Dembo Sickles

http://www.edu.pe.ca/gray/class_pages/rxmacdonald/pei/blackcom/suck... First name sometimes appears in documents as Bembo, Dembo, Dumbo or Dimbo. Dimbo was born around 1761 and was owned for some years by a Georgetown merchant, William Creed. It has been claimed that David Higgins had owned one or more slaves named Sickles. If Higgins had indeed been a slave owner he would have been the earliest on the island. After Higgins death in 1783 his widow married Captain Creed who arrived in 1783 from Salem or Boston, and Creed may have acquired Suckles by marriage.

There are many disagreements about Dimbo Suckles life, yet some are clear. An obituary many years later states the Suckles arrived in 1785 with Creed. Creed had brought Suckles with him from Boston to St. Andrews Point, opposite Georgetown. J.M Aitken knew Dimbo Suckles and recounted his story of how he had been enslaved in Africa: When the slave hunter raided his native place Suckles took refuge in a hollow log. He was dragged from his hiding place by the hunter with an iron hook attached to a long handle and to this dying day he could show the mark in his back mad by that cruel mark.

Suckles manumission {grant of freedom} was set at the then standard rate of an indenture for seven years additional service before freedom. The indenture between William Creed of the Three Rivers and his servant Benbo was to take effect from November 1, 1776 to November 1, 1803. He had gained his freedom in 1802 and married a woman Mary Moore, who may have been a slave and was in the home of Governor Fanning. They later would have two daughters and four sons. All the sons were married but there is no mention of the daughters getting married. He is buried at Wightmans Point Pioneer Cemetery also known as St. Andrews Point Burial Ground.

Dimbo Sickles may have been born in Africa, taken as a slave to Massachusetts where he was purchased by WIlliam Creed. William Creed migrated with his household to Prince Edward Island. The PEI records also show that Creed purchased a woman from Governor Fanning to be Dimbo's wife[1]

Dimbo Sickles (or Suckles) was a farmer over age 60 in the 1841 Census of PEI[2].

His wife was Mary Moore, and their children included: 1.John, born 1804[3], who also appeared in the 1841 Census[4]. His wife was Louisa, and his children included: William Benjamin born 1838[5]; Frederick, born 1840[6]; Maria, born 1847[7]; Samuel, born 1852[8]; Keziah Jane, born 1856[9], and who died in 1893, at age 89[10] 2.Margaret, born January 29, 1805[11] 3.Mary, born February 1807[12] 4.Donald, born circa 1814, whose wife was Margery[13], and their children included: George Benjamin, born 1856[14]; James Lemuel, born 1857[15]. Donald died in 1884 (See FindAGrave Memorial #153085740) 5.Benjamin, born circa 1816, whose wife was Margaret, born 1817[16], their children included: Mary, born 1852[17]; John Alexander, born 1854[18]; George Bruce, born 1856[19]; Charles William, born 1858[20]. Benjamin died in 1876 (see FindAGrave Memorial #153680454) 6.Jane, a twin, born February 19, 1817[21] 7.William, a twin, born February 19, 1817[22] 8.Sarah, born March 27, 1826[23]

This profile shows that Dembo died after the 1841 Census.

Note: It appears there was some contact with William, after he moved to New Brunswick. A William Benjamin Suckles, born October 10, 1846[24] (parents not yet identified), married Catherine Roberts in 1872[25], and then married Hannah Colecraft in 1878[26], and had children including Alice Archer Sickles[27]. The family is shown in the 1891 Census[28]. William Benjamin Sickles died April 27, 1921, and his death record may provide more insight into his parents[29]

 Sources  1.↑ WHITFIELD, Harvey Amani; CAHILL, Barry. Slave Life and Slave Law in Colonial Prince Edward Island, 1769-1825. Acadiensis, [S.l.], dec. 2009. ISSN 1712-7432. Available at: <https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/Acadiensis/article/view/12734...>. Date accessed: 08 aug. 2018., 2.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Dimbo Suckles - 1841 Census shows 7 in the household, one male over 60; one female between 45 and 60; and the rest were their children 3.↑ The 1881 Census shows John, a widower, living with his sister Sarah in Prince Edward Island; District Name: Kings; District Number: 3; Sub-District Name: Lot 59; Sub-District Number: R; Family Number: 270; Page Number: 61; Microfilm: C-13164; Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada; Item Number: 102801 4.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online John Suckles - 1841 Census shows 4 in the household, a male and female between 16 and 45, and two children 5.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Willm Benjamin Suckles; Birth Date 18 February 1838  ; Place of Birth Three Rivers; Baptismal Date 18 October 1838; Officiating Clergy R Knight; Father's Name John Suckles; Mother's Name Louisa; Church Name Trinity, First Methodist; Church Location Charlottetown; Record Book Number 2; Record Book Page 11 6.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Frederic Suckles; Birth Date 18 April 1840  ; Place of Birth Three Rivers; Baptismal Date 3 November 1840; Officiating Clergy Wm Smith; Father's Name John Suckles; Mother's Name Louisa; Church Name Trinity, First Methodist; Church Location Charlottetown; Record Book Number 2; Record Book Page 19 7.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Maria Suckles; Birth Date 6 August 1847  ; Place of Birth Three Rivers; Baptismal Date 16 May 1848; Officiating Clergy Wm McCarty; Father's Name John Suckles; Mother's Name Louisa; Church Name Trinity, First Methodist; Church Location Charlottetown; Record Book Number 2; Record Book Page 31 8.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Samuel Suckles; Birth Date 15 May 1852  ; Baptismal Date 23 February 1852; Officiating Clergy Jess Whitlock; Father's Name John Suckles; Mother's Name Leosaia ?; Church Name United Church; Church Location Pownal (Vernon); Record Book Number 1; Record Book Page 28  9.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Kezia Jane Suckles; Birth Date 8 November 1856  ; Baptismal Date 15 January 1857; Officiating Clergy John Butcher; Father's Name John Suckles; Mother's Name Louisa; Church Name United Church; Church Location Pownal (Vernon); Record Book Number 1; Record Book Page 35 10.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Death Record; Name John Sickles  ; Age 89; Date of Death 12 February 1893  ; Source pre-1906 Death Index. Trinity United Church, Montague, Book 1 Notes Buried Lower Montague  11.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Margaret Suckles; Birth Date 29 January 1805  ; Baptismal Date 15 June 1806; Officiating Clergy T Desbrisay; Father's Name Dembo Suckles; Mother's Name Mary Moore; Church Name St. Paul's; Church Location Charlottetown; Record Book Number 3 ; Record Book Page 78 12.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Mary Suckles; Birth Date 28 February 1807  ; Baptismal Date 20 July 1808; Officiating Clergy T Desbrisay; Father's Name Dembo Suckles; Mother's Name Mary; Church Name St. Paul's; Church Location Charlottetown; Record Book Number 3; Record Book Page 92 13.↑ The 1881 Census shows Daniel (sic) and Margery along with other members of their family in Prince Edward Island; District Name: Kings; District Number: 3; Sub-District Name: Lot 59; Sub-District Number: R; Family Number: 173; Page Number: 40; Microfilm: C-13164; Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada; Item Number: 102257 14.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name George Benjamin Suckles; Birth Date 8 September 1856  ; Baptismal Date 31 March 1857; Officiating Clergy John Butcher; Father's Name Donald Suckles; Mother's Name Margery; Church Name United Church; Church Location Pownal (Vernon); Record Book Number 1; Record Book Page 36 15.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name James Lamuel Suckles; Birth Date 29 November 1857  ; Baptismal Date 2 March 1858; Officiating Clergy John Butcher; Father's Name Donald Suckles; Mother's Name Margery; Church Name United Church; Church Location Pownal (Vernon); Record Book Number 1; Record Book Page 21 16.↑ The 1881 Census shows Margaret, a widow, in Prince Edward Island; District Name: Kings; District Number: 3; Sub-District Name: Lot 59; Sub-District Number: R; Family Number: 271; Page Number: 61; Microfilm: C-13164; Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada; Item Number: 102803, with her two youngest sons on the next page 17.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Mary Suckles; Birth Date 22 November 1852  ; Place of Birth Georgetown; Baptismal Date 26 December 1854; Officiating Clergy R.T Roach; Father's Name Benjamin Suckles; Mother's Name Margaret; Church Name Anglican Church; Church Location Georgetown; Record Book Number 2; Record Book Page 17 18.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name John Alexander Suckles; Birth Date 28 June 1854  ; Place of Birth Georgetown; Baptismal Date 26 December 1854; Officiating Clergy R.T Roach; Father's Name Benjamin Suckles; Mother's Name Margaret; Church Name Anglican Church, St. Peters Cathedral; Church Location Georgetown; Record Book Number 2; Record Book Page 17 19.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name George Bruce Suckles; Birth Date 7 September 1856  ; Baptismal Date 13 June 1857; Officiating Clergy John Butcher; Father's Name Benjamin Suckles; Mother's Name Margret; Church Name United Church; Church Location Pownal (Vernon); Record Book Number 1; Record Book Page 38 20.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Charles William Suckles; Birth Date 30 June 1858  ; Place of Birth Montague; Baptismal Date 1 February 1859; Officiating Clergy Ingham Sutcliffe; Father's Name Benjamin Suckles; Mother's Name Margareth; Church Name Trinity, First Methodist; Church Location Charlottetown; Record Book Number 2; Record Book Page 103 21.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Jane Suckils; Birth Date 19 February 1817  ; Place of Birth Three Rivers; Officiating Clergy Busby; Father's Name Dunbo Suckles; Mother's Name Mary; Church Name Methodist Register; Church Location Murray Harbour; Record Book Page 3; Notes Twin of William 22.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name William Suckils; Birth Date 19 February 1817  ; Place of Birth Three Rivers; Officiating Clergy Busby; Father's Name Dunbo Suckles; Mother's Name Mary; Church Name Methodist Register; Church Location Murray Harbour; Record Book Page 3; Notes Twin of Jane 23.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Sarah Suckles; Birth Date 27 March 1826  ; Baptismal Date 17 April 1826; Officiating Clergy H Crane; Father's Name Dembo Suckles; Mother's Name Mary; Church Name Methodist Register; Church Location Murray Harbour; Record Book Page 8 24.↑ The 1901 Census shows Alice in Prince Edward Island; Relationship: Daughter; Ethnic Origin: African; Nationality: Canadian; Province: Prince Edward Island; District Name: Kings; District Number: 132; Sub-District Name: Township 59; Sub-District Number: R; Division Number: 1; Family Number: 5; Page Number: 1; Microfilm: T-6509; Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada; Item Number: 847218 25.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Marriage Record; Groom's Name Benjamin Suckles  ; Groom's Residence Lot 63  ; Bride's Name Catherine Roberts ; Bride's Residence Lot 63  ; Source RG19/s3/ss5: Marriage bonds, 1872  26.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Marriage Record; Groom's Name William B. Suckles ; Groom's Residence Lot 59  ; Groom's Status Widow/Widower  ; Bride's Name Hannah Caulcroft  ; Bride's Residence Lot 59  ; Bride's Status Spinster  ; Source RG19/s3/ss5: Marriage bonds, 1878  27.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Baptismal Record; Child's Full Name Alice Archer Suckles; Birth Date 25 June 1886  ; Place of Birth Brudenell; Baptismal Date 3 December 1888; Officiating Clergy John Goldsmith; Father's Name Benjamin Suckles; Mother's Name Hannah; Church Name United Church; Church Location Montague; Record Book Number 1; Record Book Page 9 28.↑ The 1891 Census shows the family of Benjamin Sickles in Prince Edward Island; District Name: King's; District Number: 133; Sub-District Name: Lot 59; Sub-District Number: R; Division Number: 1; Family Number: 48; Page Number: 10-11; Microfilm: T-6382; Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada; Item Number: 3147387 29.↑ Prince Edward Island Public Materials Online Death Record; Name Benjamin Sickles  ; Age 75; Residence Whim Road  ; Date of Death 27 April 1921 ; Entry Number 1237; Source RG19/s2/ss6: Death registration books, 1921