &
Hannah.
Joseph Gorby, son of Samuel George, son of Joseph & Hannah.
Sarah Gorby, daughter of Thomas Jeahue, son of Thomas & Elizabeth.
We are still trying to determine how George Norman Gorby of
Columbiana Co, OH fits onto the Family Tree. When this is
determined, it will add another 120+ individuals to the web site.
Kathryn Perkins in CA has listed as one of her ancestors a Samuel Gorby
who was born in DE in 1817. This Samuel is not in our database and we
are trying to determine how he and his descendants fit onto the Family
Tree.
Send email to preparer: thegorb@one.net
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