Henry Chubb

Henry Chubb was born in 1787 in Saint John, New Brunswick. He was the son of John and Mary Chubb, who migrated from Philadelphia to New Brunswick in 1783. They were a part of one of the six fleets of Loyalists that arrived that year. As Loyalists, they were granted land in Parrtown, now Saint John, in 1785 (“Chubb, John”). Chubb’s father was a sergeant for the militia in the Royal Artillery of Saint John in 1793 (“Muster Roll”). In 1825, he co-published a book with James Sears, called Sketches of New Brunswick. The book contains information about first settlements of New Brunswick, the country, climate, inhabitants, government, rivers, and towns. Chubb’s father also printed James Hogg’s Poems: Religious, Moral and Sentimental the same year. Hogg worked under Chubb (Wallace).

Chubb stayed in Saint John his entire life. At age twenty-nine, on 21 July 1816, he married Jane Lugrin, who was the daughter of Peter Lugrin. Mr. Lugrin was also part of the fleet of Loyalists who arrived in 1783 (“Chubb, John”). Chubb and his wife Jane had six children, three boys and three girls (Parker). He died on 20 May 1855 after a persistent illness (Harper).

Despite very little formal schooling, Chubb started his publishing and editing career in 1802, at the age of fifteen. He began an apprenticeship under Jacob Motts at the Saint John Royal Gazette and the New Brunswick Advertiser. After nine years at the Royal Gazette and Advertiser, Chubb decided to go out on his own. In 1811, he opened his own newspaper and publishing business called the New Brunswick Courier. The first paper was released on 2 May 1811.

In 1842, Chubb developed a partnership with his son, Henry John, and Samuel Seeds. Seeds later became an editor of the Courier, following Chubb’s death. In February 1846, Chubb moved his paper to a new brick building in Saint John. The building still remains, and the area is now referred to as Chubb’s Corner (Wright).

Through his work, Chubb had an impact on the politics of New Brunswick. Not only did his paper contain information about births, deaths, marriages, and community events, but it also contributed editorial commentary about the banks, governments, and policy makers. In 1848, the Courier backed the idea of a railway along the northeast side of New Brunswick, which would provide a route from Halifax to the western provinces (Parker). The railway would go from coast to coast, thus anticipating the movement towards Confederation. Chubb also pressed for King’s College (now the University of New Brunswick) to become a non-denominational school for the province, an idea that was finalized in 1859 (Parker). Even following Chubb’s death, the Courier continued to influence politics in New Brunswick and Canada. When discussions of Confederation began, the Courier supported the idea of a national union for the benefits it would bring to New Brunswick (Waite).

In his editorial work, Chubb was a passionate writer, often addressing readers directly. On 3 September 1842, for example, he commented on the settling of the boundary treaty between the United States and British North America: “We give insertion to-day to the long talked of treaty for the settlement of differences...but our citizens generally feel pleased that the dispute is settled and are disposed to believe that the result will be beneficial to the trade of Saint John” (“Boundary”).

Besides being an influential journalist, Chubb was also involved in civic politics. Starting in the militia around 1812, he climbed the ranks to become a commanding officer (“Waterbury”), then Justice of Peace in the city of Saint John. He was also the last mayor to be elected by the New Brunswick government, holding office in Saint John from 1850–1851 (Parker).

In his obituary, Chubb was described as being the “father of [the] New Brunswick Press” (Harper). He spent most of his life involved in editing, publishing, and printing. His own New Brunswick Courier served as an “incubator for a number of prominent New Brunswick journalists” (Wallace), that paper one of “the most profitable as well as one of the most respected and influential papers in the province” (Harper). Following Chubb’s death in 1855, his sons Thomas and George continued the New Brunswick Courier, along with Seeds, until Seeds died in 1864 (Parker). The paper continued for another year, releasing its final issue in July 1865. Chubb is remembered as a well-liked man who had no enemies and “made many friends” (Harper).

Kaylie Trimper, Fall 2018
St. Thomas University

Bibliography of Primary Sources

Chubb, Henry. “The Boundary Treaty.” The New Brunswick Courier 3 Sept. 1842: n.p. 7 May 1842–26 July 1845, Reel #7. Harriet Irving Library, U of New Brunswick.

---. “The Courier.” The New Brunswick Courier 2 May 1811: n.p. 2 May 1811–20 Sept. 1823, Reel #1. Harriet Irving Library, U of New Brunswick.

---. “The Courier.” The New Brunswick Courier 2 Jan. 1841: n.p. 5 Jan. 1839–30 Apr. 1842, Reel #6. Harriet Irving Library, U of New Brunswick.

---. “The Courier.” The New Brunswick Courier 7 Feb. 1846: n.p. 3 July 1845–29 July 1848, Reel #7. Harriet Irving Library, U of New Brunswick.

---. “The New Brunswick Courier.” The New Brunswick Courier 5 Feb. 1842: n.p. 5 Jan. 1839–30 Apr. 1842, Reel #6. Harriet Irving Library, U of New Brunswick.

Bibliography of Secondary Sources

“Chubb, John.” Index to New Brunswick Land Grants, 1784–1997. RS686. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton. 23 Oct. 2018
<https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/RS686/Details.aspx?culture=enCA&Key=2578>.

Fisher, Peter. The First History of New Brunswick. 1825. Woodstock: Non-Entity Press, 1983.

“George Chubb Obituary.” Saint John Globe 24 Mar. 1892. New Brunswick Newspaper Vital Statistics. Ed. Daniel F. Johnson. 1982. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. 23 Oct. 2018
<https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/NewspaperVitalStats/Details.aspx?culture=enCA&guid=5A38F96D-BB69-4A0D-8BC9-54AFA8419131>.

Harper, J. Russell. “Died.” Weekly Chronicle 25 May 1855: n.p. Harriet Irving Library: U of New Brunswick. 21 May 1851–8 Aug. 1856, Reel #4.

“John Sears Obituary.” The Daily Telegraph [Saint John] 7 Sept. 1892. New Brunswick Newspaper Vital Statistics. Ed. Daniel F. Johnson. 1982. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. 23 Oct. 2018
<https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/NewspaperVitalStats/Details.aspx?culture=enCA&guid=B3194136-020D-486E-84D9-895A7392DAEC>.

“Lugrin, Peter.” Index to New Brunswick Land Grants, 1783–1918. RS108. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, Fredericton. 23 Oct. 2018
<https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/RS108/Details.aspx?culture=en-CA&Key=36614>.

“Muster Roll of Royal Artillery of Saint John.” The Daily Sun [Saint John] 17 May 1883. New Brunswick Newspaper Vital Statistics. Ed. Daniel F. Johnson. 1982. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. 23 Oct. 2018
<https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/NewspaperVitalStats/Details.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=4C26DBFC-58C8-4F1A-B9AE-7DC88A96600A>.

New Brunswick Museum. “This Indenture Witneffeth.” Loyalist Special Collection. 1782–1893, Reel #2. Dec. 1801: n.p. Harriet Irving Library, U of New Brunswick.

Parker, George L. “Chubb Henry.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. 8. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1985. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. 2003. U of Toronto/U Laval. 23 Oct. 2018
<http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/chubb_henry_8E.html>.

Waite, P.B. The Life and Times of Confederation 1864–1867: Politics, Newspapers, and the Union of British North America. Toronto: Robin Brass Studio Inc., 2001.

Wallace, C.M. “Hogg, James.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. 9. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1976. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. 2003. U of Toronto/U Laval. 23 Oct. 2018
<http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/hogg_james_9E.html>.

“Waterbury Obituary and Members of 1812.” The Daily Telegraph [Saint John] 20 July 1880. New Brunswick Newspaper Vital Statistics. Ed. Daniel F. Johnson. 1982. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. 23 Oct. 2018
<https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/NewspaperVitalStats/Details.aspx?culture=enCA&guid=60105594-1199-48AF-BE41-724205A136FD>.

Wright, Julia. “The Story Behind Saint John’s Strange Stone Carvings.” CBC New Brunswick. 27 Apr. 2018. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 Oct. 2018
<https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/chubbs-corner-gargoyles-saint-john-architecture-1.4483196>.