Ophelia LIGHTBOURN

Other Events and Attributes:

• Baptism: Oct 1840, Salt Key, Turks and Caicos Islands

Notes:

Or Lightbourne. Ophelia’s middle name was Merine or Minna according to the birth registry found by Bonnie K.

As Bonnie K’s research points out, “Miss O Lightbourn”, age 16, arrived in the port of New York on June 30, 1856, aboard the Nolus. This was a small ship, carrying only 10 passengers and had sailed to New York directly from the Turk Islands. Ophelia, whose occupation was “Lady” appears to have traveled with Miss Sarah Crisson, age 22, also with occupation of “Lady.” Sarah and Ophelia were citizens of Great Britain “on a visit to U States.” Bonnie believes that Ophelia would have been met by her brother Edward who was living in New York at the time. As Bonnie points out, it also appears that the Nolus (perhaps also called the Aeollus) was owned by Tucker & Lightbourn, where the Lightbourn may be Ophelia’s brother Vose Lightbourn.

Her place of birth is shown as Ireland in the 1860 census. In the 1875 state census, she is listed as having been born in Turks Island, her father in England, and her mother in West Indies.

Her maiden name was Lighborn according to Edward’s death certificate, Lightburn according to George’s death certificate.

The 1894 Minneapolis city directory notes her death on December 12, 1893, at the age of 53, as well as her last address: 2817 Taylor.

Ophelia died from pneumonia according to Bonnie.

Based on a DNA test of one of her descendants, it’s likely that Ophelia had a grandparent, probably on her mother’s side, who was born in western sub-Saharan Africa, probably in present-day Nigeria.

Birth:
per Bonnie K

Baptism:
Salt Key is about 8 miles SSW of Grand Turk Island

Died:
she was a widow

Buried:
per Bonnie K

Ophelia married Moses Harrison RIPLEY on 2 Jun 1859 in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Moses (son of Charles John RIPLEY and Martha DUNSMOOR) was born on 29 Aug 1840 in Chesterville, Franklin County, Maine; died on 19 Jan 1892 in Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota; was buried in Hillside Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
per Bonnie K

1. Martha Emma RIPLEY was born in 1860 in Minnesota.
2. Almira RIPLEY was born about 1862 in Minnesota.
3. Charles RIPLEY was born about 1866 in Minnesota; died in 1881.
4. Lila May RIPLEY was born in Nov 1868 in Minnesota; died on 14 Jan 1928 in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
5. William A RIPLEY was born on 27 Feb 1871 in Minnesota; died on 16 Feb 1957 in Los Angeles County, California.
6. Edward Grant RIPLEY was born on 9 Sep 1873 in Minnesota; died on 23 Oct 1972 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; was buried on 25 Oct 1972 in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.
7. Walter C RIPLEY was born in Feb 1877 in Minnesota; died on 2 Jan 1952 in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
8. George H RIPLEY was born on 25 Oct 1883 in Minnesota; died on 26 Oct 1959 in Hennepin County, Minnesota; was buried on 26 Jun 1962 in St. Anthony of Padua Cemetery, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota.

Notes:

The Barber Collection of New York newspaper extracts includes a marriage announcement from the New York Evening Post for the marriage of Nathaniel Lightbourn, “late of Bermuda” and Mary A Vose, daughter of James “of this city.” The announcement was in the March 16, 1808, edition for an event that occurred “last eve.” So, presumably the marriage occurred on March 15, 1808.

In a list of British Aliens in the United States during the War of 1812, there is an entry for Nathaniel Lightbourn, age 26. He was a merchant, lived at 237 Duane Street in New York City, had been in the U.S. for 6 years, and had a wife and child. His presence in the U.S. was recorded in July of 1812.

Above the entry for Nathaniel was an entry for the 59 year-old William Lightborn, a “gentleman.” William had also been in the U.S. for 6 years, had 11 people in his family, and lived at 27 Hudson Street in New York City.

Another entry recorded in the “British Aliens in the United States During the War of 1812”:

Early in August, 1812, a number of persons sought passports to depart from New York for the West Indies in two cartels, the sloop Sally, of 92 tons, for Bermuda, and the brig Isabella, of 135 tons for Bermuda, Antigua and St. Croix. The following are passengers and crew of the Sally:

…

Lightbourn, Ann, (wife of Wm.) age 54, 5ft. 5in., fair complexion, blue eyes, grey hair, born Bermuda
Lightbourn, Frances, age 29, 5ft. 7in., fair complex., blue eyes, light hair, born Bermuda
Lightbourn, Louisa, infant
Lightbourn, Martha F, age 18 mos.
Lightbourn, Mary Ann, age 23, 5ft. 5 in., fair complex., blue eyes, dark hair, born Macklesfield
Lightbourn, Nancy, age 6, 3ft. 5-½ in., fair complex., blue eyes, light hair, born Turk Islands
Lightbourn, Nathaniel, age 26, 5 ft. 9-½ in., fair complex., blue eyes, light hair, born Bermuda, merchant
Lightbourn, William, age 59, 5ft. 10 in., fair complex., blue eyes, grey hair, born Bermuda, gentleman
Lightbourn, William W., age 23, 6ft., fair complex., blue eyes, light hair, born Bermuda, gentleman.

The New York Passenger Lists include a Nathaniel T Lightbourn, age 20, physician, citizen of Bermuda, arriving in New York on 4 Sep 1837 as a passenger aboard the brig Somerset.

In Lightbourn research conducted by Paul Hake are these two entries:

1841, October 5: Nathaniel Trimingham Lightbourn, M.D., only son of Nathaniel Lightbourn, age about 25, a native of Bermuda, drowned at Turks Islands on May 24 (1841), between Salt and Grand Cays, on a professional trip in a decked boat, along with three boys, when a sudden storm came up and the boat capsized and sank. No traces of them has been seen since. The deceased had been married just 15 days earlier.

1841, October 5: Nathaniel Lightbourn, aged 55, father of the above, a native of Bermuda, died suddenly at Salt Key, Turks Islands, about Aug. 20 (1841) from grief at the death of his only son, leaving 2 daughters.

Nathaniel married Louisa DEANE. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Bonnie believes that the “three boys” mentioned in the newspaper account of the death of Nathaniel Trimingham may have been sons of Louisa and half-brothers of the dead heir.

From a DNA test of one of her descendants, it’s likely that Louisa had one parent born in western sub-Saharan Africa, probably in present-day Nigeria.

Notes:

His middle name is shown as Woodward and his death date as 1835 in many family trees on Ancestry.

Find A Grave includes two Lightbourns, Frances Lightbourn and John Samuel Lightbourn, buried at the St. Thomas Anglican Church Cemetery on Grand Turk Island.

William married Ann TRIMINGHAM. Ann was born about 1758 in Bermuda. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]