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HOLBORN, William
1843 - 1912 (68 years) Has 9 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.
1821 - 1902 (80 years)-
Name HOLBORN, William Birth 9 Apr 1843 Terrington St. Clement, Norfolk 
Gender Male Death 18 Mar 1912 Ontario, Canada Person ID I6164 Edgoose Last Modified 5 Feb 2026
Father HOLBORN, William, b. 1819, Terrington St. Clement, Norfolk d. 1850 ?, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England Mother FAILES, Martha Ann, b. 24 May 1821, Tilney St. Lawrence, Norfolk, England d. 9 Apr 1902, Ontario, Canada (Age 80 years) Marriage 3 Nov 1839 Terrington St. Clement, Norfolk Family ID F2354 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 SCOTT, Elizabeth, b. 18 Aug 1858, Ashton, Ontario, Canada d. 18 Apr 1927, McNab, Renfrew, Ontario, Canada (Age 68 years) Marriage 6 Oct 1886 Almonte, Ontario, Canada Family ID F1130 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
Family 2 MCLEAN, Rachel, b. Abt 1841, Nova Scotia, Canada d. 1871, Kincardine, Bruce, Ontario, Canada (Age 30 years) Marriage Between 1865 and 1866 Ontario, Canada Family ID F2360 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
Family 3 LEWIS, Emily, b. Abt 1852, Ontario, Canada d. 27 Aug 1877, Kincardine, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada (Age 25 years) Marriage 18 Jan 1872 Kincardine, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada Family ID F2361 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
Family 4 RUTTLEY, Elizabeth Ann, b. Abt Sep 1855, City Of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada d. 12 Mar 1885, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada (Age 29 years) Marriage 6 Jan 1879 Kincardine Township, Ontario, Canada Family ID F2362 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 27 Jan 2026
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Notes
WILLIAM HOLBORN 1843-1912
According to the 1901 and 1911 census of McNab Township, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada, William was born on 9 April 1843.
William, son of William and Martha HOLBORN of Terrington St. Clement, was baptised at Terrington St. Clement, Norfolk, on 11 June 1843. His father William HOLBORN was a bricklayer.
(www.freereg.org.uk)
From the 1851 census of Terrington St. Clement, Norfolk:
Martha HOLBORN, head, aged 30, widow, pauper, bricklayer's wife (sic), born at Tilney, Norfolk;
Elija HOLBORN, son, aged 10, scholar, born at Terrington, Norfolk;
*William HOLBORN, son, aged 7, scholar, born at Terrington, Norfolk;
Robert HOLBORN, son, aged 6, born at Terrington, Norfolk;
James HOLBORN, son, aged 4, born at Terrington, Norfolk.
(HO107/1767/53/23)
He claimed to have immigrated to Canada in 1852 (1901 census) or 1853 (1911 census).
From the 1861 census of Kincardine, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada:
Wm HOLBEN, servant, religion E. Meth., aged 17, single, members of family 1 male 3 females.
(Roll C-1011 Page 8)
From the 1871 census of the Village of Kincardine, Bruce County South, Ontario, Canada:
*William HOLBEN (sic), aged 27, born in England, religion Baptist, origin English, brickmaker, married;
Rachel HOLBEN, aged 30, born in Nova Scotia, religion Baptist, origin Scotch, married;
Martha Ann HOLBEN, aged 5, born in Ontario, religion Baptist, British;
Archibald HOLBEN, aged 4, born in Ontario, religion Baptist, British;
William HOLBEN, aged 2, born in Ontario, religion Baptist, British;
Mary HOLBEN, aged 1, born in Ontario, religion Baptist, British.
(9935 3 11)
William HOLBEN (sic), aged 28, of Kilcardine, born in England, widower, brickmaker, son of William HOLBEN and Martha FAILES, married Emily LEWIS, aged 20, of Kincardine, born in Ontario, spinster, daughter of Levi LEWIS and Sarah Catherine SCHRAM, by licence on 18 January 1872. Witnesses were Murdoch McLEAN and Jane RAMAGE of KIncardine. The bridegroom was a Baptist and his bride a Wesleyan Methodist.
Emily HOLBEN of Kincardine died on 27 August 1877 aged 25. She was a married woman, born in Canada. Cause of death was "several ailments, principally giving birth to child, about 3 months. Information [illegible] on ship". The Informant was William HOLBEN, labourer, on Octobber 22 1877. Religion of deceased: Baptist.
(Death Register)
William HOLBIN (sic), aged 35, of Kincardine, Bruce County, Ontario, born in England, widower, Evangelist, son of William and Elizabeth (sic) HOLBIN married Elizabeth RUTTLY (sic), of Kincardine, aged 23, place of birth Hamilton, Ontario, spinster, daughter of Thomas and Catharine RUTTLY, at Kincardine on 6 January 1879. the religious denomination of the bridegroom was Baptist and that of his bride Episcopalian. Witnesses were William WICKHAM of Kincardine and Louisa KUMPH (?).
(Marriage Certificate)
In 1882 he moved to Renfrew County where a lady at his church told him his name was spelled wrongly. It was then changed to HOLBEIN but was still pronounced HOLBEN, the name he and his three brothers used when they came to Ontario.
William HOLBEIN, aged 48, of White Lake, McNab, born in England, widower, Preacher of the Gospel, son of William and Martha HOLBEIN married Elizabeth SCOTT, aged 38, of White Lake, born at Ashton, spinster, daughter of Alexander and Janet SCOTT, at Almonte on 6 October 1886 by licence. Witness was William SCOTT. Religious denomination of bride and groom was Baptist.
Eligah (sic) James, son of William HOLBEIN and Elizabeth SCOTT, was born at Renfrew County on 6 January 1889.
(Ontario, Canada, Births 1869-1913)
From the 1891 census of McNab Township, Renfrew County South, Ontario, Canada:
*William HOLBEIN (sic), aged 48, born in England of English parents, Closed Communion Baptist, clergyman.
Elizabeth HOLBEIN (sic), aged 32, wife, born in Ontario of Prince Edward Island and Ontario parents, religion Closed Communion Baptist.
(T-6366 192)
NOTE: Canadian born children have not been transcribed
From the 1901 census of McNab Township, Renfrew County South, Ontario, Canada:
*William HOLBEIN (sic), aged 57, date of birth 9 April 1843, immigrated 1852, religion Baptist, clergyman;
Elizabeth HOLBEIN (sic), aged 43, date of birth 18 August 1857 (sic), born in Ontario, origin Scottish, religion Baptist;
Martha HOLBEIN (sic), aged 79, mother, widowed, date of birth 24 May 1821, born in England, religion Baptist, immigrated 1852.
NOTE: Canadian born children have not been transcribed.
From the 1911 census of McNab Township, renfrew County South, Ontario, Canada:
*Rev William HOLB... (illegible), head, aged 68, date of birth April 9 1843, born in England, immigrated 1853, racial origin English, nationality Canadian, Baptist minister;
Elizabeth HOLB... (illegible), wife, aged 52, born August 18 1858, racial origin Scottish, nationality Canadian.
NOTE: Canadian born children have not been transcribed.
William HOLBEIN died at McNab Township, Renfrew County, Ontario, on 18 March 1912 aged 68 years 11 months and 9 days. His date of birth was entered as April 1844 which is incorrect. He was born in England. His occupation was clergyman. He was married. The full name of his father was [blank] HOLBEIN and the maiden name of his mother was said to be Martha WICKHAM.
(Death Certificate)
There is a gravestone in White Lake Community Cemetery on which are inscribed the names of Rev. William HOLBEIN (1843-1912), his wife Elizabeth SCOTT (1858-1927), and his mother Martha (1820-1903). His mother's dates are incorrect.
NOTES & QUERIES:
1) In 1871 their eldest child Martha Ann was five years old indicating that her parents married in 1865 or 1866.
2) In 1871 a 27 year old Angus McLEAN, born Nova Scotia, brickmaker, was living two doors away, possibly Rachel's brother.
3) James Elijah HOLBEIN married Annabella CAMERON, daughter of Duncan CAMERON and Elizabeth McGUINESS, at Hugh Street, Arnprior, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada, on 4 July 1907. Witnesses were Mary Ann READ of Arnprior and Harry CAMERON of McNab Township, Ontario.
(Ontario, Canada, Marriages 1801-1928)
4) "After William HOLBORN (1843-1912) moved from England to Kincardine, Ontario the family name was changed to HOLBEN. He moved to Renfrew County, Ontarion in 1882. A lady at his church (he was the minister) told him his name was spelled wrong and that it should be HOLBEIN (like the painter) so he changed it. Most of his children and descendants changed their surnames too. The sound of the new name remained the same as it was before (Hol-ben).
My father told me about the name change to HOLBEIN. Although he went to England and saw the HOLBORN spelling on records he had never heard about this from his relatives. I can tell that the original HOLBORN spelling is right because the given names and birth dates are correct.
William's brothers Elijah, Robert and James went from Kincardine to the US. They seemed to spell their surnames as HOLBEN and HOLBIN.
William's parents were William HOLBORN and Martha Ann FAILES. She was widowed twice and also married Robert MERRY in England and William WICKHAM in Kincardine, Ontario."
(e-mail from May HOLMES 11 February 2012)
NOTES & QUERIES:
Information from Maer Maid:
"I was searching through pages for something, and found your Rootsweb pages on the above couple. You have a notation that there is a 27 year old Angus McLEAN living two doors down from William and Rachel, who may be Rachel's brother. He is. Angugus is my second great grandfather. Rachel's siblings: Catherine (married Angus McCALLUM of Kincardine), Murdoch (married Mary Kester SHEWFELT of Kincardine; moved to Manitoba), Angus (married Sarah Ann BATTEN in Kincardine, died 1874; Sarah then married James BEATON), Christine (married Adam MILLAR in Kincardine), John, and William.
On the 1871 census page where William and Rachel are listed you will see Martha MERRY who is William's mother. She married her next-door neighbour, William WICKHAM. Richard, William's son, was witness to Murdoch and Mary Kester's marriage. A litttle further down you will see the LEWIS family. It was the Emily of that family who William married after Rachel died. William had bad luck with wives... William and Rachel had one more child - possibly the twin of Mary. Margaret is in the death schedules for the 1871 census as having died in August at age 1. She died of whooping cough. It's possible that Rachael died from this illness, as she died before Jan 1872 (When William married Emily). The family was baptist, so records are few and far between. Rachel's parents were Archibald and Mary."
(revised 30.04.2012)