Ontario Canada

Biography of William V. Hutton

William Veal Hutton, one of the most successful business men in St. Mary’s, is a son of George Martin and Ann Austin (Veal), Hutton, and was born in Ringwood, Hampshire, England, April 16, 1825. He belongs to an old Somersetshire family. His father was a linen draper, and a successful business man. William received an ordinary education in a private school, acquired a knowledge of his father’s business, and in the autumn of 1850 emigrated to Canada, and settled at St. Mary’s, then a very small village. Here he purchased a mill, and was engaged in the manufacture of flour … Read more

Biography of Roderick McDonald, M.D.

The subject of this brief biography is of Scotch pedigree, both parents, John and Ann (McGillis) McDonald, being natives of Scotland. His father was a cattle raiser and dealer in the old country, coming to Canada a few years before the close of the last century, and settling on a farm on the Raisin river, in the township of Cornwall, dying in 1825. Roderick was educated at the Cornwall grammar school, and at a French college in Montreal, and was graduated in medicine at McGill college, that city, in 1834. Doctor McDonald Practiced at Cornwall nearly forty years, retiring only … Read more

Biography of Peter R. Shaver, M.D.

Peter Rolph Shaver, one of the leading physicians in the county of Perth, and a county coroner, was born near Hamilton, Ontario, July 27, 1829. His grandfather, a United Empire Loyalist, from Pennsylvania, was in the war of the colonies, and his father, John Shaver, a native of the county of Wentworth, was in the war of 1812-14, and the rebellion of 1837-38. The mother of Peter was Catharine Hess. He received most of his literary education at Victoria College, Cobourg, where he spent three years in study in the department of arts; and subsequently gave four years to medical … 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 James G. Cranston, M.D.

James Goldie Cranston, the leading physician and surgeon at Arnprior, was born in Madrid, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., March 21, 1837. His parents were William and Jane (Goldie) Cranston, both from Roxborough, Scotland. His mother died in the State of New York, and when he was eight years old, his father, with two daughters and three sons, came to Canada West, and settled in Haldimand County, where he died in 1855. Dr. Cranston finished his education in the arts at the Grammar School in Toronto; entered the Toronto Medical School, then under the presidency of Dr. Rolph, spending two … Read more

Biography of Samuel G. McCaughey, M.S.

Samuel Glyn McCaughey, solicitor, son of Thomas and Jane (Glyn) McCaughey, was born in the county of Antrim, Ireland, in November 1830. His father was a linen draper and agriculturist, owning several farms, and belonging to a family of land proprietors. Our subject was educated at the Royal College, Belfast, and is Master of Arts; came to Canada in 1854, and read law with his brother, James McCaughey, LL.B., of Ingersoll; was enrolled as an attorney in 1862; practiced at first in company with his brother, and in 1865 settled at Seaforth, being of the law firm of McCaughey and … Read more

Biography of William Moffat

One of the prominent families at Pembroke is that of the Moffats, who came from Haddingtonshire, Scotland, in 1834, and after spending six years at New Edinburgh, adjoining Bytown, now Ottawa, moved to Pembroke in the autumn of 1840. At that date the principal settlers here were Peter White, Campbell, Arhuna and John Dunlap, James Jardine and Hugh Fraser. Here Alexander Moffat built a grist mill and laid out the village of Pembroke into lots, and was engaged in manufacturing flour until his death in April, 1872. He also built a woolen mill. He was the first postmaster here, being … Read more

Biography of Alexander Workman

The oldest iron merchant in Ottawa is Alexander Workman, a native of Lisburn, county of Antrim, Ireland, where he was born May 28, 1798. His father was Joseph Workman, who emigrated to America when a young man, and was a mathematical teacher in an institution in Philadelphia a few years, and then returned to his native place, and married Catharine Gowdey. Young Workman received his education at an institution which has since become Belfast College, and when about seventeen became a clerk in an iron store. In April, 1820, he came to America, landing at Quebec; and proceeding westward to … 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

Biographical Sketch of Alexander Farlinger

Alexander Farlinger, a prominent business man of Morrisburg, comes from a United Empire Loyalist family, his grandfather, Nicholas Farlinger, leaving the Mohawk valley, New York, about the time of the American revolution, and settling at Cornwall, Ontario. His father, James Farlinger, a farmer, was living in Dundee, county of Huntington, Province of Quebec, when Alexander was born, June 1, 1824. He had three years’ public schooling, which he supplemented with private study, and acquired a good English education, farming until nineteen years of age. At that period he went to Montreal, and solicited the privilege of working in a warehouse … Read more

Biography of Sandford Fleming, C.E.; C.M.G.,

Sandford Fleming, Engineer-in-Chief of the Pacific Railway, is a son of Andrew Greig Fleming, and Elizabeth née Arnot, and was born in Kirkaldy, Scotland, January 7, 1827. He was educated in’ the grammar school of his native town; paid special attention to the mathematics, and at an early age was articled to an engineer and surveyor, John Sang, a gentleman well known in North Britain, more especially in connection with water works and other works of various kinds. In 1845 Mr. Fleming came to Canada, finding but little employment for several years, and engaging, meanwhile, in various congenial pursuits 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 George A. Clement

Soon after the close of the American revolution, several families of the name of Clement, being United Empire Loyalists, moved into British Provinces. The names of two of them, both Lewis Clement, are mentioned in Sabine’s “Loyalists,” though neither of them settled in Upper Canada. Another man of that name, John Putman Clement, of German descent, an officer on the royal side in the war of the revolution, and born in the District of New York, July 21, 1759, came from the Mohawk Valley, and settled in the township of Niagara, and married Mary Ball, who had thirteen children. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Robinson

James Robinson was born on the 13th of February, 1834; is a native of this town, and one of the leading manufacturers and business men of Markham. His father, John Robinson, a native of Toronto, and a tanner by trade, is still living in Markham. His great-grandfather was from the county of Tyrone, Ireland, settling in Pennsylvania, and his grand-father, William Robinson, a United Empire Loyalist, settled at Queenston, Ontario, a short time after the American Revolution, and was at Toronto during part of the war of 1812-14, dying in Markham in 1824. The wife of William Robinson was a … Read more

Biography of Hon. Rupert Mearse Wells

Rupert Mearse Wells, a prominent member of the Toronto Bar, and well known as Speaker of the Provincial Parliament since January, 1873, is descended on the paternal side from an English family, members of which emigrated to America, and settled in the old town of Scituate, in the State of Rhode Island, towards the end of the 17th century. His great-grandfather, James Wells, came to Canada during the Revolutionary War. James Pendleton Wells, Esq., father of our subject, was born in Montreal in 1803. While still quite a young man he removed to Prescott County, Ontario, where he has resided … Read more

Biography of Daniel Mackenzie

One of the oldest and most substantial merchants in Sarnia, county of Lambton, is Daniel Mackenzie, who has been in business here more than thirty years, and has weathered every financial storm. He is a native of the village of Campbelltown, parish of Ardersier, Inverness-shire, Scotland, and was born on the 4th of March, 1828. His parents were John and Margaret (Cameron) Mackenzie, his father being a druggist. Both families, were military. Daniel received a parish school education; lost his father about 1833, and in 1843 came to Canada with his mother and two sisters locating at London, where he … Read more

Biography of Rev. Joseph E. Sanderson, M.A.,

Joseph Edward Sanderson, Governor of Ontario Ladies’ College, Whitby, a descendant of an old English family, was born in Toronto, January 13, 1830. His father, John Sanderson, shortly after his arrival from England in 1820, purchased twelve acres on Yonge street, built a cottage and planted an elm tree in front, which gave name to “Elm Cottage” and Elm Street, and remained, until a few years ago, a marked memento of early beginnings in “York.” In 1822, he married Miss Margaret Crawford, then recently arrived from the County of Tyrone, Ireland. After a time they disposed of the city farm … Read more

Biography of Henry Macpherson

The subject of this biographical notice, Judge of the County of Grey, and Surrogate Judge of the Maritime Courts, is a grandson of Lieutenant-Colonel Donald Macpherson, who had command of the Fort at Kingston at the commencement of the war of 1812, and was removed to Quebec, where he remained until the close of the war in 1814. Donald Macpherson was the son of Evan Macpherson, of Cluny, Chief of the Clan Macpherson, who joined Prince Charles with his Clan in 1745. Henry is a son of Lowther P. Macpherson, barrister, who was born in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, … Read more

Biography of Richard H. Oates

Prominent among the names of the pioneer settlers of Toronto, or “York Pioneers,” as they are now termed, is that which heads this sketch. His birth and life up to the age of eight were rather eventful. Some little time after the marriage of his parents, his father being commander of a merchant vessel, they started for the West Indies, and on their return trip to London were obliged to put into Belfast, the 27th of July, 1809, on which day Richard was born. In 1810 Richard accompanied his father and mother to Malta. Coming out of the Mediterranean sea, … Read more

Biography of David D. Hay, M.P.P.

David Donalson Hay, member of the Ontario Parliament for North Perth, was born in Brought Ferry, near Dundee, Scotland, January 20, 1828. His father was Robert Hay, a contractor and superintendent of works, and belonged to an old Scotch family. His mother’s maiden name was Catharine McKiddie. He received a good English education including mathematics, at parish and private schools; at sixteen years of age crossed the Atlantic ocean to try his fortune in the new world, being alone and depending on his own resources. After spending a few months in a mercantile house in the City of Montreal, came … Read more