The Canadian Biographical Dictionary Collections – Page 26 of 27

Biographical Sketch of James Bonfield, M.P.P.

James Bonfield, the representative for South Renfrew in the Ontario Legislature, descends from an old agricultural family in Ireland, and was born in Gortmore, county of Tipperary, in 1825, his parents being John and Elizabeth O’Meara Bonfield. A maternal uncle of James, Father Morgan O’Meara, was a Catholic priest. Mr. Bonfield received a good English education, including the higher mathematics, attending school most of the time until 1848, in the spring of which year he came to Canada, and settled at Eganville, township of Grattan, where he has resided for thirty-two years. He commenced work in this Province as a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James A. Austin

James Augustus Austin, clerk of the county court, etc., is a son of James Austin, one of the yeomanry of the county of Peel, and was born in the township of Toronto, in this county, February 5, 1835. The maiden name of his mother was Eleanor Aikins. Both parents are dead. James was reared on the farm, attending a common school in his younger years, and subsequently spending three years at Victoria College, Cobourg, intending at one time to study for the medical profession, but not completing his College course on account of failing health. He continued farming in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Lewis Wallbridge

The subject of this sketch, one of the oldest and most prominent barristers, and an ex officio bencher of the Law Society, in the Province of Ontario, was born in Belleville. He is a grandson of Elijah Wallbridge, a United Empire Loyalist, who settled in Canada shortly after the War of Independence of the American Colonies; is a son of William H. Wallbridge, lumber merchant, who died in Belleville, March 12, 1832. Asa Wallbridge, an older brother of Elijah, erected the first house where the city now stands. The family were ‘from Dorsetshire, England, and took sides with the Duke … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. John W. Gwynne

John Wellington Gwynne, who was recently appointed one of the puisne Judges of the Supreme Court of the Dominion, is a native of Ireland, and was born in 1817, being a son of the Rev. Dr. Gwynne, minister of the Church of England, of Castle Knock, Dublin. Judge Gwynne came to Canada in 1832, the year that the cholera first visited this continent; subsequently returned to his native country, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He read law with Thomas Kirkpatrick, barrister, of Kingston, and was called to the Bar, Trinity term, in 1837. He was elected a Bencher … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Hilker

Henry Hilker, of the firm of Ruby and Hilker, general merchants and grain dealers, was born in the city of Blumberger, Prussia, December 24, 1824, his parents being William and Henrietta (Beckman) Hilker, both natives of Prussia. In 1834 the family went to the Island of Jamaica, and in June, 1837, came to Canada, and settled in the county of Waterloo, where his father bought land, near Guelph, and settled. In 1853 our subject came to the site of Port Elgin, then an unbroken forest, the nearest family being two miles off. He took up 200 acres, on much of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry C. Caldwell, M.P.P.

William Clyde Caldwell, member of the local Legislature for North Lanark, W and a prominent business man in that riding, is a son of Alexander and Mary Ann (Maxwell) Caldwell, both natives of Scotland, and both dying in 1872. He was born in the village of Lanark, Ontario, May 14, 1843, and received his education at Queen’s College, Kingston, whence he was graduated in 1864. His father was a lumberman, which business our subject also makes a specialty, cutting about 6,000,000 feet annually, and shipping most of it to Oswego, New York. He also manufactures flour, doing custom and merchant … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Godfrey P. Baker

Godfrey Phipps Baker, postmaster of Ottawa, descended from the Bakers of Sissinghurst, Cranbrooke, England, and is the second son of George William Baker, by Ann, the eldest daughter of John Cole, once Mayor of Norwich. Was born at Shooter’s Hill, Woolwich, England, in August 1822. His father was a captain in the Royal Artillery, and having sold his commission, came in 1832 to Upper Canada, settling at Bytown, then a village in its infancy, and very unpromising at that. Two years later, Captain Baker was appointed post master, to fill a vacancy caused by the demise of Matthew Connell; and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George R. Van Norman, Q.C.

George Robinson Van Norman, Q.C., County Crown Attorney and Clerk of the Peace, is a son of Joseph Van Norman, whose sketch appears on preceding pages, and was born in Canandaigua, New York, March 12, 1821, the family removing to Canada before he was a year old. He finished his literary education at Cobourg Academy, now Victoria College; studied law two years with William Salmon, of Simcoe, and three years with Hon. Robert B. Sullivan, of Toronto, afterwards Judge of the Superior Court; was called to the Bar at Hilary term, 1847, and created a Queen’s Counsel in February, 1873. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Moberly

Among the legal fraternity, the oldest resident in Collingwood, is George Moberly, a native of Yorkshire, England. His birth is dated September 16, 1830. His father was Captain John Moberly, of the Royal Navy, who was in several engagements under Lord Nelson; and his mother was Mary Fock, of Polish descent, hers being also a military family. When George was about four years old, the family came to Upper Canada, living a short time in Cobourg, Toronto and Penetanguishene, and a longer period at Barrie. At the last named town our subject received a grammar school drill and studied law … 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

Biographical Sketch of George Duval

George Duval, precis writer and secretary of the chief justice and the judges of the Supreme Court of the Dominion, was born in the city of Quebec, on the 19th of December, 1843. His parents were Joseph Duval, merchant, and Adelaide Dubuc, the latter now being the wife of John F. Duval, late chief justice of the Province of Quebec. George was educated at the Jesuits’ College, Montreal, graduating in 1861; studied law first with Messrs. Holt and Irvine, then with L. B. Caron, advocate, being called to the Bar in 1865. He immediately entered upon practice in partnership with … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George A. Kirkpatrick, M.P.

Among the sons of Thomas Kirkpatrick, a brief sketch of whom we have given in another article, George Airey, his fourth son, succeeded him in his position as member for Frontenac in the House of Commons. He was born in Kingston, in 1841, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, taking his degree in 1861. On his return to Canada, in the same year, he entered on the study of law with his father, and by his diligence and urbanity of manner quickly gained throughout the community a host of friends. His connection with the volunteer regiment of Frontenac, as … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Finlay McCallum

Finlay McCallum, County Treasurer, is a son of Finlay and Christian (Campbell) McCallum, and was born in Breadalbane, Perthshire, Scotland, January 12, 1813, and received his education in the parish schools of that county, including the classics. He is good in mathematics. He became a school teacher at fifteen years of age; came to Canada in 1833, and continued teaching until 1853, the first two years in Toronto, and after that mainly in the County of Halton. From 1853 to 1855 Mr. McCallum farmed in the Township of Nassagaweya; then became Deputy Registrar of the County, and occupied that position … 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

Biographical Sketch of David S. Bowlby, M.D.

David Sovereign Bowlby, the leading physician and surgeon in Berlin, is a son of Adam Bowlby, whose sketch appears in this volume, and Elizabeth, nee Sovereign, and was born in Townsend, county of Norfolk; September 5, 1826. He received his literary education in Upper Canada College and the University of Toronto; studied his profession at first in the Toronto School of Medicine, and then in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York city, receiving the degree of M.D. at the former institution in 1852, and at the latter in 1853. He is one of the most thoroughly educated … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David H.Harrison, M.D.

David Howard Harrison, a prominent physician and surgeon of St. Mary’s, and a coroner of the county of Perth, was born in the township of London, Ontario, June 1, 1843. His father, Milner Harrison, a native of Yorkshire, England, came to Canada in his in fancy with his parents, who settled on a farm in the township just mentioned, in 1816, and where he grew to manhood, and in 1841 married Miss Catharine Howard, a daughter of Thomas Howard of the same township. She was the first female child born there, and her mother was the first woman buried in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Bell

The town of Pembroke, the seat of justice of the county of Renfrew, owes its rise, growth and present status to its lumber interests; and among the enterprising men who have aided to make the town what it isa place with about 3,000 inhabitants, fine churches, large school houses, commercial blocks, and spacious and elegant hotelsis the subject of this short sketch, who settled in Pembroke when it had two buildings, “all told.” Mr. Bell is a son of William Bell, Tanner, and Margaret, nee Wilson, residents of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, where he first saw this world’s light, on the 3rd … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Home Lizars

Daniel Home Lizars, Judge of the County of Perth, is a son of Daniel and Robina (Hutcheson) Lizars, and was born in the County of Renfrewshire, Scotland, February 11, 1822. When he was eleven years of age the family immigrated to Canada, and settled at Goderich, County of Huron, the father of our subject subsequently holding the office of Clerk of the Peace in that county for several years, dying in March, 1876. The son was educated in the Goderich Grammar School; studied law in that town with John Strachan; was called to the Bar at Hilary term in 1853; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Colin Munro

Colin Munro, subject of this sketch, the sheriff of the county of Elgin for more than a quarter of a century, and one of the most stirring men of the county, is a native of Argyle, Scotland, and born in February, 1819. His parents, Neil and Nancy, (McPherson) Munro, belonged to the agricultural class, and when the son was eight years old, came to Canada and settled on 800 acres of bush land in the township of Southwold. They were landed from a sailing vessel at Port Stanley (1827), and at that time, a round half century ago, this part … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Col. John Walker

Col. John Walker, a native of Argyleshire, Scotland, was born in 1832. He was educated in Stirling, and began business first in Leith, but subsequently removed to Glasgow where he continued until 1864 when he came to Canada. Being a man of excellent business qualifications he was selected by Scotch capitalists to come out here to take charge of the Bothwell property which they had acquired from the Hon. George Brown, for the purpose of farming the lands and developing the oil interests. During the oil excitement subsequent to Col. Walker’s arrival at Bothwell, the population being greatly augmented by … Read more