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Family of Melissa^8 Van Wicklin 

Melissa^8 Van Wicklin (James^7 Garret^6, Isaac^5, Paul^4, Garret^3, Gerrit^2, Jentie^1 Jeppes), b. 1861/2, Colbourne, 
Ontario

Married: Edwin Walsby, (b. 19 June 1851, Bethnal Green parish, London, England), before 1883; She divorced Mr. Walsby and married a Mr. Shingler.

Children:
1. James^9 Addison Walsby, b. 1879
2. Jennie^9 E. Walsby, b. about 1884
3. George^9 Walsby, b. 1889
(Based on information in the 1960 James Addison Walsby letter to Lillie Mae, Melissa apparently had a son, Noel by her marriage to Mr. Shingler.)
4. Noel^9 Shingler (who married Ella)...no information on last name


Parents:
Melissa's parents are James and Isabella (Wright) Van Wicklin
Edwin Walsby's parents are Charles and Ann [Davis] Walsby.

Background information:

Melissa^8 Van Wicklin (James^7 Garret^6, Isaac^5, Paul^4, Garret^3, Gerrit^2, Jentie^1 Jeppes) was b. abt. 1861 in Colbourne, Ontario. She is the dau. of James and Isabella (Wright) Van Wicklin. She died in 1945 at the age of 83. She m. Edwin Walsby (b. 19 June 1851, Bethnal Green parish, London, England) before 1883, and had three children by this marriage. She divorced Edwin and married Mr. Shingler. An 1891 Cramahe Township census lists Melissa Walsby (married daughter) and her three children (ages 10, 7, and 2) in the household of her parents. Presumably she was separated from her husband by that time but not yet married to Mr. Shingler.

Children: James^9 Addison Walsby, b. 11 May 1879 at Colbourne, Northumberland, Ontario, CAN; Jennie^9 E. Walsby, b. about 1884; George^9 Walsby, b. 1889; Noel^9 Shingler apparently a son of Melissa by her second marriage to Mr. Shingler. Noel married Ella.

Click on highlighted portion of this sentence to see full text of this letter (excerpts below) from James Addision Walsby to his Aunt Lillie Mae (Van Wicklin) Vowels dated 14 November 1960.

19 July 2000 email from Marg Graham-Trottman who received a copy of the follow letter dated November 4th, 1960 that is 10 
pages long: (excerpt and explanation follow)
Dear Aunt May:
"It refers to Rip VanWicklin. He gave the address for Mrs. Philps. She was named May after you. (The letter also mentions Aunt Amelia, Aunt May and Uncle Charlie and talks about a mom who died in 1945 at age 83.)"
From Addie
Everett, Washington, USA
(Marg believes this "Addie" is James A. Walsby, son of Melissa Van Wicklin. The "mom" who died in 1945 at age 83 fits perfectly with James' mother, Melissa, who was b. in 1862. The letter goes on to say that she (Melissa) is buried in Moose Jaw, Sask. It also mentions another son, Noel. I believe this son was with Mr. Shingler, Melissa's second husband. Addie, the writer, also mentions being at Amelia's wedding at age 12. This would make him a young boy at the time.)

Source:
1871 Ontario Census
 

1879 birth record for James Addison Walsby, b. 11 May 1879, Colbourne, Northumberland, Ontario, CAN. Birth record shows "Edward" Walsby as father [a mistake--should say Edwin] and Melissa Van Wicklin as the mother. courtesy of Michael Walsby via 14 March 2011 email
 

1881 Census of Ontario, CAN, Northumberland West lists Walsby, Edwin, male, 26, Eng, sailor, married and wife, M. A. Lissa Walsby, female, 19, Ont, German, married and Addison Walsby, male, age 2, Ont,, German, and Jane F. Walsby, blank, blank, blank; [line started and then scored through] courtesy of Michael Walsby via 14 March 2011 email; [Commentary by Michael Walsby: The 1881 census gives dates of birth slightly earlier than those on your website. Additionally, there is a discrepancy for the age of Edwin. He should be 29 or 30, not 26. Did he give the wrong information because he wanted to reduce the difference between his age and his wife's? There is also a curious element in the nationality of Melissa and Addision [i.e. German]. What this an error or clue of some sort? Melissa would only have been 17 when Addison was born. Could he have been an illegitimate child and Edwin not the father, though Edwin by this time recognized him as such to avoid social stigma? It would be interesting to trace the records of the birth of Addison and the date of marriage of Edwin and Melissa. The "scored out" Jane may refer to Edwin's younger sister, Jane [b. 3 Feb 1859]. This Jane emigrated to Canada in 1870. So the Jane in the 1881 census might be Edwin's sister, not his daughter, and, if so, the daughter born later could have been named after her.