GIBSON, Nils (1833-1896) Swedish Mariner in Queensland

[Robert Jensen]

Nils Gibson, his surname was almost certainly anglizised from Jepson or similar, was a shepwrecked mariner who ended up in early Queensland history. He was washed ashore in late 1859, records say that he was born about 1833 being the son of Martin Gibson (Martin could also be Mattis, Morten or Marten and then Jepsson or similar, indeed given the period his fathers real name probably was most likely Jeppe Mattisson/Martensson or perhaps Mattis/Marten Jeppson, hardly anything like Martin Gibson) & Ann Bengt (would be Anna Bengtsson or Bengts-daugther) also that he was born at Simrishamn.  
It would be greatly appreciated if anyone in Sweden could lend a hand solving this mystery.
 
Robert Jensen, Historian, Queensland

[Bo Nordenfors (Nob)]

Robert;
Found a Nils Jönsson born 12 Dec. 1831 in Simrishamn, father Jöns Hindricksson and mother Christina Nilsdotter (b. 1788) - appears the wrong Nils.
Family lived in house nbr 106 in Simrishamn and can be followed for a time,but perhaps no idea.
No sign of emigration for Nils, he went to Bornholm in Denmark 1847 but returned. Both parents passed away before that.
 
Church record Simrishamn - book of births 1831.
Also clerical survey for 1814 to 1835 pg 141.

[Robert Jensen]

Thanyou Bo, But no I dont think this is the right one,
Fistly: Several records point to his age alle indication 1833 as the year
Secondly: then there is his fathers name his daugther gave it as Martin Gibson this however is no doubt anglizised version, triggered by his own use of Gibson. Yet it will have to be somewhat similar.
thirdly there is the mothers name his daugther gave it as Ann Bengt well I'd say that this is a pretty good indication that she was in fact Anna Bengtsdotter or something similar.
 
and - he never actually emigrated from Sweden, he arrived in a lifeboat more dead tnan alive after 40 days and over 2000 km at sea with very little to eat and drink.

[Bo Nordenfors (Nob)]

Robert,
 
No, however I think we forget Simrishamn - the town - but there are a lot of parishes around Simrishamn. It is all about spending a couple of hours checking it, hopefully others researchers can help.

[Robert Jensen]

Yes, you are probably right that he was not actually born in Si,mrishamn but somewhere in the surrounding parishes.  
 
I hope that someone might find time to assist me here, it is impossible to check this out from Australia.

[Bo Nordenfors (Nob)]

Suggest you e-mail to Österlens Släkt- och Folklivsforskareförening  (local genealogical and historical society)
 
the chairman is Magnus Lindskog, e- mail magnus.lindskog@malmo.mail.telia.com  
They have a nice map showing the parishes near Simrishamn at   http://www.osterlen.com/slaktforskning/
 
May add that I checked Gladsax and Simris parishes for Nils born 1833 but found not the right one.

[Anders Ellerstrand]

I checked Stiby 1833 - few Nils, but not with the right parents.

[Bodil Josefsson]

Hello Robert!
 
I checked the book of birth for a parish called Simris near Simrishamn.
In 1833, september, I found this birth. Perhaps it´s your Nils. I haven´t checked further.
 


 
Good luck/ Bodil J

[Bodil Josefsson]

Hello again Robert!
 
Perhaps you want som translation..  
 
The churchrecord above is from Simris parish 1833 september. Here it comes in english:
 
The 18:th
Born in Brantevik, and baptised the 21th. ---???--- Morten(?) Nilssons and his wife Bengta Mårtensdottes son Nils.
... Names of godfathers/mothers...
 
Mothers age: 20
 
(I am a beginner regarding reading in old churchbooks. I hope you will get more help from my friends who is more used to read old churchbooks)
 
Kind regards /Bodil

[Ingvar Kristiansson]

Bodil, and Robert
 
Nils born September 18, 1833 in Simris was not the right one, he died October 1 the same year (1833).
 
// Ingvar

[Robert Jensen]

oh rats, I thought we were on to something, it sounded and looked a bit like bird... Now thankyou for your effort guys. I was always aware thet this was going to be a hard one to crack!

[Bodil Josefsson]

Sorry Robert and Thank you Ingvar!
 
The puzzle CAN be solved - it takes some patience...
Perhaps the parishes Rörum or St Olof?
I?ll check better the next time.
 
Kind regards / Bodil

[Bo Nordenfors (Nob)]

Rörum parish checked for 1833 and 1834: negative.

[Bodil Josefsson]

Hello again Robert!
Just a thought. I guess that Nils:s surname GIBSON is Jeppsson in swedish. When I prononuce the name Gibson in the dialect from south Sweden, it sounds like Jeppsson...
 
Kindest regards
 
/ Bodil J

[Robert Jensen]

Yes I am quite certain you are right, indeed I have seen it done two times before (meaning that other Scandinavians with similar names Jeppesen/Jeppson and the likes has become Gibson) I have records of 23 000 Scandinavians in pre 1914 Australia (primarily Queensland) so I have seen a few. It has to do with the pronounciation, names were to be spoken, not written in this period, so many migrants did not necessarily wish to anglizese their names, but they wish to hear it pronounced somewhat corectly. It is thus nut unusual at times to see that some Danish migrants with familynames beginning with J, had their names written with Y as jensen became Yensen, as this is in fact the correct pronounciation in English. One avoids what to a dane is a Djay pronounciation of J

[Patrik Sassersson]

I read about this man in an article in Släkt och Bygd, where Magnus Lindskog had found him in Brantevik, Ö.Nöbbelöv parish.
Nils Jeppsson b. 1834-05-11. Parents: Jeppa Jeppsson and Bengta Henriksdotter, Södra Brantevik #22 (later #35)
In the husförhör records one can read that he was living in Australia after 1864.
Oldest ancestor I have in my records should be Lauritz Stenkilssön of Gislöv, Ö.Nöbbelöv
 
Jeppsson Gibson, Nils (1834 - 1896)
   mother: Henriksdotter, Bengta (1805 - 1836)
      father: Ingvarsson, Henrik (1768 - )
         father: Hindriksson, Ingvar (1742 - 1801)
            father: Ingvarsson, Hindrik (1703 - 1751)
               father: Stenkilsson, Ingvar(~1660 - 1740)
                  father: Larsson, Stenkil (1621 - )
                     father: Stenkelssön, Lauritz (-