Canada

Biography of Charles Cameron

Charles Cameron, warden of the County of Simcoe, and President of the Georgian Bay Transportation Company, is a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, dating his birth February 24,1835. His father Donald Cameron, was a native of Appin, Argyleshire, descendant of the Lochiel Clan, was a slate manufacturer; his mother, before her marriage, was Isabella Harper, a native of Marnoch, Scotland. Charles received an English, Banffshire, education in the schools of his native county; learned the joiner’s and in part the mill wright’s trade; came to America in the Spring of 1853; spent one season at Cleveland, Ohio, and in Toronto, 1854, … Read more

Biography of George Ball, P.M.

George Peter Man Ball, treasurer of the county of Lincoln, a descendant of the Ball family who came from Saxony, in 1692, is a grandson of Jacob Ball, a United Empire Loyalist, who left the Hudson river country, New York, with four sons, Jacob, Peter, John and George, and four daughters, at the time of the struggle of the Colonies for independence, settling in the Niagara District; and son of George Ball, in his day successfully engaged in farming, milling and lumbering, and was born in the township of Louth, county of Lincoln, September, 19, 1815. His mother before her … Read more

Biography of George Maclean Rose

In the interesting biography of Robert Chambers, the Edinburgh publisher, from the loving pen of his brother William, we are told that their father had strong convictions as to the importance of allowing children to think and struggle for themselves. To the parental determination of many a Scottish father on this point, Scotia’s sons owe much in enabling them successfully to battle with the world, and in many lands to achieve distinction. Beginning at the bottom of Fortune’s ladder, the rugged tutelage of an early and unassisted start in life has ever been the young aspirant’s best incentive to ascend … Read more

Biography of Nicholas W. Brown, M.P.P.

If anybody, in the County of Ontario, is self educated or self reliant, it is Nicholas Wood Brown, member of the Provincial Parliament, from the South Riding of Ontario. He is of Scotch descent, though both parents, Abram and Bathsheba (Wood) Brown, were from Vermont. They moved from Ferrisburg, in that State, to Whitby in the Spring of 1821, and our subject was born on the 8th of August following, first seeing the light of this world in a half finished, doorless shanty. Fifty years ago literary privileges in what is now the well settled, wellimproved county of Ontario, were … Read more

Biography of Ephraim Cook, M.D

Ephraim Cook, the oldest physician in. the County of Oxford, is a native of Hadley, Mass., dating his birth, June 14, 1805. His father, John Cook, a farmer, was born in the same town. His mother was Sarah White. In his youth he aided his father in tilling land, and attended a district school, finishing his literary education at Hopkins Academy, in his native town. There also he commenced the study of medicine; attended lectures in Boston Mass.; in 1830 came to Upper Canada, finished his professional studies at St. Thomas, and in the spring of 1831, located in a … Read more

Biography of James Hall, C.E.

James Hall, late member of the Dominion Parliament, dates his birth April 14, 1806, County of Clackmannanshire, Scotland, being a son of James Hall, senior, merchant. He was educated in the grammar school of his native town; spent some time in the office of his older brother, Francis Hall, civil engineer, and in 1820 came to Canada, with the family, locating in the township of Lanark, then in Carleton, now in Lanark county. His father built the first house in that township. There the son farmed a while, then had a store and distillery, doing more or less surveying at … Read more

Biography of William A. Willoughby, M.D.,

The subject of this sketch is a descendant of that branch of the Willoughby family that went from Somersetshire, England, to Ireland, about the time of Cromwell, his father George H. Willoughby, coming to Canada, and settling ona farm in the Township of Essa, County of Simcoe, about 1837. There William Armson Willoughby was born, February 2, 1844, his mother, before her marriage, being Sarah Armson. She died at Elmwood, Illinois, in 1866. George H. Willoughby is now living with his son in Colborne. Our subject received a grammar school education at Bradford, County of Simcoe; studied medicine with Dr. … Read more

Biography of Hon. Vice Chancellor Proudfoot

Prominent among the names of eminent men at present occupying the Judicial Bench in the Province of Ontario, is that of the subject of this sketch. William Proudfoot is a native of Perthshire, Scotland, where he was born in the year 1823, and is the third son of the late Rev. William Proudfoot, of London, Ontario. His mother was Isabella Aitchison from the vicinity of Edinburgh, Scotland. The Rev. William Proudfoot was one of the first missionaries to Canada, of the United Secession Church, and came to this country in 1832, settling near London, Ontario, in 1833. Here he organized … Read more

Biography of Angus Morrison, Q.C.

The subject of this sketch was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, January 20th, 1824, and came to this country when but eight years old, in company with his father Hugh Morrison, and other members of the family. Mr. Hugh Morrison was killed by an accident at the old Market Square in Toronto, while taking part in a political meeting in 1836. He had been one of the famous 42nd Highlanders and served with his regiment through the Peninsular War. Angus Morrison was educated partly in Belfast, Ireland, and partly in Upper Canada College; Toronto, but after a short attendance at the … Read more

Biography of Charles Whitlaw

Charles Whitlaw, flour manufacturer in Paris since 1846, and one of its most enterprizing men, was born in Montreal, Lower Canada, November 11, 1823, his parents being John and Janet (White) Whitlaw, both from Scotland. His father was a carpenter and builder. and died at Montreal in 1866. Our subject was educated in the private school of Dr. Black, forty years ago, one of the best educators in Montreal; was trained for the dry goods business in his native city; in 1844 came to Hamilton, Canada West; and clerked two years in the dry goods store of Archibald Kerr; then … Read more

Biography of Peter R. Randall

Peter Rice Randall, Mayor of Port Hope, is a descendant of a United Empire Loyalist family on his mother’s, the Ferguson, side, and was born near Cobourg, in the Township of Hamilton, July 7, 1822. His grandfather, Robert Randall, a Highland Scotch man, was temporarily in the United States, when the father of our subject, John P. Randall, was born, and subsequently returned with his family to Great Britain. The father of Peter was an officer in the British Navy, serving on a man-of-war vessel for four years; was taken prisoner by Napoleon’s forces, and kept a prisoner one year … Read more

Biography of Robert Beaty

The subject of this brief sketch is truly one of the representatives of the self made and successful business men of Toronto, and an eminent example of the rewards of industry and perseverance, when supported by upright and manly qualities. Robert Beaty, banker, broker, and real estate dealer, is a native Canadian of Irish descent, and was born at Ashdale Farm, township of Trafalgar, county of Halton, Ontario, on the 28th of July, 1824. His ancestors, parents, and items of interest relating thereto, will be found in the sketch of his brother, Mayor James Beaty, Jr., Q.C., D.C.L., which appears … Read more

Biography of James Dickson

James Dickson, registrar of the county of Huron, and a pioneer in the county, is a native of Roxburghshire, Scotland, and was born on the 26th of May, 1816. His father, Archibald Dickson, was the youngest son of Robert Dickson, farmer of Gladswood, near Dryburgh, on the River Tweed. His mother, Elizabeth Rutherford Turnbull, was the eldest daughter of James Turnbull, an enterprising and leading farmer in Teviotdale. Mr. Dickson, the subject of this sketch, was educated at the Jedburgh grammar school, and his education there was supplemented by one term at the Edinburgh University. In August, 1833, he with … Read more

Biography of John Nichol, M.D.

John Nichol, a practicing physician and surgeon in Listowel for the last eighteen years, dates his birth in Glasgow, Scotland, November 16, 1822. His father was Hugh Nichol, manufacturer, and at one period a British soldier, a member of the 71st regiment, receiving a wound at the Battle of Waterloo. His mother’s maiden name was Mary Caldwell, who died when he was about eight years of age. He was educated at a parish school; came to Canada with the family in 1843, and his father took up 200 acres of land in the township of Peel, county of Wellington; but … Read more

Biography of Thomas Hodgins, M.A.,Q.C.

he subject of this sketch is a native of Dublin, Ireland, where he was born on the 6th of October, 1828, being the fourth son of the late William Hodgins, Esq., of that city, and formerly of the County Wicklow. His mother’s maiden name was Frances Doyle, daughter of the late James Doyle, Esq., Newcastle, County Wicklow, Ireland. Mr. Hodgins was educated in his native city, and at Bristol, England; and in 1848 immigrated to Canada, coming to Toronto, where he entered the public service as a clerk in the Educational Department, In 1852, he matriculated in the University of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edward D. Morton, M.D.

Edward David Morton, a very successful physician and surgeon, was born in the county of Wicklow, Ireland, June 18, 1835, his father being Francis Morton, a gentleman farmer. He was educated in the ordinary schools of his native country and by private tuition; came to Canada in 1856; studied medicine with his brother, George Dean Morton, M. D., Bradford; attended lectures in the medical department of the University of Toronto; was graduated in 1860, and after practicing two short years in company with his brother at Bradford, settled in Barrie, soon building up a lucrative practice. He has a large … Read more

Biography of Hon. George W. Burton

The Honorable George William Burton, the senior Justice of Her Majesty’s Court of Appeal for the Province of Ontario, is a native of Sandwich, in the County of Kent, England, where he was born on the 21st of July, 1818, being the second son of the late .Admiral George Guy Burton, R. N., of Chatham, Kent, England. He was educated at Rochester, in his native shire, under the late Dr. Whiston, the able author of a work on Cathedral Trusts and their fulfillment, which resulted after many years of litigation in the removal of the abuses which he so ably … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James McKibbon

James McKibbin, a resident of Upper Canada, now Ontario, since 1830, and Clerk of the Division Court and Crown Land Agent since 1863, was born in Belfast, Ireland, July 4th, 1808. His father Hugh McKibbin, was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy; the maiden name of his mother was Sarah Bailey. Our subject was educated in the Belfast Academic Institution; was for some years in a cotton printing establishment owned by himself and older brother, John Thomas McKibbin, until 1830, when he emigrated to Canada, and located at first in the township of Hope, county of Durham. After farming there … Read more

Biography of Louis Breithaupt

Louis Breithaupt, mayor of Berlin, and one of the most successful business men in the town, was a son of Liborius and Catherine (Goetze) Breithaupt, and born in Allendorf, Kurhessen, Germany, on the 8th November, 1827. He received a common German education; partially learning his father’s business, that of a tanner, in the old country, and in November, 1843, came with the family to the United States, settling in Buffalo, N. Y., the next spring. There they built a small tannery on Seneca street, at the ” Hydraulics,” making it of slabs, and commencing to tan sheep skins on a … Read more

Biography of John McLay

John McLay, the pioneer journalist of the county of Bruce, and now registrar of the county, was born in the city of Glasgow, June 11,1831. His father, who was a manufacturer, died of cholera the following year. His mother was Ann Kerr Bell. His paternal grandfather who was a stock farmer in Argyleshire, belonged to an old family of agriculturists. The subject of this sketch received his early education in St. Enoch’s school, and afterwards at the Hutchesons institute. At an early age he entered his uncle’s office, and learned the trade of a compositor. At twenty one he commenced … Read more