Canada

Biography of John Mercer

John Mercer, one of the sheriffs longest in office in the Province of Ontario, is a descendant of a very ancient English family, whose progenitors went to England from Normandy with William the Conqueror, and settled near Hastings, county of Sussex; members of the family still holding property there. Our subject was born in the city of London, May 16, 1816, his father being Robert Mercer, a timber merchant. The maiden name of his mother was Sarah Hathaway Treacher. He was educated at a private school in Kent, where Lord Beaconsfield was once a pupil; in 1833 accompanied the family … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W.E. Sanford

No “Portrait Gallery of eminent Canadians,” would be considered complete without a sketch of the gentleman whose name heads this article. For several years he has stood in the front rank of the “Merchant Princes” of Hamilton, and by his remarkable career of business success has filled a place in the public attention so large as to constitute him, to some extent, a Provincial character and public property. So without fear or favor, and almost forgetting to say, by your leave, we attempt our sketch. Mr. Sanford was born in the city of New York, in 1838. His mother dying … Read more

Biography of Warring Kennedy

Like many others who have made their mark in Canada, the subject of our sketch, Mr. Warring Kennedy, is an Irishman, having been born in the County Down, in 1827. When young in years Warring Kennedy was taken to Londonderry, and placed in a school, where he received an ordinary education sufficient to qualify him for a business career. He commenced life in a dry goods store in the town of Kilrea, but at the expiration of his apprenticeship he went to Belfast, where he lived many years, earning for himself a reputation second to none for intelligence, undivided application … Read more

Biography of Rueben S. Patterson

Reuben Spaulding Patterson, mayor of the city of Belleville, is descended from a family which was among the original settlers in Londonderry, N. H., emigrating from the north of Ireland in 1736. Peter Patterson, the progenitor of the Pattersons in New Hampshire, was from the county of Antrim, born in 1716, and dying in 1800. The colonists who came with him brought their minister and doctor, and everything which they thought would be necessary in starting a colony. The grandfather of Reuben was Thomas Patterson, who fought for the independence of the American colonies, and who was in the third … Read more

Biography of George Elliott

George Elliott, formerly one of the leading merchants in Guelph, and largely indent , fled with its municipal history, is a native of Rochester, county of Kent, England, dating his birth February 27, 1819. His father, George Elliott, senior, a country gentleman, was descendant from an ancient Scottish family; his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Moulden, descended from an old Kentish family. Our subject received a good education, including the mathematics and classics; came to Canada with the family in the autumn of 1832; was in business in Toronto and Cincinnati, Ohio, for several years; came to Guelph in … Read more

Biography of Robert Gibbons

Robert Gibbons, sheriff of the county of Huron, belongs to an old Birmingham, (England) family, where his father, William Gibbons, and the ancestors for several generations, were born, though he himself dates his birth in Glasgow, Scotland, December 24, 1811. His father was an ingenious mechanic or machinist, engaged for years in turning, finishing and fitting up machinery. The maiden name of Robert’s mother was Margaret M. McDonald, who was born in Scotland. In June, 1820, the family left the old world for Canada, landing at Quebec in August, and settling on land in the county of Lanark. About four … Read more

Biography of H.Parker Thomas

Thomas Harrison Parker, Mayor of Woodstock, and one of its most successful one business men, was born in Cumberland, England, February 10, 1828. His parents are John and Jane (Harrison) Parker, members, for a long period, of the industrious farming community. Both the Parkers and Harrisons are old Cumberland families. Jane Harrison was a niece of Jonathan Walton, a wealthy proprietor of coal and lead mines in that part of England. In 1831 the family immigrated to Upper Canada, and settled in Peterborough, where our subject spent fifteen years in farming, and attending a public school part of the time. … Read more

Biography of William Elliot

William Elliot, one of the founders of the village of Iroquois, is a, son of William Elliot, senior, whose calling was a shepherd, and Mary Cranston, both natives of Roxborough, Scotland. William was the third child in a family of four sons and four daughters. He came to the United States in 1828, locating at Lansingburgh, N.Y., on the Hudson river, where he learned the malting and brewing business with E. Parmelle and Son, and afterwards had charge of their business. In 1840 he came to Moulinette, County of Stormont, Ontario, commenced brewing there on his own account, operating a … Read more

Biography of Rev. William M.A. Bleasdell, D.C.L.

William Bleasdell, Rector of St. George’s church, Trenton, for more than thirty years, and one of the most learned men in this part of Ontario, is a son of James Bleasdell, a cotton manufacturer and merchant at Preston, Lancashire, England, where he was born on the 12th of March, 1817. His mother, whose maiden name was Mary Hodson, was also a native of Lancashire. James Bleasdell was from one of the old Lancashire families, and was a lineal descendant from Sir Thomas Tyldesley, Knight, who was killed at the battle of Wigan Lane, fought August 25, 1651, with the forces … Read more

Biography of Daniel E. McIntyre, M.D.

Daniel Eugene McIntyre, sheriff of the united counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, came from an old family in Argyleshire, in the west of Scotland, and was born in Oban, in that county, February 5, 18I2, his parents being James McIntyre, a sea captain in the commercial service, and Mary McLachlan. The Mclntyres figured more or less in the early wars of Scotland, particularly those in the age of feudalism. The subject of this sketch was a graduate of Glasgow as an M.D., and a week later became a Licentiate of the Medical Board of Upper Canada. On the 7th … Read more

Biography of William Reynolds

William Reynolds, on the west coast of Ireland, on the 9th of February, 1831. At the early age of eight, shortly after the death of his father, he was sent to London, England, to be educated under the eye of his uncle, Rev. Henry Reynolds, rector of Henley-on-Thames. It being determined that he should enter the royal navy, and having passed a satisfactory examination, he received a cadetship in the year 1845. After cruising a short time in the Channel, he was ordered to India. The inactive life at that time on board a war vessel, did not suit his … Read more

Biography of Peter A. McDougald

Peter Archibald McDougald, mayor of Oakville for the last six years, was born at Port Glasgow, township of Alboro’, county of Elgin, January 4, 1823. His father, John McDougald, a native of Scotland, came to Canada in 1817, and was a farmer in that county, and also held the office of postmaster a long time, dying in 1858. The mother of Peter was Sarah Campbell, who was born and reared within eighty rods of the seat of the Duke of Argyle, Inveraray, she coming to Canada in 1817, and dying in 1864. She was the mother of eight children, our … Read more

Biography of Adam Bowlby

Adam Bowlby, a resident of this Province since 1815, dates his birth in Wilmot, county Annapolis, Nova Scotia, March 29, 1792. His father, Richard Bowlby, a native of New Jersey, was a U. E. loyalist, and a volunteer for a short time during the rebellion of the American colonies, and was a captain in the war of 1812-14. His grandfather was from Nottinghamshire, England, and his mother from Sheffield. Adam received a common English education; came to Upper Canada in 1815 against his father’s wishes, who, under the circumstances, would render the son no assistance. He made his home two … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Kempt

George Kempt, sheriff of the county of Victoria, born in the ‘town of Cromarty, Scotland, in 1822, is a son of Kenneth and Anne (Williamson) Kempt, members of the agricultural class. The family immigrated to Canada when George was ten years old, and settled in the township of Dummer, Peterborough county, where our subject finished his education in the public schools. At thirteen he commenced learning the mercantile business, and was in trade for himself in the county of Peterborough until 1853, when he removed to Lindsay, the seat of justice of the county of Victoria. Here he was a … Read more

Biography of Hugh Finlayson

Hugh Finlayson, late member of the Ontario Legislature, is a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, a son of Hugh and Isabella (Black) Finlay son, and was born December 12, 1810. He received a parish school education; learned the trade of a saddle and harness maker in the old country; and emigrated to the new world in 1832, reaching New York city on the 4th of July. The cholera was just paying its first visit to the Western Continent; people were dying at a fearful rate in the city, and in about a month Mr. Finlayson pushed westward as far as Cleveland, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William D. Dean

William Warren Dean, county judge of Victoria, is a descendant of an English family that emigrated to the new world, and settled in one of the Provinces long before the American Revolution. On his mother’s side the family were United Empire Loyalists, moving at first into Nova Scotia and thence into Upper Canada, in 1797. His parents were Horace and Ruth (Tisdale) Dean, living in London, Ontario, at the time of his birth, October 25, 1830. His father was a Methodist minister, preaching for more than thirty-seven years, and dying in 1867. His mother died in 1862. Judge Dean was … Read more

Biography of John T. Leckie

John Luckie, banker and reeve of the village of Brussels, is a son of Robert and Margaret (Gardner) Leckie, and was born in the township of Dalhousie, county of Lanark, June 27, 1834. His grandfather, John Leckie, came from Scotland and settled in that township something like sixty years ago, and died in the county of Lambton, near Sarnia, three or four years ago, at the advanced age of 95 years, his wife dying a little earlier, aged 93 years. In the early youth of our subject, school houses in the greater part of the county of Lanark, were few … Read more

Biography of John McRae

John McRae, the oldest merchant in Port Colborne, was born in Poolewe, Ross-shire, Scotland, September 15,1800, being the son of Donald and Julia Ann McRae, and the seventh child of a family of ten children. It is a family remarkable for its longevity. The mother of John, whose surname was McRae, lived to be ninety-three years old; the grandfather of our subject was nearly 100 at his death, and his father was drowned by accident at sixty-five. During the boyhood of John, the family made one or two moves; he secured a district school education; farmed and herded, until in … Read more

Biography of George S. Herod, M.D.

George Samuel Herod, Guelph, the senior medical practitioner in Guelph, was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, May 8, 1827, being a son of Rev. George Herod, of the Primitive Methodist church. He was educated at private and boarding schools in Mansfield and Birmingham; in November, 1840, came to Canada; studied medicine in the University of Toronto; was licensed to practice in 1847, by the medical board of the Province, and after practicing a few years at Georgetown, Halton county; settled in Guelph in April, 1845. In his earlier years in his profession, Dr. Herod had many very hard rides. The … Read more

Biography of Hon. James C. Aikins

James Cox Aikins, Senator and Secretary of State of Canada, is a son of James Aikins, who left the County of Monaghan, Ireland, in 1816, and after residing in Philadelphia, Pa., four years, came to Canada and settled in the township of Toronto, now in the county of Peel, where our subject was born on the 30th of March, 1823. His mother’s name, before her marriage, was Ann Cox. James Aikins was a hospitable christian man, and his backwoods house, half a century ago, was the frequent resort of evangelists and the centre wherefrom radiated strong religious influences. Our subject … Read more