Life History

Notes

• [Good Robinson Ritchie Lee et al.FTW]
  
  Oscar Stephens was trained as a carpenter and  owned a door, sash & planing mill in Cobden and was one of the Village's most prominent citizens in the late 1800's and early 1900's.
  
  He was an elected School Trustee in 1898-99, served on Cobden's first municipal council in 1901 and was elected Reeve of Cobden in 1902.
  
  Oscar later took up employment with the CPR bridge & building dept., retiring as an inspector of that department in 1924.
  
  The Renfrew Mercury of June 8, 1939 has a lengthy obituary summarizing his life:
  "On Thursday morning June 1st death claimed an aged resident of Cobden when there passed away at noon Oscar S. Stephens, in his 82nd year. He was born in Aylmer, Quebec, son of the late William Stephens and his wife, Mary Holt. He gained his education in Quebec and Foresters Falls when he afterward joined his uncle, Daniel Holt, in the building trade, later taking up residence in Cobden, when he became an employee of the C.P.R. bridge and building department, gaining the office of inspector of that department. He retired from that work 15 years ago.
  He was a member of Cobden's first council, a staunch member of the Presbyterian church of which he was an elder and SS teacher, going into union when Presbyterian and Methodist churches united. He was also a member of the L.O.L. In 1886 he married Elizabeth Lee, who survives him with one son Harvie Stephens of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Ottawa; also survived by two daughters, Helen of Bank of Nova Scotia Toronto, and Florence of Government, Ottawa. Also left to mourn are two brothers, Emmett Stephens of Wiseton, Sask., and William Stephens of Foresters Falls; two sisters, Mrs John Thresher of Wiseton, Sask., and Mrs S. Myres of Ottawa. Funeral Services were held on Saturday June 3rd at his late residence on Meadow Street, conducted by Reverend Mr. Hawe of Eganville in the absence of Rev. Mr. Spencer, after which interment was made in the Cobden Cemetery. Bearers were R. Jones, W. Blackwell, H. McGinn, R. Boyle, D. McDonald, E. Bennett. Flower bearers were D. Morris, John Fraser, C. Adams, L. Cooke, James Fraser. Those attending from a distance were James Lee, Rouyn, Chas. Riely of Toronto, Helen Stephens of Toronto, and Florence Stephens of Ottawa, Mrs. Myers and daughters Mrs. Wright and Miss Myers, Miss Ada Murphy and Mrs. Spratt, all of Ottawa."