Person Record

Metadata

Name

Husband, Charles

Born

1864

Birthplace

Petworth (near Kingston, Canada West)

Places of residence

Kemble, Grey County, Ontario

Father

James Husband

Mother

Abigail Chambers

Nationality

Canadian

Notes

The Husband family is recorded in the book BEAUTIFUL STONEY KEPPEL (1986), see page 352. Charles Husband had purchased the Kemble blacksmith shop in 1888.
The family is also listed in the 1901 Census of Keppel Twp.:
They were at Pt. Lot 40, and Lot 41, Con. 19:
Husband, Charles...b. June 9, 1864, age 36, b. Ontario, Methodist, Blacksmith. His wife was Mary Husband, b. May 11, 1866. Their son, Arthur C. Husband was born Oct. 25, 1889 and was then 11 years old. Their daughter Eliza G. Husband was born Oct. 14, 1891 and was 9 years old. A blacksmith apprentice named Wm. G. Grant, age 22, resided with them.

Charles Husband's 1954 obituary had the following information: "A well-known and highly respected resident of the Owen Sound district, Charles Husband, died on Saturday evening at the Owen Sound General and Marine Hospital, where he had been a patient for over a month. He was in his 92nd year.
Born at Petworth, near Kingston, Mr. Husband was the son of the late James Husband and Abigail Chambers. Mr. Husband came to Owen Sound when he was nine years old. He then removed with his family to Glencairn in the Creemore district. As a young man, he learned the blacksmith trade with Don McKenzie at Presqu'ile in 1888 and later took over the blacksmith shop himself (sic-- this is erroneous info, see the 1948 article instead). Mr. Husband carried on this business until he retired to Kemble 11 years ago (sic--he actually lived there from 1888+). He was a member of the Owen Sound North Star AF and AM Lodge. He was also a member of Kemble United Church.
M. Husband married Mary Frazer (sic, Fraser) of Sydenham [Township] who predeceased him in 1921. From this marriage, a daughter, Olga Husband, of Strathroy, survives. One son, Arthur, predeceased him in 1921 (sic--Arthur's death registration says Aug. 24, 1920). In 1927, Mr. Husband married the former Alice Gilbert of Lockport, New York and she survives at Kemble. Two sisters and one brother pre-deceased him."

Charles Husband had a young English boy, Jimmy Mobbs (originally from England), who stayed with them as he apprenticed in the blacksmithing trade. Jimmy Mobbs had a brother Harry, who also was sent to Canada. Jim Mobbs worked with Mr. Husband until December, 1915, when he joined up with the 147th Battalion, which went to England in 1916. Jim was wounded during the war. After he returned to Canada in 1919, Jim once again assisted Mr. Husband for a while, and then moved away to Weston and had his own blacksmith shop (he blacksmithed for 52 years).

Archival Sources:

1987.033.001 Negative (photograph) showing Archie Hayward's blacksmith shop includes Charles Husband in it.
PF468 Julie Smith Collection has a photograph of Charles' son in military uniform

Occupation

Blacksmith
Father of a First World War veteran
Gasoline / Service Station at Kemble

Publications

"Hard Work Won't Kill Men But Worry Will, Declares Kemble Blacksmith at 85", OWEN SOUND DAILY SUN-TIMES, Sat. June 26, 1948
BEAUTIFUL STONEY KEPPEL, 1986
CHRONICLES OF KEMBLE (Military Section, has images of his son, and also of Jimmy Mobbs)

Relationships

Brother: William Husband, buried at Sarawak Cemetery, died 1928.
Two sisters: ________ & ____________
Brother-in-law: James Angus Fraser of Balaclava, Sydenham Township