Yukon who is who

Henry Seymour Tobin (1877 – 1952)

Henry Seymour Tobin was born in Ottawa, Ontario to parents Seymour and Laleah Tobin. He was educated at Ottawa college and graduated from the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario in 1897.¹⁾ After school he was employed in a military survey of Ontario.²⁾ He joined the North-West Mounted Police and took part in Moodie’s Klondike Patrol that made the 1600-mile trek from Edmonton to Fort Selkirk, October 1897 to September 1898.³⁾

Tobin volunteered for service in the South African war, commanded the Fort McLeod Calvary troop, and was awarded the South African medal and four clasps. Back in Canada, he was appointed captain in the corps of guides and district intelligence officer for the Yukon. Tobin received his commission as Major in 1907 and was transferred to the 72nd Seaforth Highlanders in Vancouver after its organization.⁴⁾

Tobin enlisted to serve in the First World War and joined the 29th Vancouver Battalion (Tobin’s Tigers) where he was the original commanding officer.⁵⁾ His Yukon mineral claims Hazel, Margaret and Wapoo were held free from cancellation for the duration of the war on 28 May 1917.⁶⁾ Tobin was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for devotion to duty near Cambrai, France where he directed his troops under heavy fire. When his troops were held up in in a swamp, he went forward to secure valuable information and reorganized the men to win ultimate success.⁷⁾

Throughout this time, Tobin had an interest in business and studied law. He called to the bar in the Yukon in 1902, in Alberta in 1908, and in British Columbia in 1910.⁸⁾ He practiced law in Dawson with Duff Patullo.⁹⁾ After the First World War, Colonel Tobin practiced law with the firm of Tobin, Tarr & Ross in Vancouver. He was the president of the Canadian Manufacturers Association, president of West Coast Industries Ltd. that manufactured tools during the Second World War, and president and general manager of Vancouver Breweries Ltd., as well as president and director of several other Vancouver companies.¹⁰⁾