Ontario Canada

Biography of Daniel McDonald

Daniel McDonald, one of the younger class of county officers, and a very capable man, is a native of Huron county, and was born in the township of Stanley, August 19, 1844. His father, Donald McDonald, is a native of Inverness-shire, Scotland, and came to Canada in the year 1831. He settled on the London road in the township of Stanley, where he has since lived, linking the very earliest settlement and pioneer hardships of the “Huron Tract” with the now highly developed and flourishing County of Huron and being one of the very few remaining witnesses who can refresh … Read more

Biography of Richard Maurice Bucke, M.D.

Maurice Bucke, medical superintendent of the Asylum for the Insane, at London, and one of the best educated medical men of the younger class in the Province of Ontario, was born at Methwold, county of Norfolk, England, March 18, 1837. Dr. Bucke is a great-great-great-grandson of the celebrated Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, first Earl of Orford, and grand-nephew of Charles Bucke, author of works on the “Beauties of Nature,” and the “Ruins of Ancient Cities,” works still published by Harper Brothers, New York; and son of Rev. Horatio W. Bucke, a minister of the Church of England, who moved … Read more

Biography of George Leys

George Leys, Mayor of the town of Sarnia, and son of James and Ann (Williams) Leys, is a native of Cushnie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, dating his birth, August 12,1830. He received a thorough parish school education; learned his father’s trade, that of a tailor, and worked at it in the old country until 1853, when he emigrated to Canada West, and settled in Sarnia, the county town of Lambton, where he has resided since that date. Here at first he had charge of the merchant tailor’s shop of his uncle, Alexander Leys, Esq., J. P., buying him out in 1858, and … 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

Biographical Sketch of Maitland McCarthy

Maitland McCarthy, Barrister, and first Mayor of the Town of Orangeville, was born at Oakley Park, near Dublin, May 5, 1841. His parentage, &c., may be seen in the sketch of his elder brother, D’Alton McCarthy, Barrister, found on another page. He came to Canada when about eight years old; was educated in the same grammar school, County of Simcoe; studied law with his father and D’Arcy Boulton, at Barrie; was admitted to practice in 1861, and opened an office at Orangeville, and has here been in constant practice since that date, being called to the Bar at Michaelmas Term, … 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

Biography of W. Ladd

W. Ladd, of Redlands, first came to California in 1851. He shipped his horses and wagons from near Detroit, Michigan, to Chicago, and then to Missouri. April 9, 1851, they started from St. Joseph, Missouri, across the plains, and on August 11, of the same year, they arrived in Virginia City. Mr. Ladd mined until 1852, when he went back to Michigan by way of Panama. He worked at blacksmithing and the wagon-maker’s trade at Dearborn, Michigan, from 1852 until 1859, and on April 9, of the latter year, he again started from St. Joseph, Missouri, across the plains for … Read more

Biography of John White

John White, one of the leading men in the County of Halton, and for years a member of the Canadian Assembly and Dominion House of Commons, was born near Omagh, County of Tyrone, North of Ireland, June 8, 1811. His father, Thomas White, was a carpenter and joiner and farmer. His grandfather was from Perth, Scotland, and his ancestors on both sides were Scotch. When our subject was eleven years old the family came to “Little York,” and settled on a farm in Etobicoke. He was educated in a common school in. the old country, and a Grammar School in … Read more

Biography of John Sweetland, M. D.

John Sweetland, son of Simon and Jane (Norris) Sweetland, dates his birth at the City of Kingston, Ontario, August 15, 1835. He is a descendant of the Sweetlands of Exeter, Devonshire, England. He was educated at Queen’s College in his native city, and was graduated from its medical department in 1858. He opened an office at Pakenham, County of Lanark, Ont.; practiced there for eight years, and in 1866 removed to the capital of the Dominion, which has since been his home, and where he has an extensive practice in the several branches of his profession. Since entering the practice … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John M. Chambers

Among the early settlers and prominent citizens of Smith’s Falls, may be numbered John McGill Chambers, known far and wide as Captain Chambers. He comes of United Empire Loyalist blood on both sides, his grandsires removing from the United States to Canada about the time of the American revolution. His parents were James and Mary (Thurber) Chambers, both born in the State of New York. The Chambers family was originally from Derry, north of Ireland. Our subjects birth is dated at Edwardsburg, county of Grenville, Ontario, August 20, 1805. He received a common English education; in 1832, became Captain of … Read more

Biography of Hon. Telesphore Fournter

Telesphore Fournter, who took his seat on the Supreme Bench of the Dominion in October, 1875, is a son of Guillaume Fournier and Maria A. nee Morin, and was born at St. Francois, Riviere Du Sud, Montmagny, Province of Quebec, August 5, 1823. He was educated at Nicolet College, graduating in 1842; studied law at Quebec with the Lieutenant Governor Caron; was called to the Bar of Lower Canada in 1846, and created a Queen’s Counsel in 1863. As a lawyer, Mr. Fournier was admitted by his colleagues to have won his place at once in the foremost rank, and … Read more

Biography of John Henry Wilson, M.D.

John Henry Wilson has been for many years one of the best known men in the county of Elgin. He was born near the city of Ottawa on the 14th of February, 1833. His father, the late Jeremiah Wilson, was a native of Vermont. His grandfather was an United Empire Loyalist, and a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. In 1835 the family removed to the township of Westminster, county of Middlesex. The homestead is on the London and Port Stanley Road, and in one of the richest farming districts of the Province. Here young Henry attended the common school, … Read more

Biography of William Tassie, LLD.

William Tassie, one of the most successful educators in Western Ontario, is a native of Dublin, Ireland, dating his birth May 10, 1815. His father, James Tassie, an Engineer and Contractor, descended from a Scotch family that went to Ireland about a century ago; and his mother, whose maiden name was Mary Stewart, was also a descendant of a family which made a similar migration a little earlier. She belonged to the Garth family. Our subject spent his boyhood in study in his native city; in 1834 came with the family to Upper Canada, and taught and continued his studies … 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

Biography of John Horsmae

John Horsman, the oldest and leading hardware merchant in the city of Guelph at this writing (Nov., 1879), is a native of Birmingham, England, dating his birth July 18, 1827. His father was John Horsman, senior, many years a miller, and afterwards holding a Government office; and his mother, before her marriage, was Frances Philip. The son received a good English education, sufficient for all practical business purposes; served an apprenticeship at the hardware business in his native town; in 1848 came to Canada, and after halting a short time in Toronto, located in Hamilton, where he remained as a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of C. Kenneth Chisholm

Chisholm, C. Kenneth; pres. Chisholm Shoe Co.; born, Ontario, 1865; married, Ashtabula, O., 1899, Laura Ford; one daughter, Ruth; 32d° Mason; member Cleveland Athletic, Mayfield, Country, Hermit, and Rotary Clubs.

Biography of A. Herriman Elbridge, M.D.

Among the best read and most skilful physicians and surgeons in Lindsay is Elbridge Albert Herriman, son of Luther Herriman, also a physician, who is still living, and a resident of Port Hope. At the time of Elbridge’s birth, August 27, 1834, the family were residing at Haldimand, County of Northumberland, Ont. His mother, before her marriage, was Abigail Dean. He received his literary education at Toronto, his medical, in the medical department of Victoria College, Toronto, being graduated M. D., in 1860. After practicing two years in Durham county, the civil war being in progress on the American side, … Read more

Biography of Wellington Jeffers, D.D.

Wellington Jeffers, one of the best read clergymen and most eloquent preachers in the Methodist Church in Canada, was born in the City of Cork, Ireland, June 22, 1814. His father being Rev. Robert Jeffers, a merchant in the old country, and a preacher and teacher in Canada. The family came to this country in the summer of 1817, and after preaching a few years, in connection with the Conference, the father of our subject settled as a teacher in Kingston. He was a man of almost universal knowledge, excelling in the mathematics, and showing great ability, both as a … Read more

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

Biography of Arthur Meighen

Arthur Meighen, many years a prominent business man in Perth, and now deceased, was born near the City of Londonderry, Ireland, in December, 1826. In 1839, having lost his father, he came to Perth, County of Lanark, clerked awhile in a store, and in 1848 went into business for himself. He traded alone until 1867, when he associated with him two younger brothers, William and Robert Meighen, who are still in business here, and among the leading commercial men of the town. He died on the 30th of May, 1874. As a merchant and general business man, Mr. Meighen was … Read more