JOHN MURTON HANBIDGE.
 


	There is no question as to the prominent position John Murton Han-
bidge, senior member of Hanbidge & Hanbidge, holds in the legal circles
of the district and province and Kerrobert is fortunate in numbering him
among her residents. He was born in Southampton, Bruce county, On-
tario, on the 1st of August, 1885, a son of Robert and Fanny (Murton)
Hanbidge, extended mention of whom is made in the sketch of R. L. Han-
bidge appearing elsewhere in this work.
	In the pursuit of his education John Murton Hanbidge attended the
public schools of his birthplace, the Port Elgin high school and the Owen
Sound Collegiate Institute. Upon the completion of his literary training
he engaged in teaching school for one year and the following two years
was spent in the employ of the International Harvester Company at
Regina. His boyhood ambition had been to take up the study of law and
he articled himself to Hon. J. A. Cross, Attorney-General of Saskatche-
wan, and was with the firm of Haultain & Cross until called to the bar on
the 24th of March, 1911. The University of Manitoba conferred the LL.
B. degree upon him in 1914. He came to Kerrobert in March, 1911, and
practiced independently here until 1915, when he took his brother, R. L.
Hanbidge, into partnership with him. The firm of Hanbidge & Hanbidge
enjoys an ever-increasing clientele and the brothers stand high at the
district and provincial bars. They have a fine law library, possibly the
finest and most complete in this section of Canada.
	On the 5th of February, 1913, Mr. Hanbidge was married to Miss Elma
Marian Vance, a daughter of Edward and Dorothy Eliza (Holwell) Vance.
Her father was born in Hespeler, Wellington county, Ontario, while her
mother was born in New Hamburg, that province. Mr. Vance engaged
in farming and stock raising for many years.  His death occurred in
Emerson, Manitoba, in September, 1898. His widow is residing in Nel-
son, British Columbia. She is now the wife of J. E. Bedford, and is a
professional artist, whose paintings and crayon sketches have won great
praise.  Mrs. Hanbidge is a woman of culture and refinement, having
inherited her mother's artistic temperament.  She is prominent in the
club and social circles of Kerrobert.  To Mr. and Mrs. Hanbidge four
children have been born: Helen Lelia Dorene, five years of age; John
Murton Vance, seven years of age; Robert William Vance, three years old;
and the youngest member of the family is three months old.
	Mr. Hanbidge has always been public-spirited and many positions of
honor have been conferred upon him. For the past six years he has been
a member of the local school board, and was town solicitor from 1911
until 1916, and is president of the Board of Trade. He reorganized the
local band, which won the Provincial Festival shield for the best town
band, in 1921 and 1922, and he is now president of the band. He has been
a member of the executive committee of the Provincial Musical Associa-
tion for two years. In law circles he has won distinction and is a Bencher
of the Provincial Law Society and belongs to the Dominion Bar Associa-
tion, of which he has been a member of the executive committee for the
past three years. He is a member of the Saskatchewan and Alberta Bars
and the Kerrobert Bar Association and has been president of the latter
since its organization some three years. ago. Mr. Hanbidge has always
been a Conservative in his political views and in 1912 he was candidate
of the party from this district for membership in the Legislative As-
sembly but was defeated. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons.
He is a member of the Kerrobert Golf Club, which he organized in 1917
and of which he was president until 1923; a member of the Kerrobert
Curling Club; and he has been a member of the executive committee of
the Provincial Golf and Curling Clubs.. He gives his generous support
to the Anglican church, of which he is people's warden. Mr. Hanbidge
is in the full tide of his career, active, busy and prosperous, and his life
has been an exemplification of the rewards of honesty and ability in his
chosen field of endeavor.



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