The James Culbert-Rebecca Portis Family

Today we look at another Culbert family who are connected to our Culbert family. We don't yet know how the James Culbert-Rebecca Portis family is related to us but DNA testing proves they're our relatives.

James may be a brother of our ancestor, John Culbert or a cousin.

The Ancestry DNA test shows that I share DNA with various descendants of the James Culbert-Rebecca Portis family. First and foremost is Devonna (Atkinson) Del Grosso of New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.

Devonna (Atkinson) Del Grosso & her husband, Sandro Del Grosso.

Devonna is the great-great-granddaughter of James Culbert & Rebecca Portis. She's the great-granddaughter of James & Rebecca's daughter, Rebecca Culbert who married Jonathan Atkinson. Devonna's DNA proves that James and his descendants are related to us, the descendants of John Culbert and Mary Ward.

Devonna has done a tremendous amount of research on her family tree. For anyone researching the James Culbert-Rebecca Portis family, I recommend looking at Devonna's family tree on Ancestry.

Devonna and I haven't yet figured out how her James Culbert is related to our John Culbert. Were they brothers? Were they cousins?

MORE ABOUT JAMES CULBERT & REBECCA PORTIS:

James Culbert (also spelled Colbert) was born circa 1817 in Ireland.  He married Rebecca Portis (alternate spellings include Porteous, Porte, and Pooler) on 1 Apr 1839 in Modreeny, Tipperary, Ireland; a civil parish about 2.5 miles northwest of Cloughjordan.

It's believed that James Culbert & Rebecca Portis came to Canada around 1864, over 20 years after our John Culbert arrived here in Canada.

The 1881 Census shows James and Rebecca living in the Village of Lucan, Ontario in Biddulph Township. Between 1885 and 1891, they moved with their four children to British Columbia.

James died in 1899 in New Westminster, BC, age 40.

THE 4 CHILDREN OF JAMES CULBERT & REBECCA PORTIS:

Elizabeth/Eliza Culbert (1841-1891). Elizabeth Culbert married Robert Blackwell and they lived in London, Ontario.

Thomas Culbert (1844-1909). Thomas Culbert married Eleanor "Ellen" Atkinson and they had 9 children. Thomas & Ellen wed in 1869 and lived on Concession 5, Biddulph Township. Around 1880, they moved to New Westminster, BC with their four eldest children. Thomas's first wife, Ellen died in 1894. Thomas married his second wife, Kate Knox in 1899. Apparently, Thomas wasn't fond of his new wife so he and his youngest boys packed up and moved to New Zealand in 1901. Thomas Culbert died in New Zealand in 1909. Thomas's eldest son, Jonathan Culbert was living in Transvaal South Africa. Jonathan went to fight in the Boer War with His cousin, Ernest Atkinson (son of Jonathan Atkinson and Rebecca Culbert.) So that means there are Culberts in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Thomas Culbert and family in Langley Prairie, British Columbia, after 1894. 

Rebecca Culbert (1852-1927). Rebecca Culbert married Jonathan Atkinson and had 13 children. Rebecca and Jonathan lived for a time in Kincardine, Ontario but were living in British Columbia by 1901.

James Culbert, Jr. (1856-1896). James Culbert, Jr. grew up in Biddulph Township, Middlesex County, Ontario but moved to British Columbia. There is no record of a marriage or children.

So there you have it. Proof of another Culbert family related to our Culbert family. You can help unravel the mystery of these families by taking the Ancestry DNA test. The more Culbert DNA we have in their database, the more likely we'll find the answers to these questions:

Who were John Culbert's parents?

Who were John Culbert's siblings?

Who were John Culbert's ancestors?

Where did John Culbert and Mary Ward live in Ireland before they came to Canada?

Please consider taking the Ancestry DNA test. And thanks to those of you who've already taken the test! Your DNA led me to discover that James Culbert and his family are related to us.