Ontario Canada

Biography of William Russell

William Russell, Manager of the Manufactory of Gurney, Russell and Co., of Dundas, was born in the Township of Ancaster, within one mile of Dundas, May 18, 1837. His father, John Russell, was born near Glasgow, Scotland, coming to Canada in 1835. His mother, whose maiden name was Janet Smillie, was also from Scotland. When William was a small child the family moved to another part of Ancaster, eight miles from Dundas, where our subject aided his father in clearing two farms in the dense forest, in what is now known as the “Scotch Block,” picking up, meanwhile, such knowledge … Read more

Biography of William Yarwood

William Thomas Yarwood, forty years in business at Picton, and one of its leading citizens, is a native of Lee, Oneida county, New York, his parents being Samuel and Jane (Allison) Yarwood. His father was from England, and the son of a United Empire Loyalist, who was in the British army at the time of the revolt of the American colonies; his mother was from Ireland. In 1822 the family came to Picton, where both parents died, the mother in 1858; the father in 1870, the latter being, at the time of his death, a retired farmer. Our subject had … Read more

Biography of H.Parker Thomas

Thomas Harrison Parker, Mayor of Woodstock, and one of its most successful one business men, was born in Cumberland, England, February 10, 1828. His parents are John and Jane (Harrison) Parker, members, for a long period, of the industrious farming community. Both the Parkers and Harrisons are old Cumberland families. Jane Harrison was a niece of Jonathan Walton, a wealthy proprietor of coal and lead mines in that part of England. In 1831 the family immigrated to Upper Canada, and settled in Peterborough, where our subject spent fifteen years in farming, and attending a public school part of the time. … Read more

Biography of Hon. R.W. Scott,

Richard William Scott, late Secretary of State during the Mackenzie Government, descended, on his father’s side, from an influential family in the county of Clare, Ireland. He is a son of the late William James Scott, M.D., who, after serving on the medical staff of the British army during the Penninsular war, came to Canada and afterwards became registrar of the county of Grenville, Ontario. The wife of Dr. Scott was Sarah, daughter of the late Capt. Allan McDonell, of Matilda, Dundas, Ontario, at one time an officer in the “King’s Royal Yorkers,” in which regiment he served during the … Read more

Biography of Chauncey Ward Bangs

The subject of this sketch, a son of Benjamin and Deborah (Smith) Bangs, was born at Stanstead, Lower Canada, now the Province of Quebec, January 19, 1814. His father was a native of Massachuesetts, his mother of New Hampshire. They moved to Canada in 1812. When Chauncey was about four years old the family removed to Montreal, and a little later to L’Orignal, county of Prescott, Ontario, the business of the father being that of a hatter and fur manufacturer. The opportunities for an education in that part of the Dominion, fifty years ago, were very limited, and our subject … Read more

Biography of Thomas Russell

Thomas Russell, a pioneer settler in the township of Caledon, county of Peel, dates his birth in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 16, 1802. His father George Russell, was a mining engineer. His mother, before her marriage, was Euphemia Tweedie, both parents being Scotch. Thomas had a high school education, including Latin; learned the baker’s trade; was two years in business for himself in Edinburgh, and subsequently a merchant in the same city, leaving Scotland in 1834, and emigrating to Canada. He took up land in Caledon, adjoining the village of Alton, where he opened a farm, which he still owns and … Read more

Biography of Ellis Walton Hyman

Ellis Walton Hyman, one of the most successful merchants and best businessmen who ever traded in London, was born in Williamsport, Pa., December 2, 1815, he being a son of Jacob Hyman, an architect. He received a business education in his native town, learned the trade of a tanner and currier, and in 1834 came to Canada and settled in London. He went into business for himself at the old Morrill tannery on Ridout street, three or four years later removing to Talbot street. Shortly afterwards he added a large tannery at Tilsonburg, and at the same time enlisted in … Read more

Biography of Frederick Earl of Dufferin Temple, K.P., K.C.B.

Among the men of high distinction whose names are associated with the Dominion, and who have added impulse to its progress, the Right Honorable Sir Frederick Temple holds an eminent place. Before the appointment of Lord Dufferin to the administration of Canadian affairs, there had been at different times confided to him many important trusts, all of which were honored with a large measure of success. He had also rendered valuable service to his Sovereign in foreign countries; but his labors were so quietly performed, and all his movements in the execution of his work were so free from ostentation, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Miller

William Miller, judge of the county of Waterloo, born in the township of Niagara, October 30, 1810, is a son of William D. and Ann (Van Sickle) Miller, his father being of Scotch descent; his mother a native of New Jersey. He was educated in the town of Niagara; studied law with Hon. Robert Dickson and Judge E. C. Campbell; was called to the Bar in 1835; practiced eighteen years at Dundas, and in 1853 was appointed judge of the county of Waterloo, a position which he still holds. He is one of the judges longest in the county and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Bell

The town of Pembroke, the seat of justice of the county of Renfrew, owes its rise, growth and present status to its lumber interests; and among the enterprising men who have aided to make the town what it isa place with about 3,000 inhabitants, fine churches, large school houses, commercial blocks, and spacious and elegant hotelsis the subject of this short sketch, who settled in Pembroke when it had two buildings, “all told.” Mr. Bell is a son of William Bell, Tanner, and Margaret, nee Wilson, residents of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, where he first saw this world’s light, on the 3rd … Read more

Biography of Thomas H. Wright

Thomas Henry Wright, treasurer of Essex county, was born in Colchester, in the same county, and in the Province of Ontario, on the 19th of July, 1816. His father, Henry Wright, was a native of Pennsylvania, was born in 1786, and was the third son in a family of eight children. He came with his father’s family by land route to Detroit, in 1796, and crossed thence into Canada. There being no roads or settlements for most of the distance at that time, the goods and persons of the family were carried on the backs of pack horses. The family … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Anthony Lacours

Anthony Lacourse, junior judge of county of Waterloo, was born in Berthier, Province of Quebec, September 22, 1830. His father, Anthony Lacourse, senior, was from France. The mother of our subject was Mary nee Dame, a native of Montreal. Judge Lacourse was educated in the arts at the Picton grammar school, and Regiopolis College, Kingston; studied law in the same city with the late Thomas Kirkpatrick, Q. C.; was called to the Bar at Easter term in 1855; practiced one year at Picton, and then removed to Lindsay, now county town of Victoria, where he was in practice for seventeen … Read more

Biography of James Goldie

James Goldie, one of the leading flour manufacturers and dealers in Ontario, and president of the Ontario Millers’ Association, is a son of John and Margaret (Smith) Goldie, and was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, November 6, 1824. His father is a famous botanist, known on both continents, and now living in Ayr, County of Waterloo, in this Province, being in his 88th year. He visited Canada and several of the States, more than sixty years ago, studying the flora in this western world; was at one time employed by the Czar of Russia to make botanical explorations, and to supply … Read more

Biography of Daniel B. Chisholm

Daniel Black Chisholm, barrister, ex-member of Parliament for Halton, and for many years one of the leading citizens of Hamilton, is a native Canadian, as was his father before him, and was born in the township of E. Flamboro’, County of Wentworth, Out., on the 2nd of November, 1832. He is a grandson of George Chisholm, a Highlander, who emigrated from Inverness, Scotland, as early as August, 1772, to New York, whence he afterwards removed to Nova Scotia, where he lived for about seven years. In 1781 he settled at Niagara, but removed thence in 1791, to the north shore … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas H. Noxon

Noxon Brothers Manufacturing Company, the most extensive industry in the manufacturing line at Ingersoll, is composed of five brothers, Freeman C., James, Samuel, Stephen, and Thomas H., sons of Samuel Noxon, senior, who was born and spent his days in the County of Prince Edward, Ontario, and grandson of James Noxon, a United Empire Loyalist from Duchess County, N. Y. The grandfather settled in Prince Edward at the close of the American Revolution. The mother of these five sons was Rhoda White. They received a business education in the public schools of their native county, James, the second son, adding … Read more

Biography of William Henry Waller

The Wallers now found in Great Britain, Canada, and the United States, are all descendants of the Waller who came to England, from Normandy, with William the Conqueror in 1066. The subject of this sketch is a direct descendant of Richard Waller, of Groombridge, who went to Ireland in 1641, thus being of Norman-Irish extraction. He left two sons. The elder, Richard Waller of Cully, County of Tipperary, married Elizabeth Redmund, and, dying in 1701, was succeeded by his eldest son, Edmund Waller, who, dying without issue, in 1711, was succeeded by his brother, William Waller, of Cully. The latter … Read more

Biography of Joseph Charles Tache

Joseph Charles Tache was born at Kamouraska, in the Province of Quebec, on the 24th December, 1820. He is the elder son of Charles Tache, Captain of Voltigeurs in the war of 1812, and of Henriette de La Broquerie. The subject of this notice has two brothers, and no sisters, the elder of the former being Louis Tache, a Notary, and Sheriff of the District of St. Hyacinth; and the younger, His Grace the Archbishop of St. Boniface. Mr. Joseph Charles Tache received his classical education in the Seminary of Quebec, and his professional education also at Quebec, he followed … Read more

Biography of George Ball, P.M.

George Peter Man Ball, treasurer of the county of Lincoln, a descendant of the Ball family who came from Saxony, in 1692, is a grandson of Jacob Ball, a United Empire Loyalist, who left the Hudson river country, New York, with four sons, Jacob, Peter, John and George, and four daughters, at the time of the struggle of the Colonies for independence, settling in the Niagara District; and son of George Ball, in his day successfully engaged in farming, milling and lumbering, and was born in the township of Louth, county of Lincoln, September, 19, 1815. His mother before her … 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 Stephen J. Jones

Stephen James Jones, Judge of the County Court of Brant, and Master in Chancery, dates his birth at Stoney Creek, County of Wentworth, December 21, 1821, his father being Stephen Jones, son of a United Empire Loyalist, and born in Duchess County, New York. A great-uncle of our subject, Augustus Jones, also a loyalist, was Government Land Surveyor in the old Niagara District his residence being at Stoney Creek. The mother of our subject was Mary Smith. He was educated in the district grammar school at Hamilton; studied law at first with Miles O’Reilly, of Hamilton, and afterwards with S. … Read more