Joseph's grandparents were John Race Sr. (1814-1837) & Jane Hull (1816-1876). His grandfather was born in Hamsterley, Durham, England and died at the age of 21. No record as to the cause of death has ever been located. His grandmother was born in Newton Cap, Durham, England. She remarried a John Carrick following John's death and lived in the Bishop Auckland area the remainder of her life.

Joseph's mother & father were John Race Jr. (1837-1917) and Ann Sedgewick (1835-1895). John Race Jr. was born in Toft Hill, Durham, England, baptized 8 May 1837 at Auckland Saint Andrew, Durham. John Jr. never knew his father, John Sr. passing one month before his birth. He married Ann Sedgewick on the 17th of Dec, 1855 at St Andrews Church in South Church, Bishop Auckland, Durham, England. John and Ann remained in the Newton Cap, Durham area there entire lives. John passed at his home on the 13th of Dec, 1917 at 8 George St, Bishop Auckland, Durham. His place of burial is unknown.

Joseph's mother was born on the 19th of Apr, 1835 in Houghton Le Spring, Durham, England to Rowland & Mary Walter Sedgewick. Baptized the 31st of May, 1835 in Houghton Le Spring, Durham. John and Ann had 6 known children together; Thomas (1857- ), Joseph Sibley (1859-1938), John Ralph (1861-1933), William Henry (1863-1917), Mary Jane Race Bradley (1867-1945) and Minnie Race Kendrew (1870-1934). Of the six children, only Thomas and Joseph immigrated to the United States. Ann died suddenly on the 10th of Nov 1895 of a brain aneurysm. They were living at 23 High Bondgate, Bishop Auckland, Durham. She was buried in St Andrews Churchyard, Bishop Auckland on the 11th of Nov, 1895.

Information obtained from England Census, birth, marriage and death certificates, newspaper accounts and various other forms of available records. It is believed that all of Joseph Sibley Race's siblings, including himself, were born on Newton Cap Farm in Toronto, Durham, England where his father was a gardener & groundskeeper at that time in his life. The farm still exists today...

Joseph Sibley Race and Maria Hall Redman married on the 10th of Feb, 1877 in Bishop Auckland, Durham. They came to the United States in 1877 with five children, John W, Elizabeth, Richard, Esther & Thomas. Unfortunately, all records of their arrival were lost in the Jun 1897 fire at Ellis Island, New York. Joseph's brother Thomas followed him one year later. They all traveled to Pittsburgh where Joseph and Maria had their remaining children; Margaret, George, Mary Jane, Robert, Joseph Howard, and Edward. They lived in Wilkinsburg, Edgewood, Whitaker & finally settled in Homestead where they stayed the remainder of their lives.