George Giffin (abt. 1771 - aft. 1838)

Born about 19 Apr 1771 in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Pride) Giffin — married about 1790 in Liverpool, Queens, Nova Scotia

Descendants

Died after 1838 after about age 66 in Louis Head, Shelburne, Nova Scotia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Dana Burtt [send private message]

Biography

George Giffin was baptized at St. Matthews Presbyterian Church, Halifax on 19 April 1771, the son of George Giffin and Persis Pierce of Halifax^{[1] [2]}

His father died when he was young, and his mother moved to Liverpool, Nova Scotia during the American Revolution, where she was noted in Simeon Perkins Diary, the widow Giffin living with her children in her parent's house^[3]

George was apprenticed to a shipbuilder in Liverpool. In 1780, his mother remarried Robert Dickson, a former soldier who made a living as a rope-maker. After the war, when George Jr was about 15 yrs. old they moved to Louis Head, where he continued to work as a shipbuilder ^[2]

On February 12, 1791, he was mentioned by name in Simeon Perkins Diary entry Feb 12, 1791, along with a description of his stepfather Robert Dickson^[3]. He was affiliated with the Baptist Church in Louis Head^[2]

Circa 1790/91, he married Margaret Pride, daughter of Ira Pride and Mary Hewitt, also of Louis Head^{[1] [2]}. Their children included:

1. Mary, born circa 1791, who married Jacob Ringer ^[2]
2. James, born circa 1793, who married Catherine Lewis and Anne Harding ^[2]
3. George, born circa 1796, who married Margaret Anne RInger and Mary Harding
4. John, born circa 1798, who married Anne Ford ^[2]
5. Simon, born circa 1800, who married Henrietta Chadsey and Thursa Langley ^[2]
6. William, born circa 1803, who married Elizabeth Thorborn ^[2]
7. Margaret, born circa 1807, who married George Dunn ^[2]
8. Robert, born circa 1809, who married Lavinia Dunlap ^[2]
9. Ira Pride, born circa 1812, who married Susan Harlow ^[2]
10. Whitman, born circa 1816, who married Sarah Pride and died without children, though they raised Whitman Atwood Giffin when he became an orphan^[2]

George Giffin Sr was enumerated in the 1838 Census^[4], so this profile shows he died some time after 1838.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "Our Nova Scotian Ancestors" by M. Edward Burtt, published in 2000 see page 427
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12} "Simon Giffin and his descendants : a genealogy": compiled by Florence Giffin Martin and Mary Alsted Strange ; with Anne Borden Harding on Nova Scotia families; Publication: New York, New York : F.G. Martin, c1971 Subject Class: 929.273 G366; page 249
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} The diary of Simeon Perkins, 1790-1796 page 82; Author: Perkins, Simeon, 1735-1812. ; Edited with an introduction and notes by Charles Bruce Fergusson; Extent: 546 pages; Published: Toronto : Champlain Society, 1961
4. ↑ Nova Scotia Archives Census Returns, 1838 showing George Giffin Sr. – Farmer – East Shelburne Township, Shelburne County – 1838; Commissioner of Public Records Nova Scotia Archives RG 1 vol. 449 no. 172

• Other resources can found at the Shelburne County Genealogical Society, Shelburne, Nova Scotia.