Cornelius Valleau Price, County Judge of Frontenac, and Surrogate Judge of the Maritime Court of Ontario, is a son of Thomas Price, a farmer, whose father was a U.E. Loyalist, leaving the Hudson Valley, N. Y., about the close of the American Revolution, settling in the County of Lennox, Ont. The family are of Welsh descent. Cornelius was born in the Township of Camden, County of Addington, the maiden name of his mother being Catherine Valleau, of a U. E. Loyalist family.
Young Price worked with his father on the farm, more or less, till twenty years of age, receiving his literary education at the Newburgh Grammar School, and Queen’s University, Kingston, being graduated at the latter institution in the spring of 1S63 a B.C.L. He attended to his legal studies, first in the office of the late Thomas Kirkpatrick, and afterwards in the office of Byron M. Britton; was called to the Bar in June, 1865; and was of the firm of Britton and Price until May, 1878, when he was appointed County Judge. In February of the next year he received the appointment of Surrogate Maritime Judge. He is a sound lawyer, and on the Bench is painstaking, quick to discern the points of a case, patient and courteous, and well liked by the Bar generally. His habits are studious, and he is well posted on many subjects outside his profession hence quite agreeable and entertaining in the private circle.
Judge Price was a member of the City Council about seven years, resigning that office to go on the Bench. He is a trustee of the Collegiate Institute of Kingston, and is a good deal interested in educational and other matters pertaining to the welfare of the city. He was one of the early movers for building the Kingston and Pembroke Railway, and resigned the position of Solicitor for the Company to go on the Bench. He is ex-officio a Governor of the General Hospital and Police Commissioner.
January 18, 1868, Miss Elizabeth Margaret Waudby, daughter of John Waudby, late Clerk of the Peace, County of Frontenac, and of Elizabeth Ponchette, was wedded to Judge Price, and they have two girls living and have lost two boys. The family attend the Methodist Church.
Mr. Waudby, mentioned above, was a man of great natural ability and rare acquirements. Leaving the pastoral care of a church on account of his health, he devoted himself for many years to literature and journalism, at one time editing and publishing the Canada Herald, Kingston. At the request of Lord Sydenham, he took the supervision of the publication of the Monthly Review, which was devoted to “the Civil Government of Canada.” Among other able writers upon the Review were : Dr. E. Ryerson, R. B. Sullivan, S. H. Hagarty, W. H. Draper, men who have since occupied the highest positions in the country, and whose lives adorn its most important history. The leading articles upon the “Policy of the Government” and “Our Position,” etc., were from the pen of Mr. Waudby. They are probably the fullest and ablest ever written upon our political constitution. They supply a part of our national history; as we are told by Dr. Ryerson, they accorded with the views of His Excellency the Governor-General. Until his death he wrote continuously for various journals. His leisure hours for many years were devoted to the study of military weapons as a means of attack and defense, especially as to cannon and irondads. Several of his suggestions, we believe, have been acted upon. Sir John Packington conveyed to him his private thanks in 1859.