Ontario Canada

Biography of Samuel S. Nelles, D.D., L.I.D.

Samuel S. Nelles, nearly thirty years ago at the had of Victoria College, is a son of William and Mary (Hardy) Nelles, and was born at Mount Pleasant, near Brantford, Ont., October 17, 1823. His paternal ancestors were originally from Germany, and were among the early settlers in the Mohawk Valley, New York, William Nelles being born in that State. His mother was also of part German pedigree, born in Pennsylvania. Our subject aided his father in farming until sixteen years of age, having, meanwhile, such literary pasturage as comparatively new clearings in Brant county furnished forty and fifty years … Read more

Biography of John W. Loucks

John W. Loucks, clerk of the Division Court, is a son of William Loucks, a United Empire Loyalist, from the State of New York, settling in the county of Stormont, Ontario, soon after the American Revolution, and afterwards purchasing land in the township of Williamsburg, county of Dundas, where he died at a great age in 1863. There our subject was born May 15, 1796, and reared a farmer with very few opportunities for acquiring an education. At sixteen, when the second war with the United States opened, he enlisted in the Provincial cavalry; was at the battle of Crysler’s … Read more

Biography of Edward McGillivray

Edward McGillivray is a son of Donald McGillivray, a farmer, who came from Invernessshire, Scotland, in 1793, and settled in the County of Glengarry, where Edward was born September 15, 1815. His mother was Catharine Campbell, a Highlander. The subject of this notice is one of the leading merchants of Ottawa; received a very plain education in a country school, but made good use of his time, and early became quite proficient in figures, the Mathematics being a favorite study with him. In youth he profitably employed his leisure time when out of school, and acquired a fair knowledge of … 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 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 Alexander Pattullo, M.D.

Alexander Pattullo, for twenty-five years a practicing Physician and Surgeon in the town of Brampton was born on the 26th of March, 1830, in the township of Caledon, in the county of Peel. His father, James Pattullo, was a farmer in that township, and his grand father was Alexander Pattullo, at one time a corporal in the “Loyal Tay Fencibles,” under Colonel Anstruther, and afterwards of the Forfar and Kincardine Regiment, under the Hon. Archibald Douglas, and subsequently a non commissioned officer in the 42nd Highlanders, better known as the “Black Watch,” and saw much service prior to his emigration … 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 ofJohn A. Orchard

John Allen Orchard, Clerk of the Division Court for the County of Welland, and a son of Thomas and Eliza Ann (Medway) Orchard, was born in Devonshire, England, March 2, 1815. Colonel Orchard, of the British army, was a cousin of his father, and John A. Medway, an officer in the British navy, was a brother of his mother. A large number of the Orchards are military and professional men. Young Orchard was educated in common and private schools, farmed with his father in the old country until 1835; then came to Upper Canada with the family, and after spending … Read more

Biography of James Somerville

One of the early settlers at Lucknow, and a leading business man, is James Somerville, who was born in Dunfermline, Fifeshire, Scotland, January 31, 1826. His parents are Robert and Christian (Bennett) Somerville, his father being a builder, and yet living, his home being in Dundas, Ontario. James received a good high school education; at sixteen, came, with the family, to Dundas; there worked one year in a cabinet shop; ran an oatmeal mill two years; learned the trade of a millwright; worked at it, with head-quarters at Dundas, until 1851; then removed to the township of Wawanosh, five miles … Read more

Biography of Francis Rae, M.D.

Francis Rae, M.D., one of the leading physicians and surgeons in Oshawa, is a son of James and Jane (Johnston) Rae, both natives of Scotland, who immigrated to New Brunswick about 1827. James Rae’s a farmer. Our subject was born at Fredericton, N.B., July 8, 1833; was educated in the common schools of Ontario, and at the Normal School, Toronto, and taught for ten years, most of the time at Prince Albert, County of Ontario, and Stouffville, County of York, studying medicine during a part of this period. He attended lectures at the Toronto School of Medicine, receiving the degree … Read more

Biography of Hon. John Crawford

Among the honored names of eminent Canadians, there are none more worthy of honorable mention than that of the late Hon. John Crawford, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. He was the second son of the Honorable George Crawford, of Brockville, a member of the Legislative Council, who, upon the Confederation of the Provinces, was appointed to the Senate of Canada. His elder brother, the late James Crawford, sat in the House of Commons for Brockville, from 1867 to 1877, and was Lieutenant-Colonel of the 41st Brockville Rifles. Mr. Crawford was born at Manor Hamilton, County Cavan, Ireland, in the year 1817, but … Read more

Biography of David Stirton

David Stirton, Postmaster at Guelph, and son of James and Janet (Crichton) Stirton, pioneers in the Township of Guelph, County of Wellington, was born in Forfarshire, Scotland, June 13, 1816. His parents were both natives of that county, and in 1827 emigrated to Upper Canada, and settled on a bush farm five miles from where the City of Guelph now stands. At that time, fifty-three years ago, there was not an acre of the present site of Guelph cleared, nor a finished house, nor a road formed. It was simply a dense forest of hardwood timber. The father of our … Read more

Biography of Rev. Anson Green, D. D.

Greatness being varied in its character, is not confined alone to him whose name stands high upon the record of statesmanship or military renown, but may with equal propriety be applied to him who preserves a spotless name, devotes himself to the welfare of his fellowmen, and develops in himself a true and generous manhood. A man’s principle is what he lives for, and his life takes its character and coloring from the principles that are born and cherished in his soul. The life work of him whose name heads this sketch, fifty-five years of which were passed in the … Read more

Biography of Liut.-Col. John M. Gibson

John Morison Gibson, Member of the Provincial Parliament of Ontario, representing the city of Hamilton, is son of the late William Gibson, of the township of Toronto, farmer, who came to this country in 1827, from Glamis, Forfarshire, Scotland, and who married Mary Sinclair, whose family belong to the township of Nelson, in the county of Halton, and cousin of the late David Gibson, of Yonge Street, near Toronto, who formerly represented North York in the old Parliament of Canada, and who was prominently associated with W. Lyon Mackenzie in the troubles of 1837. He was born on the 1st … Read more

Biography of Agnew P. Farrell

Agnew P. Farrell, Registrar of deeds and County Treasurer of Haldimand, is the son of James Agnew Farrell of Magheramorne, County of Antrim, Ireland, being the youngest child in a family of eight children. His father was a land owner near Larne, The maiden name of his mother was Letitia Armenella Turnly. He received an English and classical education, and when a little past his majority, in 1833, emigrated to Upper Canada, settling in the Township of Dunn on the shore of Lake Erie, being the first permanent settler in that part of the township. The country was then very … Read more

Biography of Baruch Tucker

One of the “landmarks” of Allanburgh, still living here, is Baruch Tucker, who came to this place in 1834, from Dorsetshire, England, where he was born December 25, 1812. The Welland canal had been opened five years before his arrival, in the year mentioned, direct from the old country. Farms were thick along the line of the canal. Allanburgh was springing up; there was a fair demand for carpenters, he had learned that trade, found work at once, and having no disposition to “tramp,” has never left the place. He worked at his trade until 1839, when he rented, of … Read more

Biography of David J.Hughes

David John Hughes, Judge of the county of Elgin, was born in Kingsbridge, Devonshire, England, May 7, 1820, his father being the Rev. David Hughes, a dissenting minister, and of a very old family from the South of Wales. His mother, whose maiden name was Jane Morrish Higman, belonged to an old Cornish family. In 1832 the father of our subject came with his family to Lower Canada, and two weeks after reaching Montreal, died of cholera at Coteau du Lac, and the widow returned to England with a daughter. The son, then twelve years of age, was afterwards adopted … Read more

Biography of Charles E. Chadwick

Charles Eli Chadwick, son of Rev. Eli Chadwick, a Baptist minister and school teacher; was born at Preston, Lancashire, England, August 13, 1818. His father and grandfather were born in the same county. His mother was Margaret Weal, a native of Dumfries, Scotland. In 1820 the family came to Canada, the next year went back to England, and in 1827 returned to this country, and settled near Vittoria, County of Norfolk, Upper Canada. There our subject was educated by his father, who taught a public school several years, having also a farm, on which the son was reared. In 1843, … Read more

Biography of Hon. Alexander Vidal

Hon. Alexander Vidal, Senator, is a descendant of a family originally from Spain, removing thence to England in the 18th century. He is a son of Capt. Richard Emeric Vidal of the Royal Navy, and Charlotte Penrose nee Mitton, and was born in Berkshire, England, on the 4th of August, 1819. He was educated at the Royal Mathematical School, Christ’s Hospital, London; accompanied his father to Upper Canada in 1834; settled in Sarnia the next year; practiced the profession of a Provincial Land. Surveyor from 1843 to 1852; was Manager of the Sarnia branch of the Bank of Upper Canada, … Read more

Biography of Robert Hay, M.P.

Robert Hay, member of the House of Commons for Centre Toronto, is a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Henderson) Hay, and was born in the parish of Tippermuir, Perthshire, Scotland, May 18, 1808. His father was an agriculturist in moderate circumstances, with a family of nine children; and at fourteen years of age our subject had to leave school and rely upon his own small hands for support. He became an apprentice to a cabinet maker; learned the trade thoroughly in the town of Perth; worked at it as a journeyman in the old country until the summer of 1831, … Read more