Johann Jacob Gebhard was born at noon on the 22nd of November 1819 in Praunheim Frankfurt Germany the son of Martin Gebhard a Gardener and Catharina Duchmann (born 1801 Florsheim the daughter of Philipp Duchmann and Katharina Elisabetha Thekla Nebel).

He had an elder sister Lischen Marion Gebhard born 12th May 1814 (she too would come to England, Lischen married a Thomas Islip who became a very successful Pearl Button Manufacturer in Birmingham), another elder sister Johanna Sara Maria Gebhard born on the 9th of January 1815 (she would marry a Mr. Salze), and an elder brother George Heinrich Gebhard born 23rd September 1816. 

By the age of 12 Johann's mother had died.

Johann was in England in 1847 as a witness to the wedding in Gloucester of his elder sister Lischen.

In 1849 Johann Jacob Gebhard (a "Master Tailor") lives at 156, Broad Street Birmingham, in 1851 he lives at 132 Islington Birmingham and in 1852 Johann lives in King Edwards Road Birmingham.

In 1853 Johann Gebhard aged 33 is married at St. Martins in the Field in London to Elizabeth Islip (born 1821 in Swineshead Huntingdonshire, Elizabeth was the daughter of James Islip and Elizabeth Lovell and the elder sister of Thomas Islip).

Johann and Elizabeth travel to Germany where their first child Johann Martin Gebhard (always known as Martin) is born in Mainz on the 19th of April.

In 1855 the Gebhard family live at 187 Camden Street Hockley Birmingham where there second child Marie Katherina Gebhard is born on the7th of February (Marie Katherina Gebhard would marry a George Dean Morris and have four children all born Birmingham:- Ernest George Morris , Henry Benjamin Morris , Edith Agnes Morris (she married a Hector Mcleod and lived in New Zealand) and George Dean Morris ("Jnr."). Sadly Marie Katherina died at the age of 33 in Sheffield.

In 1858 Johann and Elizabeth's third child Elizabeth GEBHARD is born at 275 Bell Barn Road. (It would appear that Elizabeth probably never married because in 1901 aged 43 she is still single and lives with her widowed mother at 1 Springfield, off Fentham Road, Erdington).

In 1861 Johann and Elizabeth's last child is born at number 57 Vittoria Street Hockley she is named Agnes Johanna GEBHARD (Agnes Johanna married John Lill a Concert Pianist in 1900 in Chelsea, her husband died of T.B. within a year. Agnes's second husband was Thomas MOORE a Pharmaceutical Chemist. Agnes never had children and she died at the age of 87 in 1949 and was buried at Sutton Coldfield Cemetery which is in Rectory Road.

The Gebhard family live a the following addresses:- 14 Belmont Row (1862), 138 Sandpits Parade (1864 to 1866), Spring Hill (1867), 36 Bath Street (1867 to 1869), 30c Hospital Street (1871 - in the same year Catherine PEARCE lives in Tower Street), 30b Hospital Street (1872 to 1876).

Sometime after 1876 and before 1881 the marriage of Johanna and Elizabeth broke down because in 1881 Johann GEBHARD aged 61 now lives with the 41 year old widow Catherine PEARCE (nee BIRT) at 30b Hospital Street.

In 1878 Johann and Elizabeth Gebhard's eldest child Johann Martin GEBHARD (known as Martin) a "Commercial Clerk" married Alice Maud GRETTON at St. Saviours Church in Saltley (Alice born 1860 at 23 Lower Trinity Street was the daughter of James GRETTON a "Hair and Horn Merchant" and Mary Ann YERL).

Martin and Alice Maud would have nine children:- Martin James GEBHARD 1879-1956(spouse Evaline Laura THOMAS) ; Frederick GEBHARD 1880-1936( spouse Edith Unknown), Clifford GEBHARD 1883-1923( spouse Emily Unknown), Ethel GEBHARD 1885-? (spouse Jack COVERLEY), Alice Maud GEBHARD 1888-1960 (spouse Herbert SEABORN), Kate GEBHARD 1889-1946 (spouse Unknown FRANKLIN), Howard GEBHARD 1894-1963 ((first spouse Minnie Unknown?, second spouse Quilla CAUSIER), John Gretton GEBHARD 1897-1950 (spouse Elizabeth Ada ANDERSON),Edward Valentine GEBHARD 1906-1984 (spouse Lilian RALPH).

In 1883 on the 17th of November Johann Jacob GEBHARD died of a heart attack at number 67 Hospital Street, he was 63 years old. The witness on his death certificate is Catherine PEARCE. It would seem that Johann and Elizabeth were never divorced. Johann is buried at Plot 27L Key Hill Cemetery in Hockley.

Martin and Alice Gebhard live at the following addresses:- 109 Rupert Street Aston (1879), 6 Trafalgar Road Aston (1880), 5 Scott Street Duddeston (1881), 100 Herbert Road Aston (1883), 49 Villa Street Lozells (1891), 81 New Spring Street Hockley (1897), 45 Spring Hill Passage Hockley (1901), 36 Heaton Street Hockley (1906).

On the 29th of April 1907 Elizabeth GEBHARD (nee ISLIP) dies, she is buried at St. Barnabas Erdington. Later in the year Martin James GEBHARD a "Master Plasterer" of 12 Vauxhall Grove Duddeston is married to Evaline Laura THOMAS at Aston Register Office (Eva was born in Belgaum India in 1885 the daughter of John THOMAS born 1854 Chelsea who was a Colour Sergeant in the 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade and Margaret KIRWAN born 1862 in Dublin).

On the 22nd of December in 1907 Martin and Eva's first child Clifford John GEBHARD is born at number 52, Bacchus Road Winson Green (he was born with a mass of black hair and someone nicknamed him Jim Crow and for 70 years he was known as either Jim or "Crowie".

Martin and Eva would have six more children:- Agnes Margaret GEBHARD born 1909 died? (spouse George GILKES), Alice Maud GEBHARD 1911-1989 (spouse George Henry MARKLAND), Henrietta Laura GEBHARD born? died? (she married George DRAPER), Arthur Claude GEBHARD 1914-1992 (spouse Ann DRUMMOND), Joan GEBHARD born c1920 died? (spouse Bob SMITH), Edna GEBHARD 1928-2001 (spouse Bill GRIFFITHS).

Martin and Eva live at the following addresses:- Elkington Street Aston (1914), 4, Court 14 Bracebridge Street Aston (1920), 100 South Road Erdington (1939-1956).

On the 14th of May 1921 Martin GEBHARD (really Johann Martin) dies aged 68; he is buried at St. Barnabas Erdington.

His wife Alice Maud died in 1924 aged 64 (she had married for the second time to a John G. Brooks).

"Jim" GEBHARD (really Clifford John) married Polly Pearson (she was born in 1912 at 7 St. Helens Place Church Lane Aston the daughter of William PEARSON and Mary MACDONALD).

On the 18th of February 1930 Jim and Mary's first son Clifford James GEBHARD is born, on the 27th of July 1931 (he married Irene HOLDER) their next son Roy Albert GEBHARD is born at Heathfield Road Hospital, on the 21st of December their last son Gerald GEBHARD is born(he married Margaret).

Jim served in the 51st Highland Regiment which became attached to the 8th Army and he saw action at El Alamein.

Jim and Mary live for many years at number 61 Sidcup Road Kingstanding.

Roy GEBHARD married Cynthia PRITCHARD (born 1933 at 171 Devonshire Street Winson Green the daughter of George PRITCHARD 1910-1995 and Rose Agnes GODWIN born Kent Street North Winson Green, 1911-2003).

Martin James GEBHARD died aged 77 on the 23rd of August 1956.

On the 30th of September 1954 Roy and Cynthia's first son Paul GEBHARD is born at Dudley Road Hospital; on the 1st of January 1960 their second son Ian GEBHARD is born also at Dudley Road Hospital.

Paul, Ian and their parents last address in Birmingham is number 35, Shakespeare Road, Ladywood. In 1964 they move to Lichfield.

Eva GEBHARD (nee THOMAS) died on her 84th birthday in 1969.

Jim GEBHARD died in 1978 aged 70.

In 1989 Paul GEBHARD moved back to live in Birmingham.

Polly GEBHARD (nee PEARSON and always known as Mary) died in 1997 aged 84.

If anyone remembers any of these folk and can supply me with any "snippets" about them I would be really pleased to hear from them.

paul.gebhard@btinternet.com