The Children of John & Mary Nobes of Kingston, Ontario

James –I believe the only child born in England

Entry found on familysearch.org - probably our James:

Name	James Nobes
Christening Date	13 Feb 1831
Christening Place	Brinton, Norfolk, England
Father's Name	John Nobes
Mother's Name	Mary Nobes

     

     James grew up in Kingston and married Elizabeth White.  From census records it appears that James moved his family from Kingston to Eau Claire, Wisconsin in 1863 where he was a baker.  The family moved to Muskegon, Michigan by 1872.

Children of James Nobes and Elizabeth White:

William John Nobes

b. 02 Oct 1861 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada

m. 1881

d. 18 Apr 1933 in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Virginia; Age: 71

spouse: Mary Belle ?

George Henry Nobes

b. 22 Nov 1863 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

d. 24 Dec 1948 in Muskegon, Michigan

Spouse:  Louise Amber Flaggart

Mary Elizabeth Nobes

b. 1866 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

d. 20 Jul 1875 in Lakeside, Muskegon, Michigan

Addie C. Nobes

b. 1869 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

d. 26 Mar 1957 in Cicero, Cook, Illinois

Spouse: William A Clark

Samuel Nobes

b. 1870 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin

d. 16 Jun 1887 in Muskegon, Michigan

Francis Esau Nobes

b. 08 Nov 1872 in Muskegon, Michigan

d, Jan 1941 in Muskegon, Michigan

Vernon Nobes

b. 1873 in Muskegon, Michigan

Nellie Martha Nobes

b. 12 Feb 1874 in Muskegon, Michigan

m. 26 Sep 1916 in Portsmouth, Virginia

d. 10 May 1942 in Portsmouth, Virginia

Spouse: Ernest Linwood Wickers

      A cousin wrote to me saying that Mary Ann Nobes had a brother, James who was killed in Muskegon, Michigan and that Mary Ann’s widowed husband Samuel Oakley married Mary Ann’s brother James widow.  Not a lot to go on but in 1975 I sent for James’ death certificate to see what information it contained (not much) as well as the marriage certificate of Samuel Oakley, widower of Mary Nobes, to James Nobes widowed wife. 

Death Certificate:  James Nobes d. 30 Dec 1874 age 43 Accidently killed Muskegon  Occupation – Labourer  birthplace unknown, parents unknown.

          On occasion I search the internet for some of the more unusual surnames in my tree.  Searching for James Nobes I found an article about the tragic circumstances surrounding his death – a far cry from the words on his death certificate “accidentally killed”! 

     The following information was provided by Sharon Holzhausen.  I'm sending information about my great, great, great grandfather James Nobes. He was a volunteer fireman in Muskegon (I think the Lakeside area firehouse). The Muskegon Chronicle wrote an article about him because of his horrible death while serving as a fireman.

James Nobes was killed in an accident in Muskegon, MI.  He was a volunteer fireman and died in the line of duty.  Someone opened the firebarn doors early (before he had finished hitching up the horses), and the horses bolted, dragging James across the street and pinning/smashing him against a tree.  He was 43 years old and it was recorded in the Muskegon Chronicle that his funeral was one of the largest in Muskegon at that time. His death occurred on Dec. 30, 1874.  He left a wife and children while serving his community.

     Again from Sharon:  The story about James death was taken from an obit in the Muskegon Chronicle.  I know that my fathers grandfather, George, lived in Canada for a while with his siblings.

     James widow, Elizabeth, married Mary Ann’s Nobes husband Samuel Oakley, 2 Sept 1887 in Muskegon, Michigan.  Did Samuel Oakley make a trip to Muskegon to check on his sister-in-law and they then made the decision to marry?  Certainly blending two young families made sense.  This is where it gets murky…Samuel’s two oldest daughters had married in Winnipeg, Samuel still had young children to raise and his oldest daughter left at home to help was only 12. 

     Did the younger children stay with Elizabeth in Muskegon and Samuel commute there when he could?  Working for the railway presumably his fare would be waived or very reasonable.

     Unfortunately Elizabeth died within two years of their marriage (1889).  What happened to the families then? Again I looked to the St. Paul directories.  The directories show that Samuel Oakley took some of the Nobes children under his wing.  As a foreman in railway carpentry shops he was able to provide employment for his step-sons/nephews.  By 1888 Frank and Vernon Nobes were living with Samuel Oakley, as well as their uncle – Isaac H. Nobes.  (Isaac was in his teens when his parents passed away.  I think Mary Ann & Samuel Oakley raised him as well.)  Back to St Paul – James & Elizabeth Nobes youngest child – Nellie, who would have been about 15 at the time of her mothers death - was, by 1893, also living with Samuel in St. Paul.  (Not sure if Nellie stayed behind in Muskegon with other family members from 1889 – 1893.)

      From the directory in St. Paul, Minnesota it appears that Samuel lived there from 1887 until at least 1893, when he made a trip to Vancouver – daughter Sarah and her young family were here as well as his son Isaac. 

     By 1898, son Samuel Oakley was the foreman of the SAL Shops in Western Branch, Virginia and his cousin/step-brother William Nobes was chief engineer with another railway in Western Branch.

     Here the connection with James and Elizabeths children ends.  It does not appear that any of them followed Samuel Oakley to Vancouver.

 The Seaboard Air Line Railroad was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967,  In the days before air travel, air line was a common term for the shortest distance between two points: a straight line drawn through the air, ignoring natural obstacles. Hence, a number of 19th century railroads used air line in their titles to suggest that their routes were shorter than those of competing roads

 

MARY ANN NOBES

(my great, great grandmother)

Mary Ann (Nobes) Oakley and youngest child George 

     Unfortunately I know nothing about Mary Ann other than she was born in Kingston in 1836.  I believe she took in her brother Isaac after the passing of their parents.  Isaac would have been 14 or 15 when his mother died. 

     Mary Ann raised a large family in Coburg and still had very young children at home when she died 29 Nov 1880 at age 44 in Coburg, Ontario after suffering from puerperal albuminuria (kidney disease) for two months.  This condition is often a complication from pregnancy.

     Oldest daughter Sarah was twenty when her mother died.  Sarah played a large role in raising the younger children, four of whom were under ten when their mother died and the youngest, George, was about 18 months old.  Descendants of George said he had a special place in his heart for Sarah – she was more a mother, than a sister to him.  He lived with or near her in Vancouver for a number of years before moving to Kamloops to join some of his brothers. 

SARAH A. NOBES

     From Sarah’s marriage I had confirmation of her mother’s maiden name (Beckham).  Joseph MacCauley and Sarah Nobes were married 14 Dec 1860 in Kingston, Ontario.  Joseph was 22 and was born in Ireland about 1838.  His parents were Henry MacCauley and Ann Jackson.  Sarah was 21 at the time of her marriage.  She was born about 1839 in Kingston.  Her parents were John Nobes and Mary Beckham.

     I have tried many times to find out what happened to Sarah and Joseph MacCauley, with no success.  They may have remained in Ontario or like so many, headed to the prairies or to the United States.

JOHN NOBES

     John Nobes was born about 1842 in Kingston, Ontario.  He married Ann Hagerty in Kingston, 14 July 1865.  Ann was born in 1838 in Co. Cork, Ireland and died in 1894 in Kingston.

Their children were:

     Mary Nobes               Birth: 24 May 1866 in Kingston

                                     Death: 19 Sep 1949 in Kingston

                                     Spouse:  Joseph Patrick Gratton

     Anne Elizabeth Nobes Birth: Abt. 1870 in Kingston

                                     M: 09 Aug 1893 in Kingston

                                     Death: 11 Nov 1912 in Chicago

                                     Spouse: Simon Byrn

     My mother talked about a relative in Montreal – Biff Gratton – she said my grandfather, George Powell, would visit them during business trips back east.  She had no idea how we were related to the Grattons.  As I do occasionally, I googled his name to see what would come up.  I was lucky this time and found an article about a Gratton married to a Nobes in Kingston.  Still not sure if this family belonged to us, I read on – to the part where the author said – “there were other cousins of my Dad's who visited Montreal when I was growing up - a George Powell from Vancouver - I don't know where he fits in but it must have been through the Nobes side as Gladys also knew him.”  Yeah! Another puzzle piece fell into place.

     More from Diane Gratton:  “My Dad said of his mother, Mary Nobes, that she probably had a relative in every city in the country. During my research of records in Kingston, I'm of the opinion that she was related to nearly every family in the city of Kingston - related through her father John Nobes and his family - and her mother Ann Hagarty Regan - there were many Hagartys and through Ann's first husband, many Regans. My Dad had no cousins on his Dad's side (none of my grandfather's siblings married) - but he had dozens on his Mother's side."

     “Grandpa Gratton's family lived on Wellington St. in Kingston from 1881 to 1897 - and Grandma Gratton's family (the Nobes) lived on the other side of Wellington St. from 1867 to 1896. Grandpa was 24 and Grandma was 21 when they married. I assume they met as neighbours.”

     “Grandma and Grandpa Nobes are buried in St. Mary's Cemetery in Kingston in a plot belonging to Grandma's mother (Anne Hagarty Regan Nobes). Their names have never been engraved on the monument which has the large letters REGAN.”

WILLIAM NOBES

       William married Martha Paisley in 1864.  William and family appear to have remained in Kingston except for a brief time in the late 1860’s when they were in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Daughter Alice was born there in 1867 and son William in 1869.  Brother James and family were also in Eau Claire at this time.  James was back in Michigan by 1872 and William back in Kingston by 1871.  William was a carpenter in the 1881 census and by the 1901 census he was a millwright.

ISAAC HENRY NOBES

A note from one of my mother's cousins: "my mother (Grace), your grandfather George and Uncle Leck all accompanied Grandma Powell east on a trip to St. Cloud, Minnesota to visit the Nobes family before my mother was married in 1914.”  Hmmm, I finally decided to delve into this and figure out who Sarah (Oakley) Powell was visiting.  I expected to find one of her Uncle James children.  I was surprised to turn up Isaac Nobes as I did not have him anywhere in my tree.  A bit more digging and I realized he was Sarah’s youngest uncle and he would have been in his early teens when he lost both parents.  I assume Sarah’s parents, Mary Ann & Samuel Oakley stepped in to help raise brother Isaac.

     More digging and Isaac and wife Genevieve along with her mother and sister are living together in Coburg, the same time as the Oakleys.  Isaac listed his occupation as carpenter.  In 1887, J Nobes (I wonder if it should be I) is part of the group that did the retirement speech for Samuel Oakley when he was moving to St. Paul.

     Isaac appears in the St. Paul directory from 1889-1891, living with the various Nobes and Oakleys that were there.  Not sure if he brought his wife with him or sent for her once he was established.  By the 1910 census he, his wife, mother-in-law and sister-in-law are in St Cloud, Minnesota.  They did not have any children.  Genevieve died in St. Cloud in 1918.  By November 1920 Isaac had remarried Marta Bertha King in Toronto, Ontario.  He was widowed again in 1930.  Isaac remained in Toronto for the rest of his days and passed away there in 1931.  Isaac outlived his niece Sarah Powell by eight years.

---