Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthMay 20, 1896
Place of BirthKenora (Rat Portage), Ontario
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinMrs. Hannah Campbell, mother, Foam Lake, Saskatchewan
Trade / CallingFarmer
ReligionPresbyterian
Service Details
Regimental Number276813
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion1st Depot Battalion, Saskatchewan Regiment
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedConscripted
Address at EnlistmentFoam Lake, Saskatchewan
Date of EnlistmentJune 4, 1917
Age at Enlistment21
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathOctober 23, 1973
Age at Death77
Buried AtWestminster Memorial Gardens
PlotSection 30, Devotion

Campbell, Kenneth Thomas

Date and Location of birth: Kenneth was born May 20, 1896, Rat Portage, Ontario. There is a written note on the bottom of the registration document that states the birth was also ‘declared’ in Foam Lake, Saskatchewan by E. Campbell.

Name of parents: His father is William Campbell, born July 1868 in Restigouche, New Brunswick. In 1896, William was a Brakeman with the Railway (CPR line running through Kenora). Kenneth`s mother Hannah, whose maiden name is Montgomery, was born in Bruce County, Ontario in 1874. William and Hannah were married in Kenora, October 26, 1892. The family does not show in either the 1901 or 1906 census and may have been moving between Kenora and places in Saskatchewan, while their children were being born.

Name of known siblings: According to the 1911 Canadian census, the Campbell family was living in Humboldt Saskatchewan. William was now a farmer. Also listed are Hannah and their children: Elizabeth (age 17), Kenneth (age 15) and George (age 13) all born in Rat Portage-Kenora; Mildred (age 11), Marjorie (age 8), William (age 3) and Edward (age 1 year) all born in Saskatchewan. All are Presbyterian.

In the 1916 census, the Campbells are living at 35 Last Mountain, Saskatchewan. Kenneth is a lodger with the Wilde family in Beaver Municipality and is working as a farm labourer; however, he states that his parents` home is his primary residence.

War experience:  Kenneth was drafted on 04 June 1918 in Regina, Saskatchewan and was posted to 1st Depot Battalion, Saskatchewan Regiment. He departed Montreal aboard the S.S. Cassandra and sailed to England.  When he arrived Kenneth was put into the 15th Reserve Battalion.  On 16 November 1918 he was sent to France with the 46th Battalion serving there until 26 April 1919 when he returned to England. A month later Kenneth was struck off strength to Canada. He received his official discharge in Regina on 10 June 1919.

Life after the War: According to the 1921 Canadian census, Kenneth was married to Edith Rebecca Forster. Born  February 18, 1894 in Morden, Manitoba, Edith was living with her parents in the District of MacKenzie, Saskatchewan when the 1906 census was taken. In 1921, Kenneth is a farm labourer and he and Edith are living in the village of Town Lake, Saskatchewan in the district of Last Mountain. Hannah, Kenneth`s mother, died in Foam Lake, December 18, 1927. Shortly afterwards, in 1929, Kenneth, Edith and their two children moved to Mylo, Rolette, North Dakota, United States.

The 1930 U.S. census lists Kenneth, proprietor of a grocery store, Edith, housewife and two children: Madelene (age 8) and Allan (aged 2 years, 2 months).   In the 1940 U.S. census, the family is still in Mylo, Rolette and all have become naturalized American citizens. Kenneth is proprietor and owner of a retail grocery; Edith is a housewife; and, son, Allan, age 11, is a student in the 5th grade. Daughter Madelene is no longer living with them.

In 1954, Kenneth and Edith are living in Santa Anna, California. Kenneth is employed as a clerk at Bray`s Food Center.

Date of death and burial:  Kenneth died October 22, 1973 in Orange County, California. He is buried at Westminster Memorial Park, Plot Section 30 Devotion, Westminster, California. Edith, who died in 1986, was buried next to him. Their son, Allan Manley Campbell, born March 10, 1928 in Saskatchewan, died September 5, 1983 in Los Angeles.

Prepared by Susan (Hillman) Brazeau  in support of the Kenora Great War Project – honouring all who served, remembering those who died.

SOURCES:

Ontario Canada Births 1869-1913 (ancestry.ca)

Ontario Marriages (ancestry.ca)

Manitoba Vitals Statistics: Births

Library and Archives Canada: First World War

1906 Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta Census

1911 Canadian Census

1916 Canadian Census

1921 Canadian Census

1930 U.S. Census

1940 U.S. Census

U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989

California Death Index 1940-1997 (ancestry.ca)

U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014

Web: California Find A Grave Index 1775-2012 (gravemarker photo courtesy of Susan Adkins)

Public Family Tree (ancestry.ca)

 


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