Alven Coleman1

M, ID# 3352, (1868-1936)
     Alven Coleman was born on 7 February 1868 in Beverly Twp, Wentworth County, Ontario.1 He was the son of George W Coleman and Harriet Church.1 He married Lavinia Emma Himes on 19 June 1895 in Galt, Waterloo County, Ontario.2 He died on 7 October 1936 in Galt, Ontario, at age 68.1 He was buried in Mountview Cemetery, Cambridge, Waterloo County, Ontario.1

When Alven and Veen were courting, Veen worked as a maid for the Howell family that had a large home at the corner of Water and Dickson Streets. Mrs. Howell offered Al work, but he thought he'd manage otherwise. It was difficult for awhile, and the story was that he cut ice in winter above the dam on the Grand River for a dollar a day. At the time of his marriage, Al was a painter and decorator and was still doing that at the time of the 1901 census. Later, he became a barber and had his own barber shop in downtown Galt until his death.

Alven Coleman was enumerated twice in the 1891 census. He was enumerated as being with his parents and siblings in St. George and he was also enumerated in Galt. He is with a James Mittson and his family. James is a house painter and Alven is shown as a house painter. There are two other painters at the house and they are likely employees along with Alven.

Alven had his own barber shop in downtown Galt. One day he came home looking quite dejected. Veen said to him, 'Why, Al, what's wrong?' It seems that haircuts were going up to 13 cents from 11 cents and he just didn't know how he could look his customers in the eye and ask them for that extra two cents!1

Census Records

YearPlaceHead of Household
Beverly Twp, Wentworth County, OntarioGeorge W Coleman3
Last Edited=12 Feb 2017

Children of Alven Coleman and Lavinia Emma Himes

Citations

  1. [S860] Robert Coleman, gedcom file, 09 Jun 2009, Scarborough, Ontario. Gedcom file "Descendants of Catherine Jones."
  2. [S870] Alven Coleman & Lavinia Himes, Marriage Registration 012469 (30 Jun 1895), Ancestry, http://www.ancestry.ca
  3. [S1842] 1871 Census (Beverly, North Wentworth, Ontario), Library & Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario C-9924, page 66, lines 6-9.