Harriet & Isabella (Bella) McDonald in Toronto, Canada

[bigmac1x]

Yup. I think that's also where Ancestry pulls their results from too. I've tried the Library and Archives 1891 database which let's you search by name. Nothing. But the 1901 database is done by district. Not sure which district Charles is in in 1901. Going thru the 1901 records on that site will take a little longer to find something.
Also. their website is a little cumbersome. I suspect Fadden has been mis-spelled and that's why Charles Colburn isn't coming up on anybody's site. On the government's website, once you try one spelling, and there's no results, you have to enter everything again. You can't refine your previous serch liike on Ancestry.

[Jacquie in Canada]

Yup. I think that's also where Ancestry pulls their results from too. I've tried the Library and Archives 1891 database which let's you search by name. Nothing. But the 1901 database is done by district. Not sure which district Charles is in in 1901. Going thru the 1901 records on that site will take a little longer to find something.
Also. their website is a little cumbersome. I suspect Fadden has been mis-spelled and that's why Charles Colburn isn't coming up on anybody's site. On the government's website, once you try one spelling, and there's no results, you have to enter everything again. You can't refine your previous serch liike on Ancestry.

Not being able to refine your search at the LAC site is a little annoying but you can use wildcards when searching there so it's not too much of a problem. As for the 1901 census, this website has a free searchable by name database to a transcription of the 1901 census:
http://automatedgenealogy.com/index.html
It also links to the image at LAC. They also have the 1911 census as well as the 1906 census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and the 1851/1852 census.

Jacquie

[bigmac1x]

Ah yes, I remember this additional option now. I did try ALL the different name variations and no Charles, no Colburn, no nothing in 1901.
I'm leaning even more heavily now that he went to the USA for a period. I'll have to check border crossings and USA census data for 1891 and 1901 too.
All this just to find out if he had a Daughter named Grace from the first marriage -  jeesh! Oh well, guess it's one of those pieces of the puzzle you need to have to complete the bigger picture.

[RSMACL]

Found on 1881
 Can. Census, Quebec:
All shown as of German origin, born Canada, except Almira who is of English origin, born Canada:
J. Peter Fadden 45, Almira Fadden 42, Moris R. Fadden, son, 22 farmer's son, b. 1859;  Emman B. Fadden  son(later Censuses shown this son as TRUMAN B. FADDEN) 20, b. 1862,  Hattie M., dau., 14, b. 1867, CHARLES C. son 9, b. 1872,
Gertrude E., dau. 7, b. 1874, Sidney Y., son, 4, b. 1877, male child son, 1/12 (one month old?), b. 1880/1.  Next dau. born after Census: Blanch M., b. 1882.
1891 Can. Census: number of likely entries, but cannot access under my Ancestry.com membership. Perhaps someone else could help there?
1901 Can. Census:   Quebec, St. Thomas, Missiquoi:
 James P. Fadden b. l Oct.1833 (67) Farmer, Employer.
Almira W. Fadden, wife, b. 20 Sept., 1838 (62)
son Truman B. Fadden, b. 21 August 1860, 40, single, Farmer's son
dau. Blanch M. Fadden, b. 26 May, 1882, 18.
Uncle: Rodney J. Fadden, b. 26 Sept., 1848, 52, single.  All are stated now as of DUTCH origin, including Elmira.  No Charles on this census.

1911 Can. Census, Quebec.
James Peter Fadden, 76, Elmira wife 72 (shows now as of SCOTCH origin!);
son Truman B. Fadden, 50 yrs., single
son CHARLES C. FADDEN, 32 yrs. single.   *"Domestic"
  * For Charles,
 on this Census under column 18: 'Employment at other than at chief occupation if any' - it shows date 2.9.'04. .. so Charles has been Domestic since 2nd Sept., 1904 to date of 1911 Census.
Stephen (bigmac1x) has been wondering why Charles went 800 miles from Quebec to Toronto, and there met Harriet McDonald, to marry her there in 1920, and conjectures he may have been staying with one of his sisters or brothers in Toronto?  Any ideas?

[Jacquie in Canada]

I'll have to check border crossings and USA census data for 1891 and 1901 too.

The US census were taken in 1890 and 1900 however the 1890 census was almost entirely destroyed by fire. I've done a few searches of the 1900 census but the only possibles had the wrong birth month listed.

1891 Can. Census: number of likely entries, but cannot access under my Ancestry.com membership. Perhaps someone else could help there?

I gave a link a few posts back for the searchable by name with images 1891 Canada census database at Library and Archives Canada.

[bigmac1x]

Thanks for all the details Ruth. We had these years already but some of the details were hard to read.
Too bad about the fire - should have kept them in each State for storage. I did the 1900 USA search with no luck.
Have tried all the links suggested above, even using tons of spelling variations, and no Charles Colburn in 1891 or 1901.
Checked the border crossings - nope.
The only other thought was to go to the actual 1901 census sheet with James, Almira and 3 kids and scroll thru all the sheets from that district to see if Charles is nearby.
One other note: the un-named child on the 1881 census (1/12 months old) I think is Blanch.
Still have to check the Toronto street directories for Faddens.

[RSMACL]

Have answered your email.  Didn't like to list the particular tree site on this site?  Had a passing thought - Harriet & sister Isabella landed at QUEBEC in June 1912.  Maybe they got to know Charles then.  He may have caught up with her again later, after wife died, perhaps.

[bigmac1x]

I think that's a long shot.

[cosmac]

Charles' sister, Hattie May, married Robert Nokes and on the 1900 US census is in Swanton, Franklin County, Vermont with 3 children.  Her son Arthur J. died in 1975 and lived in Swanton (his wife died at 101 years of age).  This location is just across the border from Clarenceville and Missoquoi County in Quebec where the Faddens lived.  There is also a record in the Drouin collection that Charles' brother, Truman Barber died at Rouses Pt, New York State in 1928 but is buried at Union Cemetery in Clarenceville.  Rouse's Point is on the opposite side of Lake Champlain from Swanton, Vermont.  Perhaps this also gives you another area to search for Charles around 1900.  Hattie May had been married 7 years in 1900.  Online searches will pull up a family tree for her and Robert Wilbur Nokes.

Charles' father James Peter( b. 1844)  was the son of Comfort Fadden and Lucretia Orstuin.  Their marriage in 1832 was recorded in the Town of Arlburgh Vermont.  There are many online references to Comfort Fadden, some with contradictory information but showing a Vermont/Quebec connection.

Debbie