Ontario Canada

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

Biography of Cornelius Valleau Price

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 … Read more

Biography of Col. Adiel Sherwood

Adiel Sherwood, who was born near Montreal, May 16, 1779, and died in Brockville, March 25, 1874, was for many years a leading man in the County of Leeds, having been Sheriff of Leeds and Grenville from June 30, 1829, till his resignation of the office in 1864, and held the responsible office of Treasurer of the Counties from 1814 till 1842. His father, Thomas Sherwood, was a subaltern officer in one of the Provincial Corps in Lower Canada, under Sir John Johnson, and was stationed at St. John’s, twenty-five miles from Montreal, where he and his family resided until … Read more

Biography of Hon. David Christie

Senator Christie, son of Robert Christie, of the Christies of Durie, Fifeshire, Scotland, was born in Edinburgh, in October, 1818. His mother was Jean McGeorge, daughter of Rev. William McGeorge, minister of Mid-Calder, near Edinburgh, and granddaughter of Rev. John Hepburn, mentioned in Scotch church history. He was educated in the high school, Edinburgh; came to Canada in 1833, with his father, and after living twenty-five years in South Dumfries, removed to the township of Brantford, having been long engaged extensively in farming and stock raising. He has been a member of the Board of Agriculture and of the Council … Read more

Biography of Robert Simpson

Robert Simpson, the first mayor of the town of Barrie, and many years a prominent man in the municipalities of the town and county, is a native of Yorkshire, England, being born in Salton, March 16, 1817. His father, John Simpson, who was a yeoman, was from Fifeshire; his mother, Mary (Richardson) Simpson, was English. Robert received a parish school education; farmed in the old country until 1835; then emigrated to Upper Canada; attended school one winter after learning the brewing business at Newmarket; carried on that business for himself at Kempenfeldt, three miles from Barrie, about two years, when … Read more

Biography of John H. Sangster, M.A.,M.D.

John Herbert Sangster, many years a prominent educator, and now one of the leading physicians and surgeons in western Ontario, is a native of London, England, dating his birth March 26, 1831. His grandfather, Alexander Sangster, was an officer in the British army, and served under Wellington in the Peninsular war; and his father, John Alexander Sangster, is a farmer, who married Jane Hayes, and emigrated to the United States in 1832, locating in the city of New York. In 1837 the family removed to Toronto, where our subject was educated in Upper Canada College and subsequently in the University … 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 James Metcalfe

James Metclafe, one of the leading citizens of Toronto, and ex-member of Parliament for the East Riding of York, is an Englishman by birth, and was born in Cumberland in the year 1822. The Metcalfe family, though very numerous, are all of the same stock and descendants of a very ancient family, justly entitled to the compliment paid them by the compiler of the life of Lord Metcalfe, a gentleman of our time, well known in Canada, viz., that they were industrious, honest, and unassuming people, whose integrity was a better inheritance than titles. One of them was knighted at … Read more

Biography of John M.P. Charlton

John Charlton, member of Parliament from Norfolk, is a descendant from the Chadtons of Northumberland, England, whence his father, Adam Charlton, immigrated to the United States, in 1824, settling at Caledonia, Livingston County, N. Y., and engaging in teaching and storekeeping. There the son was born, February 3, 1829, the maiden name of his mother being Ann Gray, a native of the Empire State. In the infancy of John, the family removed to Ellicottville, Cattarangas County, same state, where Adam Charlton was employed by the Holland Land Company; its lands, known as the “Holland Purchase,” once embracing most of Western … Read more

Biography of James Norris

James Norris, one of the successful business men and leading manufacturers of St. Catharines, was born in Argyleshire, Scotland, in February, 1820, his parents being James and Ann (Black) Norris. His father was a farmer on a moderate scale. The son was educated at a parish school, finishing at fourteen years of age, at which period of his life he immigrated with the family to Upper Canada, locating in the Township of Caledon, then in the County of Peel, now Cardwell. There the son aided his father in farming, until nineteen or twenty years of age, when he came to … Read more

Biography of Homer P. Brown

Homer Pratt Brown, treasurer of the county of Oxford, and a native of Cattaraugus county, New York, was born February 13, 1822. His parents were Henry and Sarah (Pratt) Brown. His father was in the second war with England, fighting on the American side and subsequently becoming a British subject. In the infancy of Homer, the family moved to the Genesee valley, and spent several years at Avon, Livingston county, and Mendon, Monroe county, removing to Paris, Upper Canada, in 1835. There his mother died in 1837; his father at Woodstock, in 1866. Young Homer received an ordinary public school … Read more

Biography of Thomas Long, M.P.P.

The subject of this biographical sketch, is descended from German ancestors on his father’s side, the progenitor of the family settling in the County of Limerick, Ireland, about the commencement of the 17th century. In that county our subject was born, August 7, 1836, his parents being Thomas and Margaret (Farrel) Long. His father who was an agriculturist, died in the old country in 1847; his mother is still living there. Mr. Long was educated in part at the national school at Shanagolden; came to Canada in 1850, with his wardrobe carefully done up in a small cotton handkerchief, and … Read more

Biography of Rev. Michael Stafford

Rev. Michael Stafford, Priest of the Roman Catholic Church, Lindsay, is a native of the County of Lanark, Ontario, the son of a pioneer settler, Thomas Stafford, and was born March, 1, 1832. His father was from Wexford, Ireland; his mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth McGarry, from West Meath, same country. His family fought for Irish separation, and that was the reason Thomas Stafford came to Canada. Up to fourteen years of age our subject was educated at a district school near Lanark, his teacher, Robert Lees, still living, and filling the office of County Attorney of Carleton. The … Read more

Biography of John P. Wiser, M.P.

John Philip Wiser, member of Parliament from South Grenville, is a native of Oneida county, New York, dating his birth at Trenton, October 4, 1825. He is a son of Isaac J. Wiser, who settled in that county in 1809, and opened a farm in the dense forest. The grandfather of Isaac was aid to General Herkimer, at the battle of Oriskaney. The mother of our subject was Mary Egert, a native of Philadelphia, his parents on both sides being of remote German descent. He was educated in the common school of his native county, and at Hobart Hall Institute, … Read more

Biography of Hon. Lieut-Col. Mackenzie Bowell

Few men in the Province of Ontario are more thoroughly self educated and self made than the Hon. Mackenzie Bowell, Minister of Customs, to which position he was appointed on the 18th of October, 1878, after the defeat of the Mackenzie Government in the previous month. He entered a printing office at eleven years of age as “devil,” and grew up and educated himself in the same office, being connected with it in various relations apprentice, journeyman foreman, joint proprietor and sole proprietor from 1834 to 1875. Whatever he is he owes largely to his own industry and economy of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Zacheus Burnham

Zacheus Burnham, son of John Burnham, elsewhere mentioned in this volume, was born in the Township of Hamilton, County of Northumberland, Ontario, March 31, 1819. His father was a native of New Hampshire; his mother, whose maiden name was Hannah Harris, was from New York. He received his literary education at the Cobourg Gram mar School; studied law a while with his elder brother, Elias Burnham, at Peterborough; finished his legal studies with Hon. Robert Baldwin, in Toronto; commenced practice at Port Hope in 1842; removed to Whitby the next year; was called to the Bar at Easter Term, 1847, … 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 Robert Armour

Robert Armour, Registrar of the West Riding of Durham, is a native of Donne, Perth. shire, Scotland, dating his birth March 10, 1818, his parents being Samuel and Margaret (Douglas) Armour. The Armours were Huguenots, driven from France in the times of Catholic persecution. His mother’s branch of the Douglas family descended in a direct line from “Black Douglas,” who figures conspicuously in Scottish history. In 1820, the father of our. subject, with his family, emigrated to Canada in company with the father of Sir John Alexander Macdonald, and one or two other families from the same part of Scotland, … Read more

Biography of Lieut.Col. William Allan

William Allan, Lieut.Colonel 20th Rifles, was born in the Parish of Halkirk, Caithness, Scotland, September 25, 1815, his parents being James Allan, contractor and builder, and Diana nee Waters, both of Caithness. His mother was a daughter of George Waters, of Broadwell Castle. Young Allan received a parish school education; at nineteen years of age entered Her Majesty’s service in the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders; served eight years as sergeant in that regiment, most of the time in Canada, coming over at the time of the rebellion of 1837-38, and participating in the engagements at St. Denis, St. Eustace, the Windmill, … Read more

Biography of John Page

The subject of this sketch, the Chief Engineer to the Department of Public Works, is a native of Fifeshire, Scotland, where he first saw the light of this world, on the 9th July, 1816. His father was John Page, a contractor. He received his early mental training in the University of Glasgow, not, however, completing the full college course. He was bred an engineer, and, before leaving his native land, served a while as Engineer of the Northern Lighthouse Board, under Robert Stephenson. Mr. Page crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1838, and was engaged for four years on the Erie … Read more