| Text |
Mar 25 2016>, "DNA Test Results,"
Hi All,
I believe the results support my best theory which is the name transferred to Joseph Gittens( born in 1830) maternally. We are uncertain of the parents of Joseph Gittens as they are not listed on his baptismal record.
However the research done by a family member suggests he found evidence in the Barbados archives that the mother of Joseph Gittens was a Miss Frances Gittens. Miss Frances Gittens may in fact be a Mary Frances Gittens.
In the story of "From slavery to Freedom": written by Victor Gittens, he makes reference to a Mary Frances which appears to be the sister of James William Gittens. This would then likely make Mary Frances Gittens the illegitimate daughter of the Honourable Joshua Mayers Gittens and one of his slaves.
In addition to the DNA test supporting that the name transferred to us maternally and not paternally, other evidence includes.
1. Joseph Gittens(born 1830) named one of his sons Joshua Mayers Gittens
2. The time and place in St. Phillip parish Barbados all fits.
3. Mary Frances Gittens baptised 3 boys in 1826. One of these was James Edward Gittens(which we conclude is most likely one of the brothers of Joseph Gittens)
a. the baptism in 1826 is not likely the year the boys were born, but more likely the time they became free persons which matches the year exactly when James William Gittens family became free,correlating to the death of the widow of the Honourable Joshua Mayers Gittens.
I cant prove it yet, but its my best guess.
Chris Gittens
VOLUHE 1
THE GENEOLOGY OF THE GITTENS FAMILY
CHARLES ANDREW GITTENS
Charles Andrew Gittens was born on 30th May 1906 in the South Western District of Port of Spain, the capital city of Trinidad and Tobago. His actual place of birth is #7 Philip Street just off the Western Main Road. Two blocks away from this is Tranquility Boys School where he received his early education. His birth certificate is No, A 183 25/253 Volume 2 page 112 of the Register of Births of the Colony of Trinidad and Tobago,
Charles' name is not mentioned on his birth certificate. He swore to an affidavit dated 20th June 1962 at the Commissioner of Oaths and Affidavits, Mackenzie, Demcrara, British Guiana that he was the legitimate child of John Thomas Gittens, a Carriage Builder and Matilda Gittens, formerly Tesheia. His birth was registered on 16th June 1906 by a cousin, Elizabeth Regis, also of 17 Philip Street, Woodbrook.
In 1970 Charles applied for Citizenship of the Republic of Guyana under Article 23 of the Constitution on the ground of residence. In his application to the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Oscar Eleazer Clarke, he stated that his father, John Thomas Gittens was a citizen by birth of the British Colony of Barbados.
On 29th March 1988, while on holiday in Barbados, I, Jeffrey Gittens, contacted the Registry of Births and Deaths in Bridgetown by telephone in order to enquire about the date of birth of John Thomas Gittens. I reckoned that if my father, Charles Gittens, was born in 1906 and he had an elder brother, Michael, he may have been born during the 1870's.
The records at the Registry in Bridgetown only carry births from 1884 onwards. They recommended that I go to the Archives in Black Rock in the Parish of St. Michael.
JOHN THOMAS DOTTIN GITTENS
John Thomas Dottin Gittens was born on 20th January, 1868. His birth is recorded in the Register of Births of Barbados (1865-1869) where the christian name "Dottin" appears in the original entry.
2 .
This is recorded in Book No. RL 3/58. His Baptismal Certificate can be located in Book No. RL 2/47B page No. 393 certificate No. 27 of the Archives. On this certificate the name "Dottin" was not included. He was baptised in the Chapel of the Holy Trinity in the Parish of St Phillip, the easternmost Parish of the island of Barbados . The Minister officiating was Charles Carter. The family lived in the village of Endeavour in the Parish of St. James. John Thomas' father was Joseph Gittens, a Shoemaker and his mother Wilhelmina Leslie, formerly a Weatherhead. She was a seamstress and a spinster.
JOSEPH GITTENS AND WILHELMINA WEATHERHEAD
The record of the marriage of Joseph Gittens to Wilhelmina Weatherhead can be found in Volume RL310B of the Register of Marriages (1849-1866), page 314 Certificate #710. Their marriage was solemnized in the Chapel of the Holy Trinity in the Parish of St. Philip according to the rites and ceremonies of the established Church of England after Banns. The ceremony was performed by the Rector R.F. King and the witnesses present were John E. Gittens and John E. Gittens, Jr.
There appears in the Register of Marriages another certificate #709, the one immediately preceding that of Joseph and Wilhelmina. James Edward, a blacksmith and a bachelor was married to Sarah Rebecca Weatherhead on the 10th of March 1853 by the Rector R.F. King. John Edward p resent at the wedding of Joseph and Wilhelmina also bore witness to the wedding of James Edward and Sarah Rebecca. It appears that the Gittens brothers, James Edward and Joseph, married the Weatherhead sisters, Sarah Rebecca and Wilhelmina Leslie. The father of these girls, James William Weatherhead was a signatory as witness at the marriage of Sarah Rebecca and James Edward. Sarah Rebecca, was an illiterate spinster who signed her marriage certificate with an X. Her father, James William Weatherhead was a sugar planter at Walronds.
Out of interest, there was a J.J. Gittens, Rector of the Chapel of the Holy Trinity during 1850's. Other members of the Gittens family who were married in the said Chapel around the same time are Joshua Gittens to Mary J. Young, Mary Buck Gittens to John Branch, Benjamin Gittens to Clara Williams.
JOSEPH GITTENS
Joseph Gittens, John Thomas' father, was born in St. Philip
3.
on 14th March 1830. His birth is recorder in Volume RLl/60 Volume 22 page 308, Certificate #40. His parents' christian names are not mentioned on his Baptismal Certificate. This was during the time of slavery and under the Section of his Baptismal Certificate headed "Quality, Trade or Profession" appear the words "FREE COLOURED PERSON".
The Archivists suggest was baptised under his
mother's name, who may unmarried. He was baptised
by the Rector, William the parish church of St.
Philip.
The process of tracing Joseph's parents now becomes a complicated process of cross references to his relatives. This is quite possible since the geneological web of the Gittens family in St. Phillip is sufficiently interwoven to proceed beyond this point. Unfortunately this was more than I could accomplish in a one week holiday in Barbados. To proceed with the required authenticity will take another trip to Barbados. I already have in my possession the relevant information with which to proceed, but verification by the Archives in Barbados is of paramount importance before communicating the information to you. What seems evident, however, is that his mother was Miss Frances Gittens who was born in the 1790's.
JAMES WILLIAM WEATHERHEAD
James William Weatherhead, the father of Wilhelmina and Sarah Rebecca was born on July 24, 1799 in St. Philip. His birth is recorded in Volume RL1/58 Volume 22 page 226 of the Register of Births. His father was David Weatherhead and his mother was Ann Curtys. They also had other children namely, Ann, Thomas and Joseph. Joseph was born on 24th September, 1794.
James William Weatherhead married Sarah Isabella Downes Proverbs by License in the consent of parents on 17th of July 1828, in the presence of Joseph Weatherhead, his brother and John Weatherhead, a relative. The record of this ceremony performed by William Als can be found in Volume RLl/66 (1867-1838) Volume 24 page 81, Marriage Certificate #36. The marriage of his parents David Weatherhead and Ann Curtys, took place on 23rd December, 1785 by Banns. David Weatherhead's parents are John and Jane Weatherhead, who may have been born during the 1750's.
POST SCRIPT
The complete geneology of the Gittens family which now
4.
encompasses the United States, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and evidently Barbados and the United Kingdom is far from complete. This document constitutes only an interim statement of the progress made to date.
The origin of the family in the New World is evidently tied to the Trans-Atlantic settlement and colonization of the Island of Barbados by English settlers, a process which began around 1621 AD. The records are clear and have been well kept by the Colonial Civil Service which the English established upon arrival.
Records of the settlers prior to their arrival in Barbados, I am advised, can be obtained from Somerset House in London. This could mean a possible trip to the U.K. in the latter stages of this monumental undertaking.
It was truly a remarkable experience to handle the original documents signed by our foreparents and their contempora-ries. Documents in the Archives are under Copyright and special permission must be obtained in order to reproduce them in any form. Beyond 1799 they can only be read on microfilm.
The Death Certificates and probated wills of our foreparents are yet to be scrutinized as we continue to unlock the doors of our past. The Chapel of the Holy Trinity which formed the historical cradle of our forefathers still stands in St. Phillip and in the adjoining cemetery lie the ashes of our past.
(Signed By)
JEFFREY GITTENS, B.A.(Hons.) Copies to:
Mrs. Iona Gittens
Evelyn Winnifred Gittens
Irma Gittens
Frank Errol Bruce Gittens
Sybil Ena Gittens
Lucy Wonita Gittens
Richard Gittens
Rossano Subeto
Trevor Subero
Dion Wayne Gittens
Beverly Nova Gittens. |
