Joseph GILBERT was born Aug 1818 in England, according to the family Bible in Southampton, Ontario, Canada, & outside of Warwickshire, according to the 1841 Census which lists his age as 20, indicating his birth year as 1821, not the 1818 from family records; parents not yet known.
Mary Ann BIRT (a.k.a. Maryanne BIRT, Mary Ann BIRTS, Mary BIRTS) was born about 12 Sep 1813 in England (also not in Warwickshire, from the 1841 Census which lists her age as 25, indicating her birth year as 1816, not the 1813 from family & death records); parents not yet known. The BIRT surname occurs in Claines, Worcestershire, where their second son, Herbert GILBERT, was Christened on 25 Apr 1841, suggesting a connection to that area. (The population of Claines parish was 3,853 in the 1821 Census; 2,894 in the 1831 census.)

Joseph GILBERT married Mary Ann BIRT on 16 Jul 1837 in Edgbaston (Birmingham), Warwickshire, England, now part of Birmingham, but in 1831, the population of Edgbaston Parish was given as approximately 2,100. Mary Ann BIRTS signed her name with an "X" mark, so should we assume that she was not able to read or write at age 23? Or was this recorded as "Mary Ann BIRT's Her Mark"? Joseph GILBERT was a cabinetmaker. Witnesses were Stephn. BROWN & Jane BROWN (their relationship to the GILBERT family is not yet known, but a Stephen BROWN, Carpenter, age 35, & Jane BROWN, age 25, are listed in the 1841 census as living at Bishop Street, very close to the GILBERT family - perhaps the employer of Joseph GILBERT, "Carpenter Journeyman"? Was Jane BROWN a sister of either Joseph or Mary Ann? This possibility needs to be researched.) The GILBERT family is recorded as Church of England, living on Sherlock Street Court, in St. Martin's in 1841. Today, St. Bartholomew's church is often referred to as Edgbaston Old Church, "the" parish church at the time of their marriage. Later census returns listed them as Church of England. (Edgbaston "has always been the noted best address" according to someone from the area. Also, "to this day, there are areas of deprivation." Perhaps Mary Ann worked in this area.)

16 Jul 1837 - ? - married in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England;
17 Mar 1839 - first son William Christened in St. Thomas Church (Bath Row / Holloway Head), Birmingham, England;
Apr 1841 - son Herbert born in Warwickshire;
25 Apr 1841 - son Herbert Christened in St. John the Baptist Church, Claines, (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England;
1841 Census - St. Martin's, Edgbaston, Birmingham (The Bullring);
30 Jan 1848 - daughter Alice E. Christened in St. George's (Calthorpe Street or Great Hampton Row / Tower Street?
1848 - 1849 - (Perhaps) The Cathedral Church of St. James, Anglican (65 Church Street, Toronto, Ontario);
Aft. 1851 - St. Paul's Anglican Church, Southampton, Saugeen Township, Bruce County, Ontario.

1. William GILBERT (a.k.a. Billy GILBERT) > (Photo & Notes 25 KB)

2. Herbert GILBERT was born about 01 Apr 1841 in Warwickshire but Christened 25 Apr 1841 in Claines, (Droitwich), Worcestershire, England, now a part of the City of Worcester, in 1841 part of Droitwich; largely a farming area on the River Severn. The GILBERT connection to this area is not yet known, although it is possible that Mary Ann BIRT had family there. More research is required to establish the reason for the Christening in this location. Herbert died 01 Jun 1858, age 17 years and two months, according to the grave marker, which was literally unearthed on 31 March 2000, by a researcher in the old cemetery in Southampton, Ontario. Herbert's father, Joseph GILBERT, is also named on the marker (see "Death" below).

3. Alice E. GILBERT was born 02 Jan 1848 in Warwickshire & Christened 30 Jan 1848 in the Parish of St. Georges, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. Alice married Henry A. DOUGLAS (or Henry H. DOUGLASS) & died 08 Mar 1918 (or 18 Mar 1918), aged 71 years. She is buried in Hamilton Cemetery, Hamilton, Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada, as is "Henry H. DOUGLASS". The 1881 Census of Owen Sound, Grey North, Ontario lists Henry A. DOUGLAS, Merchant, age 36, born in Ontario, Scottish, & in the same household are his wife Alice E. DOUGLAS (whose information matches that of Alice E. GILBERT), as well as a family consisting of Simon PARKE, Gentleman, his wife Anne PARKE & their six children, all Church of England.

4. Arthur GILBERT, born 22 Jan 1850 in Ontario, Canada, quite likely Toronto, judging by the dates: either Jan 1850, or some records state Jan 1851; in 1881 living with his mother, "Widow, Age 68, Head of Household"; died 02 Dec 1901; Occupation in 1901 Janitor, living on own means, employee - Photo of Grave Marker (21 KB)

5. Mary Ann GILBERT (a.k.a. Polly GILBERT), born 12 Dec 1854 Southampton, Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada; married Eli Caleb MORGAN on 04 Nov 1876 in Southampton. (Eli MORGAN was born 10 Oct 1849 in Theresa, Onondaga, NY, USA, the son of Alexander H. & Sarah C. MORGAN; his occupation in 1876 was Railway Clerk; he died 03 Feb 1910 in Elgin, Kane Co., IL, USA.) Eli & Mary Ann "Polly" had six children:

1837 - 1851 - Carpenter Journeyman; Cabinetmaker;
1851 - 1872 - Innkeeper; Hotel keeper; Carried mail to Guelph & Owen Sound; Built roads to Goderich & to Elora; Stage coach line, stable, livery service;
1854 or 1856 - Contracted to make "summer road" of Elora Road (Map);
1867 - Royal Hotel, Southampton;
1871 - Hotelkeeper, owning 201 acres, two town or village building lots, one dwelling house, one barn or stable.

1859 - Sergeant, No. 1 Company (Southampton), 1st Battalion of Bruce Militia.

1837 - Edgbaston (Birmingham), Warwickshire, England;
1839 - Birmingham;
1841 - Sherlock St. Court, St. Martin's, Edgbaston, Birmingham;
1848 - Birmingham (but William's year of immigration to Canada was given as 1847 on the Ontario Census return of 1901);
1848 - 1851 - Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Cabinet-maker, Yonge, near Gerrard. (Map).
(Was Joseph indentured during the three years in "what is now Toronto"? One speculative connection is the following listing in Browns Toronto City and Home District Directory - 1846/1847, "Elisha B. Gilbert, Cabinetmaker, 61 Bay St, Corner of Adelaide."
Although there is no evidence yet, another link might be in the 1850/51 City of Toronto Directory - p.50: "GILBERT Joseph, cabinet-maker, Yonge, near Gerrard-street,
GILBERT Thomas, grocery, corner of Stanley and Nelson-sts."
The 1848/49 Directory was not available for research. Perhaps this is because the Great Fire of 07 Apr 1849 destroyed a large area, apparently including the location at Yonge near Gerrard Street where Joseph GILBERT was listed as working after this fire. One could imagine that a cabinet maker would have a lot of work under those circumstances. See The Great Fire of 1849 by BruceBellTours.com for historical background.)
1851 - Southampton, Bruce Co., Ontario (Innkeeper at 3 Grosvenor; Hotelkeeper).

The family came to Saugeen Township in 1851 via Paisley by raft. The travel from Toronto to Paisley must have been difficult, but the worst had not yet happened. "Incidents of Pioneer Days at Guelph and the County of Bruce" by David KENNEDY, Sr., Toronto, 1903, gives a vivid account of the wreck of their scow in the Saugeen River. (This book is in the collection of Guelph Museum, Ontario; the story on pages 37 - 51.) Thankfully, they all survived. The GILBERT family is listed among the first 12 families to settle in Southampton. Joseph & Mary Ann endured many hardships: the long & probably uncomfortable ocean voyage to Canada with young children, the wreck of the raft & loss of most of their goods, starting anew in deep wilderness, doing what work needed to be done, both to support their family & open the country in Bruce County.
(Read an account of travel in early Ontario.)

On 04 Nov 1886, a disastrous house fire started just north of what is now the WALKER House (GILBERT's Hotel in the 1860's, on the corner of High & Grosvenor), but was at that time the GILBERT property. (A Southampton map, dated 1856, shows the J. GILBERT Hotel on the harbour, by the river mouth.) High winds spread the flames to the house across Grosvenor Street from the GILBERT property, but very fortunately for the GILBERT's, the fire did not consume their buildings. The flames did move east for two blocks along High Street, leaving more than 30 families homeless, destroying more than 50 buildings in just four hours, including St. Paul's Anglican Church. Although there is no particular mention of the GILBERT family during this fire, it is almost certain that they were very much involved in fire fighting & helping the destitute afterward.

Joseph GILBERT died 11 Dec 1872. Mary Ann GILBERT (maiden name Mary Ann BIRT) continued as an innkeeper. She is listed as "Widow, Age 68, Head of Household, son Arthur, Age 31" living with her in the 1881 Census. She died 20 Nov 1896, also in Southampton, Bruce Co., Ontario, Canada. Joseph & Mary Ann were buried, along with their son * Herbert, in the (old) Southampton Cemetery. Along with a number of the old grave markers, the grave marker of Mary Ann BIRT was relocated to a common area of the Old Cemetery, to afford protection from the eroding bank of the Saugeen River, the river in which grandson Birt Frederick GILBERT (Frederick Birt GILBERT) drowned on 06 Jul 1889 at the age of 12 years, eight months and six days.