Eleanora D. Gibbs, daughter of Lester Gibbs and Mary Conly, was born 19 February 1854 in Sterling, Cayuga County, New York.¹
By 1860 she was living in Dryden Township, Lapeer County, Michigan, in the household of her uncle, Philo Gibbs, and his wife, Mary Jane.² Her father, Lester Gibbs, was also in the household.² In 1865 she was in Sterling, Cayuga County, New York, in the household of her mother.³ She returned to Lapeer County before her marriage.
On 22 August 1869 she married John T. Wortman in Lapeer County.⁴ In 1870 John and Eleanora were living in Dryden Township in their own household.⁵ The adjacent households were those of her mother, Mary Hilliker, and her paternal grandmother, Abigail Gibbs.⁵
Three children were born to John and Eleanora in Lapeer County:
Melvin David Wortman, 7 May 1873;⁶
Anna E. Wortman, 10 October 1876;⁷
John H. Wortman, 10 October 1878.⁸
John T. Wortman died 11 March 1878 in Dryden.⁹ Their youngest child was born later that year.
On 3 August 1879, in Dryden, she married John Henry Hand.¹⁰ In 1880 they were living in Dryden Township, where he was a farmer.¹¹ In the household were Melvin, Anna, and John H. Wortman.¹¹ The adjacent household was that of her uncle, Philo Gibbs.¹¹
Two children were born to John and Eleanora (Wortman) Hand:
Carrie G. Hand, 21 April 1881 in Lapeer County;¹²
Ezra Lessia Hand, 27 January 1891 in Lapeer County.¹³
By April 1888 the family was residing at 221 West Kinzie Street in Chicago, Illinois.¹⁴ They later returned to Michigan. John Henry Hand died 30 January 1891 in Lambs, Lapeer County.¹⁵
In 1900 Eleanora was living in New Haven Township, Shiawassee County, Michigan, where she appears in the federal census as head of household.¹⁶ Living with her were her children Anna E., John H., and Ezra L. Hand.¹⁶
By 1910 she was living in Fenton, Genesee County, Michigan, where she appears in the federal census as a widowed head of household.¹⁷ In the household was her youngest son, Ezra L. Hand.¹⁷
Her daughter Anna E. (Wortman) Hickmott died in Owosso on 2 February 1914.¹⁸
Eleanora D. (Gibbs) (Wortman) Hand died 18 August 1914 in Fenton of apoplexy.¹⁹ Her funeral was held at the Fenton Baptist Church, with services conducted by the Rev. Robert Davis.²⁰ She had lived in Fenton for the last fourteen years of her life and was a member of the Baptist church and of the Woman’s Relief Corps.²⁰ She was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Fenton.²¹
She was survived by one daughter, Mrs. Andrew Riopelle of Detroit; one son, Ezra L. Hand of Fenton; and two sons, John and Melvin Wortman.²⁰ The obituary also names two sisters, Mrs. Lillie Morrow of Holly and Mrs. Hattie New of Detroit.²⁰
Sources
- Birth date and place from Michigan death record and census records.
- 1860 U.S. census, Lapeer County, Michigan, Dryden Township, household of Philo Gibbs; includes Lester Gibbs and Eleanora Gibbs.
- 1865 New York State census, Cayuga County, Sterling, household of Mary Garner.
- Lapeer County, Michigan, marriage record, John T. Wortman and Eleanora Gibbs, 22 August 1869.
- 1870 U.S. census, Lapeer County, Michigan, Dryden Township, households of Mortimer Hilliker, John Wortman, and Abigail Gibbs.
- Michigan birth record, Melvin David Wortman.
- Michigan birth record, Anna E. Wortman.
- Michigan birth record, John H. Wortman.
- Lapeer County, Michigan, death record, John T. Wortman.
- Lapeer County, Michigan, marriage record, John Henry Hand and Eleanora Wortman, 3 August 1879.
- 1880 U.S. census, Lapeer County, Michigan, Dryden Township, households of John Hand and Philo Gibbs.
- Michigan birth record, Carrie G. Hand.
- Michigan birth record, Ezra Lessia Hand.
- Chicago, Illinois, residence record, 1888, 221 West Kinzie Street.
- Lapeer County, Michigan, death record, John Henry Hand.
- 1900 U.S. census, Shiawassee County, Michigan, New Haven Township, household of Eleanora D. Hand.
- 1910 U.S. census, Genesee County, Michigan, Fenton, household of Eleanora B. Hand.
- Shiawassee County, Michigan, death record, Anna E. (Wortman) Hickmott.
- Genesee County, Michigan, death record, Eleanora D. Hand, 18 August 1914.
- “Mrs. Hand Buried,” Flint Journal (Flint, Michigan), 21 August 1914.
- Oakwood Cemetery, Fenton, Genesee County, Michigan; Find a Grave memorial and gravestone.