Ontario Canada

Biography of Hon. Thomas Galt

The subject of this sketch, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Ontario, is worthy a place in these annals, aside from his distinction as an eminent Judge, as an old settler in Toronto, having resided there continuously since 1833. He is a native of London, England, and was born August 12th, 1815. He is descended from an old Scotch family, and some of his ancestors were well known men of eminence in their day. His father was John Galt, Esq., whose name many will recognize as that of a well known and popular novelist. Some of his … Read more

McLean, Margaret Ann Loney – Obituary

Mrs. H. [Hector] H. McLean at the home of her daughter at 634 Pearson St. early yesterday morning after a lingering illness of many months. Besides her husband she is survived by four daughters and one son, Mrs. Alice Barrow and Mrs. Charlotte Lundy of this city, Mrs. Margaret Garrett of Seattle and Mrs. Roy Zaring of American Falls, Idaho and Charles McLean of Finn, Montana. She also leaves four sisters and four brothers and seventeen grandchildren. Mrs. McLean was born in Ontario and came to Walla Walla in 1878 where she made her home until nine years ago when … Read more

Biography of Henry Crotty

Among the few men now living in. Ingersoll who has had a taste of pioneer life, is Henry Crotty, one of the first men to locate on the north side of the Thames river. He was born in the county of Tipperary, Ireland, January 12, 1812, his parents being Henry Crotty, gentleman farmer, and Mary Antony. His paternal grandmother was a Cashel, a somewhat noted Irish family. In 1831, Henry Crotty, senior, immigrated with his family to Canada, coming directly to Ingersoll. There was then a small village here on the south side of the Thames River, but only two … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Andrew McKenzie, M.D.

The subject of this sketch is a native of Lower Canada,, a son of Daniel and Margaret (Gray) McKenzie, and was born at Terrebonne, on the 15th of September, 1810. Dr. McKenzie has had an office in the city of London, for forty round years. His father was from the Highlands of Scotland, and was engaged for years with the North west Fur Company. Andrew finished his education at the grammar school of Perth, county of Lanark; at seventeen commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Robert Gilmour, of Brockville; attended lectures at McGill College, Montreal, in 1829 and 1830, … Read more

Biography of Sir Richard J. Cartwright, K. C.M. G., M.P

Richard John Cartwright, who represents Centre Huron in the House of Commons, and was Minister of Finance from 1873 to 1878, is a son of the Rev. D. Cartwright, chaplain at one period to the forces at Kingston, where he was born, and grandson of Hon Richard Cartwright, a United Empire Loyalist, who came to Canada from the United States about 1776, afterward fought for the Crown, and was a member of the first Parliament of tipper Canada, which met at Niagara in 1792, and continued to hold a seat in that body until his death in 1815. Our subject … Read more

Biography of Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson, late mayor of Dundas, and one of the leading machinists and manufacturers of the town, was born in Dumbartonshire, Scotland, May 27, 1828. His grandfather was a manufacturer in Glasgow, and his father, Charles Wilson, was a distiller in the old country, and a farmer in Canada. His mother was Margaret McGregor, a descendant of the McGregors and Grahams of Stirlingshire. In the early youth of our subject the family moved to Lanarkshire, where he received a parish school education, and in 1843 they all came to Canada West. Thomas learned the trade of a machinist with John … Read more

Biography of Rev. Edward B. Ryckman, D.D.

Edward Bradshaw Ryckman, pastor of the First Methodist Church, Brantford, is 4 of United Empire Loyalist stock on both sides, his paternal grandfather coming to Canada from Duchess county, New York, and his maternal grandfather from New Jersey, the Ryckmans settling at first in Picton, on the Bay of Quinte, where Abraham W. Ryckman, the father of our subject was born. In 1812 the family came to Flamboro’ West, where, on a farm near Hamilton, Edward first saw the light of day, March 22, 1830. The maiden name of his mother was Margaret Bradshaw, whose mother was a Vanderlip, she … Read more

Biography of Hermon H. Cook

Among the prominent and successful business men of Ontario, none presents an example of greater energy, enterprise and propriety, than the subject of this brief memoir, Hermon Henry Cook. As a representative of the lumbering interests of the Province, being one of the most extensive dealers in that important branch of Canadian industry, he is fairly entitled to rank among the leading citizens of Ontario. His name is also well and favorably known as an ex-Member of Parliament, and at present a Member of the Provincial House. He is descended on both sides from U. E. Loyalists, his grandfather George … Read more

Biography of David Blain, LL. D.

David Blain, exmember of Parliament for the constituency of West York, Ont., is a native of Scotland, and was born on Brown Carrickhill, near Ayr, on the 15th of August, 1832. The Blain family were originally French, but sometime during the early wars between France and England, they settled on the border lands between Scotland and England, whence descendants have spread to different parts of the world. The grandfather of our subject spelled the name Blaine, and the final e is still retained by some branches of the family. David Blain was the fourth of six sons, his father being … Read more

Biography of Joseph Cawthra

Joseph Cawthra, Manager of the Newmarket Branch of the Federal Bank of Canada, is a descendant of an old prominent family in the County of York. His grandfather, Joseph Cawthra, a native of England, settled in Toronto, about the beginning of, the present century; was a druggist at first, then a general merchant; became one of the heaviest importers in Upper Canada, and died one of the richest men in the Province. John Cawthra, father of our subject, came from England with his father when about eight years old; settled in Newmarket, about 1822, and was a prominent man here … Read more

Biography of Robert Baird

Robert Baird, Warden of the county of Bruce, and the leading grain dealer in Kincardine, is a son of William and Margaret Baird, and was born at Picton, Upper Canada, June 4, 1832. His parents were from the county of Fermanagh, Ireland. Complying with the wishes of his father, Robert limited his mental drill to the common school; farmed in Prince Edward county until 1850, when the family removed to the county of Hastings, where his father bought a farm. In December, 1855, our subject left home; came to Kincardine, then a village of something like 300 inhabitants; clerked in … Read more

Biography of Adam J. Baker, M.P.P.

Adam J. Baker, who is serving his second term in the Ontario parliament for the riding of Russell, is of Holland descent, grandson of William Baker, a United Empire Loyalist, and son of William Baker, junior, formerly a merchant at Osnabruck, county of Stormont, where our subject was born September 22, 1821. His mother was Ann Eve Waldorff. He received such a preliminary education as the country schools furnished fifty years ago, adding to it by his own exertions, after going into business. When ten years old he lost his father; his older brother, John W. Baker, continued the mercantile … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Dunbar

In the person of the subject of this sketch we have one of the leading citizens and stockmen of Malheur County, and it is with pleasure that we chronicle the salient paints in his interesting and active career, wherein he has ever manifested integrity, ability and industry. David Dunbar was born in Ontario, Canada, near Kingston, on February 5, 1849, being the son of James and Eliza Dunbar. He was reared on a farm with his parents and gained his education from the common schools of that province. In July 186? he was called to mourn the death of his … Read more

Biography of George B. Smith

Among the younger wholesale houses in Toronto which are yearly growing in importance, and which, judging by their constantly increasing trade, are rivaling the old established firms in pushing business with energy, foresight and success, the importing dry goods house of Messrs. G. B. Smith and Henderson is deserving of mention in a work which treats of self made men. George Byron Smith, the senior member, very justly ranks in this class of citizens. He is a native of Ontario, and was born in the village of Newtonville, county of Durham, on the 7th of March, 1839. His paternal grandfather … 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 Thomas Racey

Thomas Racey, registrar of the county of Halton, was born in the city of Bath, Somersetshire, Eng., December 24, 1791, and hence is in his 89th year. His parents were James and Jane (Sumption) Racey. He received a plain English education; came to Canada in 1805, being engaged before leaving, as a clerk for Thomas Dickson, of Queenston, Eng., where he remained three years; and then went to Ancaster, at the “Head of the Lake,” and was a merchant’s clerk a while for Samuel Hatch, and subsequently his partner at an outpost at Mount Pleasant, near Brantford; and while there … Read more

Biography of Alexander R. Stephen, M. D.

Alexander Richard Stephen, the pioneer Physician and Surgeon, at Collingwood is a grandson of Alexander Stephen, author of “Memoirs of John Horne Tooke,” and several biographies and obituaries, and son of Thomas Stephen, an Ensign in the First Regiment of Foot or Royal Scots at the battle of Waterloo, and was born at Tunbridge-Wells, Kent, England, February 24, 1827. His father was wounded at the battle of Waterloo, and the son has the original letter sent to his father, containing a remittance of twenty-five pounds, called ” blood money,” presented to him on account of the wound received. He has … Read more

Biography of Rev. Robert Ure, D. D.

That branch of the Ure family from which the subject of this sketch is descended was originally from France, and supposed to be Huguenots, settling in Scotland, where, in the Parish of Shotts, Lanarkshire, Robert Ure was born, January 23, 1823. His parents were John and Barbara (Dalziel) Ure, his father being a manufacturer of the ironwork to machinery. At nineteen years of age our subject came to Hamilton, Ontario, and there, while following other employments, he pursued his studies in private with an ultimate view to the ministry, under Alexander Gale, M.A., entered Knox College, Toronto, in the spring … Read more

Biography of John Charles Rykert, M. P.

John Charles Rykert, member of the Dominion Parliament, was born in the house in which he now lives, on the 10th of March, 1832. His father, George Rykert, who died in 1857, was among the pioneers in the Niagara district; surveyed no inconsiderable part of the country in this vicinity; was manager of the Commercial Bank at St. Catharines for a long period, and represented the County of Lincoln in the Upper Canada Parliament from 1832 until the union of the two Canadas in 1841. His mother, who is still living, and whose maiden name was Ann Maria Mittleberger, was … Read more

Oneida Tribe

A tribe of the Iroquois confederation, formerly occupying the country south of Oneida Lake, Oneida county, N. Y., and latterly including the upper waters of the Susquehanna.