John Edward Gibben KC (1894 - 1958)

Born 19 Jun 1894 in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Lyla Barbara (Hume) Gibben — married 1938 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Died 28 Jan 1958 at age 63 in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada

Biography

John Edward Gibben was born on 19 June 1894. His birth was registered in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire in the third quarter of 1894^[1]. He was the son of William Gibben and Eleanor Burman. The family came to Canada in 1896.

At the time of the 1901 Canada Census, William, Elenor, Ruth E., Crystal, John E., Gladys M., Paul, and William H Gibben (mistranscribed as "Gibbon") were listed as living in Winnipeg, Manitoba^[2].

While at the University of Manitoba, he served with the University of Manitoba COTC and 106th Winnipeg Light Infantry. He volunteered for overseas service in the Great War, signing up 17 Jan 1916 as a private with the 226th Battalion, CEF, assigned to the 221st Battalion. In England, he was assigned with the rest of the 221st to 11th Reserve Battalion. After rising through the non-commissioned ranks in 1916 he was promoted to lieutenant 23 Jan 1917. He arrived in France 17 May 1917 and posted to the 107th Battalion (Winnipeg), CEF. He was wounded in the face and tongue at the Battle of Hill 70 in 15 August 1917. He was discharged 16 Apr 1918. ^[3][4]

In 1938, Gibben married Lyla (Ina) Barbara Hume (1910-1950). ^[5]

He studied at the University of Manitoba, and was called to the Manitoba bar in 1921.

A lawyer, judge and political figure in the Yukon, Canada. ^[6] He served as Yukon Controller / Commissioner 20 Sep 1947 – 15 Aug 1950 ^[7]

He served as stipendiary magistrate for the Northwest Territories from 1938 to 1941 and for the Yukon from 1941 to 1947. In 1950, he was named judge in the Yukon Territorial Court and served until 1958.

Gibben was also a prominent freemason. He was buried in the Pioneer Cemetery, Whitehorse, Yukon.^[8][9]

Sources

1. ↑ FreeBMD: Births Sep 1894, Surname: Gibben, Given Name: John Edward, District: Middlesbro', Volume: 9d, Page: 495.
2. ↑ Census of Canada, 1901, Manitoba, Winnipeg (City) (12), Ward 4 (D), page 9, dwelling 77, family 95, John E. Gibben; RG3 - Statistics Canada, roll T-6438 (http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1901/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=248621 : Accessed November 10, 2019).
3. ↑ John Edward Gibben, Great War personnel records, http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B3488-S050
4. ↑ Hill 70, Canadian War Museum
5. ↑ Ina (Hume) Gibben obituary, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/118839590/inez-p_hume-gibben
6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edward_Gibben
7. ↑ http://www.commissioner.gov.yk.ca/about/John_Edward_Gibben.html
8. ↑ Gravestone photo, ExploreNorth, http://www.explorenorth.com/cemeteries/images/whitehorse_pioneer_cemetery-gibben-4127.html
9. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51942701/john-edward-gibben

Note

His Great War attestation papers and records note his birthday as 19 Jun 1894, as does his gravestone (1894-1958) versus the Yukon Commissioners web site as 10 Jun 1885.

Research Notes

Parents' marriage records:

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=85078072:5570&d=bmd_1564415191

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=85049738:6298&d=bmd_1564415191