They Protect Him To This Very Day

The Gibbs family is interred in the Hillcrest Cemetery on Delsea Drive just outside Pitman, New Jersey.

I need to thank a very dear person for helping me with the information from the cemetery itself. I owe you much more than a debt of gratitude and I can only hope that my efforts in this project serve you well in the way that they need to.

For several years, Ed Gibbs' grave was unmarked.

We now know, as of this week, that that isn't the case any longer.

His grave is clearly marked in the family plot.

Ed is buried between his mother and father.

J. Lester Gibbs died in 1964. He wasn't a well man during his son's murder trial and collapsed several times and had a heart attack early on in the proceedings.

Mrs. Florence Gibbs died in 1993.

She placed her son next to his father and then upon her passing, next to her also.

The symbolism there is screaming.

They are flanking him in death as they did in life.

It was told to me that the position of the resting places speaks volumes as to the mindset of the Gibbs parents.

It's only natural that no parent could imagine or believe that their child could have done to Marian Baker what Ed Gibbs did to her.

He confessed and gave the world the details. Not all of them were revealed. The very worst weren't necessary for the success of the trial on the Prosecution's side and they surely weren't going to be revealed by the Defense.

But most parents would somehow, someday, come to grips with the truth and have to admit to themselves that their child was a murderer. They would still love the child, but the truth would become a very dark but tangible part of their reality.

Marian's aunt and uncle, the O'Donels, were faith-filled Christian people. They found peace and forgiveness for the Gibbs family through Christ. They wrote to the Gibbs' several times telling them of their Christian compassion and forgiveness, clearly telling them that they held nothing against the Gibbs parents for what Ed had done.

Not one response ever came back.

The O'Donels were surprised and puzzled.

Now, it seems a bit clearer.

J. Lester died in 1964. Florence lived the rest of her days never truly believing that her Eddie had killed Marian Baker. Her psychological timbre was so fragile that she removed anything to do with the crime, trial and execution from her reality.

Her behavior and demeanor at her son's services is macabre but telling.

Florence Gibbs could finally, for the first time in her life since the birth of her baby boy, Eddie, relax.

She now knew and would know for all time, where he was, if he was safe and what he was doing.

He was "home".

Florence mothered Ed "in a box" for as long as she could while he was alive.

It wasn't easy. And she was a walking nervous wreck.

But now, Eddie was in the big box and he couldn't get hurt, he couldn't fail, he couldn't put a dark mark on the family name and he couldn't challenge the desires and decisions of the family anymore.

Eddie didn't kill Marian. But Eddie passed away.

So Florence made potato salad and hosted the mourners and went on with her life.

And when her husband died, he took his place at the side of Eddie, and she would flank him years down the road.

I almost feel  a sense of defiance in Florence Gibbs.
It would have hurt many mothers to ignore a letter from the O'Donel family. They reached out in Christian love and compassion.

I truly wonder if Florence kept the letters. I would love to know if they were part of her personal effects when she died.

Or if they were thrown in the trash as Florence hummed to quiet the voices in her head.

Ancestry.com and The Master Family Calendar

I've been addicted to genealogy for several years now. Thank heavens I always had an ear to the door when I was growing up! I've been able to trace one branch of my maternal grandmother's mother-in-law's side of the family (that would be my great-grandmother, maternal) back to the 1500's in the Alsace Region of France.
The history of that region is incredible. It's clear that some of our relatives in that branch survived the Black Death. Amazing stuff.
My daughter and I are history nuts, so we've done extensive research into the daily lives of people along the timeline. We know what was occurring in their towns, what their daily routines were like, the wars that were beginning, the exodus and nomadic behavior of the people, the revolutions, the normal dress, customs and foods of the times as well. Some of our records are detailed enough about our ancestors that their actual birthdays are listed.
I keep many birthdays forefront in my mind. My parents, my Nanny (maternal grandmother), brother, aunts, uncles, etc.
But we thought it would be really significant to transcribe all of the dates of birth of all of the ancestors we could locate and fill in a Master Family Calendar.
It would be pretty remarkable to know on any given day, which one of our ancestors arrived in this world, in say, 1502.
We've been able to locate the Passenger Lists from many of the ships that brought our ancestors to this country from various parts of Europe. We have ties to Ireland, Switzerland, France, Germany and that middle ground of Alsace that changed sovereign hands many times in the short window of 75 years. Sometimes it was Germany, sometimes it was France.
Today, the accepted language is French, but there are still those who speak the ancestral Alsatian dialects.
We've studied some of our familial migration patterns throughout Europe. Amazing.
We know which relatives were alive and survived the French Revolution.
We know which ancestors held positions of power and the days some of them married.
I promised my daughter I'd have the calendar completed for her by Friday. I've never been one to turn down a challenge :)
We do know now that our ancestors, after leaving Europe, arrived in Fair Play, MD, Philadelphia and other ports. One branch of our tree turns out is one of the oldest families here in Delaware, based near Pearson's Corner in Kent County. Some headed to New Castle and Wilmington. Others settled in Philadelphia and others went west.
The branch from Philadelphia ventured into Chester County, PA which at one point belonged to Maryland. Chester County, PA later became part of southern Lancaster County.
We have been based in Providence Township, Martick Township (that is not a misspelling), Smithville and Conestoga.
On my paternal side, we originated in Switzerland. Here in this country, we were based in Lexington, PA, Brunnerville, Warwick Twp, Akron, Ephrata and Rothsville, to name but just a few.
I could research the family trees all day long. If I ever win the lottery, you'll know where to find me lol
And today, my daughter and I decided we now have at least one more travel spot to add to our list.
We really feel compelled to travel to Alsace.
Our ties are so strong and so far reaching there.
We have the potential to view the headstones of relatives born in the early 1500's. That just takes my breath away. But the stones aren't going to be around forever and if we're going to see them personally, that is a trip that we can't postpone much longer.
I have no idea how many hours we'd be on the plane...... that wasn't on my list, not even close. Until today.
I'd better start saving up. I would imagine a flight across the 'big lake' isn't all that inexpensive.
I have enough trouble finding the time to cover two or three states! lol
Once the calendar is finished this week, I may post it. I think it's just fascinating stuff!

Marian Baker's Birth Mother, Mrs. Helen B. Soule Baker Britcher

Marion Louise Baker was the child of Walter M. Baker and Helen B. Soule, of Perry County, PA.

She had one older brother, Ross Dalton Baker.

Both children would spend their childhoods with maternal aunts and their families, Ross being legally adopted eventually. Marian couldn't have been any more a daughter to Aunt Allie and Uncle Jack with a piece of paper saying it was so. She was their daughter and they loved her as one of their own. Losing Marian in the way that they did was horrific for the O'Donels, but their faith bolstered them.

I've come to learn that the family from which Marian came is made of very strong stuff. They are a family of love, loyalty and perseverance. And above all else, love for one another.

The story of Marian Louise Baker begins with her roots.

A Hearty Recommendation! Family Trees and Your Roots!

In reviewing my research into the murder of Marian Louise Baker, it dawned on me that I need to tell you all just how very important Ancestry.com has been in aiding me in my pursuits for information.
I am mildly-ha! addicted to history and even more so to genealogy and family trees!
Several years ago I became familiar with many sites on the web that are available for anyone to research their own family roots. What I didn't realize at the time was just what a wealth of information it could be to researching much more than your own family history!
I have researched my extremely old house thanks to that site. I consider my house a living thing and want to know all that I can about the previous owners and residents.
Ancestry.com has led me to sources and references not just for my lines, but also has taken me to the places and people that have been an enormous help in my research of The Marian Louise Baker murder.
I have made some contacts that have become friends, and some, although not blood related, are now part of my "family".
So far, I have nothing but praise for Ancestry and the Rootsweb sites! There are others and I will include a list of those later for anyone who wishes to pursue their own research.
Wouldn't it be sad if no one remembers? Each one of us leaves our own little footprint here. We are all someone's son, daughter, wife, aunt, uncle, etc. Those sites allow us to connect to our pasts and even learn about our geological heritage.
Check them out if you haven't already. They are wonderful!