THE NOBES FAMILY OF KINGSTON, ONTARIO

Genealogy – always lots of questions, never enough answers!

John Nobes b:   02 Sep 1806 Briston, Norfolk, England d:   1860 Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario			Mary Beckham b:   1808 Norwich, Norfolk, England d:   Abt. 1865 Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario
Great grandmother
Mary Ann Nobes b:   11 May 1836 Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario d:   29 Nov 1880 Cobourg, Ontario
Paternal grandmother
Sarah Elizabeth Oakley b:   07 Feb 1860 Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario  d:   05 Oct 1923 Vancouver, British Columbia
Father
George Samuel Powell b:   29 Feb 1896 Vancouver, British Columbia  d:   24 Aug 1963 Vancouver, British Columbia
Doreen Gwyneth Powell b:   13 Jan 1924 Vancouver, British Columbia  d:   28 Aug 2011 Chilliwack, British Columbia

The Nobes surname is found mainly in the Norfolk, England area and this is where our family was from.  Variations of spelling make it sometimes difficult to find the surname in the records.  I have seen it spelled Nobbs, Nob, Nobs and Knobes.

REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW - something I always try to keep in mind!  Sometimes I already have the information in my files but need to look at it in a different way to help the puzzle pieces fall into place. The Nobes family in general and John Nobes in particular have been one of my more elusive lines. 

       In the 1970’s a cousin sent me a copy of a transcription from the “Oakley Family Bible”.  I was never able to locate the bible.  The following is what I received:

Robert Oakley and Elizabeth Thomas married 35^th day of November 1821 by George Matthews, Tregynon, Wales

Samuel, son of Robert and Elizabeth Oakley, born in Manchester, England May 20^th, 1832

Mary Ann, daughter of John and Mary Nobes, of Norfolk, Virginia, born in Kingston, Ontario May 11, 1836

(Although the note says Virginia, I believe this was added by the transcriber.  Samuel Oakley married his 3^rd wife in Norfolk, Virginia but his first wifes family were from Norfolk, England and I think this is where the confusion stems from.)

Samuel Oakley of Accrington, Lancashire, England and Mary Ann Nobes of Kingston were united in marriage at her father’s residence.

Wm Pollack Minister of the WM Church.

Until recently the above was all I knew about John Nobes.  Many years ago, practicing “desperation genealogy”, I wrote to all the Nobes in the Kingston phone book – I think there were 5.  Not one was a relation and all had come to Kingston at a much later date.  Still no luck in piecing this family together. 

Enter the internet…I finally found my Nobes family in the 1861 census in Kingston, Ontario.  This census also recorded information about people born or died in 1860, thus John & his granddaughter were included.  John died in 1860 at the age of 54 from a disease of the lungs, his granddaughter and my great grandmother Sarah Oakley was born in 1860.  Unfortunately it is not clear what John’s occupation was, but it looks like chanlor.  Chandler is a candle maker, candle seller, grocer or can provide ships with provisions. 

      

      Daughter Sarah’s marriage included her mother’s maiden name – Beckham and the 1861 census gave Brinton, Norfolk as John’s place of birth.  This led me to John & Mary’s marriage banns.

Brinton, Norfolk, England Marriage Banns 1828

            

But who were John’s parents?  More pondering and digging.  If a direct search doesn’t work I try other names.  Sophie Nobes was a witness to their marriage.  Was she John’s sister?   More digging and I found both of them in the family of John Nobes and Ann Chester.