The history of the Colbourne family and the history of Little Bay are intertwined. When the Colbourne family arrived in Newfoundland they set up shop in Twillingate but many relocated to Wild Bight (known now as Beachside). It began in the 1850s. The Colbourne family were among the first families there. Robert Colbourne and his brother cleared the forest there for farming. They worked there as fisherman farmers.

Thomas Colbourne built the 18-ton schooner Annie Laura (Evans). According to the obituary written for Thomas Colbourne by his friend Sergeant Thomas Wells “Mr. Colbourne was born in Twillingate in 1840 and removed with his family to Wild Bight in the early 70’s and set to work to clear up a home in the Virgin forest [. . .] When the mine started [it] induced Mr. Thomas Colbourne to give up the uncertain codfishery business and betake himself to carpentering at the mine” (Evening Telegram, April 1923). Many of the Colbournes moved into mining.

The official start of the town of Little Bay is 1878. According to Howley, no one was living there prior to the discovery of copper that year. However, before it was called Little Bay the area was known as Indian Bight and I have scattered references to marriages at Indian Bight at least as far back as 1873. These refer to members of the Colbourne family. It is my belief that the area that would become the town of Little Bay functioned as a hunting ground for the family with them reconnecting back at Wild Bight for the cold winters. That is my speculation based on early 19th century Newfoundland living patterns.

Robert Colbourne discovered the Little Bay copper deposit. I first encountered the story of that discovery in the book “Moments in Time” which was published in 1994 by the Green Bay Economic Development Association and comprises a solid piece of work by local students covering over a dozen communities. According to their account Robert Colbourne of Wild Bight was tracking a caribou in the spring of 1878 when “he noticed a piece of copper ore sticking out of the mossy ground where the animal had been grazing” and word subsequently got back to Dr. Henry Eales and Adolph Guzman “who owned the area’s mining rights [and they] forced Colbourne to disclose where he made his discovery” for which he was paid “ten pounds sterling, a tub of butter and a chest of tea.”

Moments in Time cites the book “Once Upon a Mine” by Wendy Martin which was published in 1983. Martin’s research is exceptional and references several collections of original material I have yet to locate. Her description reads “In the spring of 1878 a hunter, Robert Colbourne of Wild Bight, noticed copper mineralization near the shores of Little Bay on land already belonged to others. He unwisely broadcast his find and had to reveal its whereabouts to the claim holders” for which he received the sterlings, butter, and tea.

Martin’s citations brought me back to an original source; the journal of James Howley. James Howley’s map of Newfoundland was published in 1919. In 1878 while mapping the island he found himself in Wild Bight where Dr. Eales told him of the find. According to Howley “a man named Colbert” had found it on land licensed by Eales and Guzman. Colbert told a Cornish mining Captain named Brown of his discovery and the two planned to split the profits. To this end Mr. Brown traveled to St. John’s only to find out the claim was held. It was soon to expire so they decided to wait it out and jump the claim. Brown, however, spilled the beans while visiting Bett’s Cove allowing Baron Ellershausen to catch wind of it. The Baron sent Dr. Eales to locate it but Eales didn’t know where to look. It was James Howley himself who advised Eales “go straight to Colbert let him know you were aware of the find and make him a decent offer to go and show you. If he refuses intimate that you knew sufficient of its whereabouts [. . .] but that it would save much time if he would accept your offer and come along with you.” Dr. Eales applied Howley’s suggestion. Colbert refused until he realized he risked getting nothing because of what Brown had done. Colbert gave up the site. The very “next day the S.S. Hercules came up with Ellershausen, Guzman and Eales aboard” and so began the town of Little Bay. The Colbournes lived in a part of Little Bay called Colbourne’s Cove which would go on to be called Coffee Cove and is now its own community.

Aside from confusing the name Colbourne for Colbert, Howley’s writings do not contradict Martin’s version of events, however, key details are missing such as the caribou hunt and the meagre payments Robert Colbourne received. I have since confirmed the hunting aspect in an American newspaper called the “Saint Joseph Gazette” from July 1898 which tells that “Little Bay’s copper mine was discovered by a sportsman when in pursuit of a stag. The animal’s hoofs scattered the moss and undergrowth at a certain spot and disclosed a mass of glittering ore.” I have not seen this article cited elsewhere and it does not name Colbourne. However, the mention of moss parallels the passage from “Moments in Time” so I feel certain I am missing some original source. I should note that I cannot confirm Martin’s claim that Robert Colbourne died in 1880 and in fact, he is likely the Robert Colbourne who died in Wild Bight in 1897 as claimed by Doyle Wells.

After the birth of Little Bay mines in 1878 members of the Colbourne family leave their fisherman farmer lifestyle in Wild Bight for careers in mining. Of particular interest are a group of brothers who are the nephews of Robert Colbourne. I’ve encountered some discrepancy as to their father’s name with Milt Anstey’s research pointing to Samuel while Calvin Evans’ work would seem to indicate it was Thomas. Nevertheless I know they are brothers are per the will of James Colbourne and Robert appears to be their uncle as per the obituary of Thomas Colbourne. Thomas worked as a carpenter and grew produce for the mine while his brothers Samuel and Robert worked as miners. This would end badly for them and at the Tilt Cove mine on September 15th 1903. “Robert Colbourne, engine-driver in the east mine, while in the act of lowering the skip, left the engine out of gear and stepped outside to give his brother a pull on the wire rope. The skip took charge, carrying both men to the roof, killing Robert Colbourne, whose dead body was taken from the bottom of the shaft. Samuel was badly shaken” (Evening Herald).

The Colbourne family history is the history of Little Bay. You cannot tell one without the other. The Colbourne’s story speaks to the grit and perseverance necessary for a mining town to exist and boon. It also speaks to the costs and damages as the tale lacks not for pain nor suffering. There is still some confusion about the exact genealogy, mostly due to the use of the same names. however, it can be safely said that Robert Colbourne discovered the deposit which gave birth to the mining town of Little Bay in 1878.

Thanks for reading! I’d like to thank Bruce Armstrong and Karen Adler Colbourne for being the latest to sign up to be patrons of this project, if you’d like to donate to the work you can find my Pateron page here. I hate to ask but I haven’t found a way to fund this research yet and it costs me a bit! Otherwise you can help by following and sharing the Facebook page. If you’re aware of any other sources for the story of Robert Colbourne’s discovering the Little Bay deposit please let me know. I’d love to see any pictures you may have of the people I’ve mentioned here. I’m also putting feelers out for any student interviews you remember being conducted in Little Bay. I’m particularly interested in finding an interview recorded with a man named Harvey Boyde who is noted to have researched the history of Little Bay before me. I hope his thoughts and findings are saved somewhere but I fear they may be lost.

I’ve listed my Colbourne references for Little Bay below:

• 1840s – Colbourne family living in Twillingate (Thomas Colbourne’s obituary)
• 1870s – Colbourne family relocates to Wild Bight (Thomas Colbourne’s obituary)
• 1873 – Marriage of James (widowed fisherman) and Elizabeth Colbourne at Indian Bight. Witnessed by Robert Colbourne and Louisa Young (Methodist marriages)
• 1876 – Marriage of Samuel Colbourne (bachelor fisherman) to Selina Spence in Twillingate (Methodist marriages)
• 1878 – Marriage of James Colbourne (41, widowed fisherman) to Elizabeth Paddick (43, widowed) at Indian Bight (Methodist marriages)
• 1878 – Marriage of Phoebe Colbourne to Robert Young at Indian Bight. Witnessed by Daniel McVicar and Francis Yates (Methodist marriages)
• 1878 – Robert Colbourne discovers deposit (Howley / Martin)
• 1879 – Birth of Henry T Colbourne – mother Selina (1921 census)
• 1881 – Birth of Archibald Colbourne to Samuel and Selina (Vital Stats, 1753-1893)
• 1882 – Robert Colbourne living in Little Bay (Voter’s List)
• 1883 – Thomas Colbourne served on the Grand Jury in Little Bay (Twillingate Sun, Sept 21)
• 1883 – George Gillett vs Robert Colbourne, Mansfield Bight, Little Bay for debt (Supreme Court docs)
• 1883 – Birth of Lucy Ann Colbourne to Samuel and Selina (Vital Stats, 1753-1893)
• 1883 – Thomas Colbourne befriends Sergeant Thomas Wells (Evans)
• 1884 – Marriage of John Colbourne and Annie Snelgrove. Witnessed by Levi and Rosanna Spenser (Methodist marriages)
• 1884 – Thomas Colbourne builds a ship named Annie Laura (Evans)
• 1885 – Birth of Bessie Maud Colbourne to William and Annie (Vital Stats)
• 1886 – Sergeant Wells arrests Samuel Colbourne for assaulting Constable Meaney at the Little Bay Hotel (Wells)
• 1887 – Birth of Janet Mary Colbourne to John and Annie Maude (Vital Stats)
• 1888 – Birth of Jessie Elizabeth Colbourne to Samuel and Celina (Vital Stats)
• 1888 – Marriage of Lavinia Colbourne to machinist Charles F. Phillips at Little Bay (Methodist marriages)
• 1891 – Martha Elizabeth Colbourne (daughter of Joseph) marries the blacksmith James Albert Sheppard. They were married by Rev. Arthur Pittman at St. Luke’s Church (Twillingate Sun, Aug 22)
• 1891 – Birth of Minnie Colbourne to Thomas and Elizabeth (1911 Census)
• 1894 – Joseph and Thomas Colbourne listed as fishermen at Little Bay Harbour (1894 Census)
• 1895 – Birth of Matilda Colbourne to Thomas and Elizabeth (1911 Census)
• 1896 – Birth of Albert Colbourne to Thomas and Elizabeth (1911 Census)
• 1898 – John Colbourne (laborer) in Stafford’s Town, Little Bay (McAlpine’s)
• 1898 – Joseph Colbourne (smelter) in St. Patrick’s, Little Bay (McAlpine’s)
• 1898 – Thomas Colbourne (carpenter) in South Side, Little Bay (McAlpine’s)
• 1898 – Thomas Colbourne (fisherman) in Wild Bight (McAlpine’s)
• 1899 – Birth of Louisa Colbourne to Thomas and Elizabeth (1911 Census)
• 1899 – Thomas living in Little Bay (James Colbourne’s will)
• 1901 – Birth of Annie Colbourne to Thomas and Elizabeth (1911 Census)
• 1903 – Robert Colbourne died and Samuel Colbourne was seriously injured in an accident at the Tilt Cove mine (Evening Herald, Sept 16)
• 1904 – Joseph Colbourne of St. Patrick’s and Thomas Colbourne of South Side are listed as fishermen (McAlpine’s)
• 1909 – James Colbourne marries Sarah Whyatt
• 1911 – Thomas living in Little Bay. Joseph living in St. Patrick’s (Almanac)
• 1911 – Thomas and Elizabeth Colbourne living in Little Bay with their children (1911 Census)
• 1911 – James and Sarah Colbourne living in Little Bay with their children (1911 Census)
• 1918 – Albert Colbourne sailor in WWI (Military files)
• 1921 – Thomas Colbourne living in Wild Bight (1921 Census)
• 1923 – Death of Thomas Colbourne in Wild Bight (Evening Telegram, April)
• 1924 – Death of Thomas Colbourne in Little Bay (Vital Stats)
• 1948 – Jessie Colbourne originally of Little Bay but living in Toronto signs an appeal to Newfoundlander’s to join Canada (The Confederate V1 N7)

Albert Colbourne pictured