Ontario Canada

Biography of George W. Ross, M.P.

Geroge William Ross, member of the House of Commons for the West Riding of Middlesex, and one of the leading temperance men in that legislative body, dates his birth on the 18th of September, 1811, in the township of Williams, county of Middlesex, his parents being James and Ellen (McKinnon) Ross, both natives of Rossshire, Scotland. His father came to Upper Canada in 1834. The subject of this notice was educated at the public schools, and the Provincial Normal School, Toronto; taught school in his native county for ten years, ending in 1867; was editor of the Strathroy Age and … 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

Biographical Sketch of W.E. Sanford

No “Portrait Gallery of eminent Canadians,” would be considered complete without a sketch of the gentleman whose name heads this article. For several years he has stood in the front rank of the “Merchant Princes” of Hamilton, and by his remarkable career of business success has filled a place in the public attention so large as to constitute him, to some extent, a Provincial character and public property. So without fear or favor, and almost forgetting to say, by your leave, we attempt our sketch. Mr. Sanford was born in the city of New York, in 1838. His mother dying … Read more

Biography of Rev. Alexander Macnab, D. D.

Rev. Alexander Macnab, Rector of the Parish of Darlington, is a son of Colonel Simon Fraser Macnab, many years a Government official in Canada, and grandson of Dr. James Macnab, who was surgeon of a Regiment of United Empire Loyalists, and who died in Canada in 1780; and was born at Belleville, County of Hastings, January 26, 1812, his father’s family being one of the first to settle in that Town. Our subject is a nephew of Captain Alexander Macnab, for whom he was named, and whose name appears on the early plans of York (Toronto), and who, at the … Read more

Biography of James Johnson

James Johnson, Commissioner and Deputy Minister of Customs, is descended from an English soldier, who went to Ireland with Cromwell’s forces. His father, Thomas Johnson, led a mercantile life in the City of Cork, where the son was born, May 20, 1816. His mother was Margery Parrot, a native of Bandon, Ireland. James received an ordinary Grammar School training; came to Canada in 1831; clerked a few years in a store at St. John, New Brunswick, and was, for fifteen years, an accountant in the Bank of British North America, Frederickton, in the same Province. Mr. Johnson was Accountant of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Godfrey P. Baker

Godfrey Phipps Baker, postmaster of Ottawa, descended from the Bakers of Sissinghurst, Cranbrooke, England, and is the second son of George William Baker, by Ann, the eldest daughter of John Cole, once Mayor of Norwich. Was born at Shooter’s Hill, Woolwich, England, in August 1822. His father was a captain in the Royal Artillery, and having sold his commission, came in 1832 to Upper Canada, settling at Bytown, then a village in its infancy, and very unpromising at that. Two years later, Captain Baker was appointed post master, to fill a vacancy caused by the demise of Matthew Connell; and … Read more

Biography of Charles G. Charteris

The subject of this sketch is a descendant of a very old Dumfriesshire family. The Charteris, of Amisfield, who are believed to have been originally from France, and to have settled in Scotland in the reign of Malcolm IV. (1153), more than seven centuries ago. A large tract of land was granted to the Charteris for important services rendered to the King, in Dumfriesshire, some of which land is still in possession of the family. In that County Charles George Charteris was born, July 25, 1828, and was the youngest son of Charles Charteris, Esq., of Cullirait House, Dumfriesshire, by … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Michael Sullivan, M.D.

Michael Sullivan, professor of surgery and histology in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Kingston, is a native of Killarney, county of Kerry, Ireland, and a son of Daniel and Joanna (O’Connor) Sullivan, his birth being dated February 13, 1838. When he was four years old the family immigrated to Canada, settling in Kingston. Here he received an English and classical education, at the Regiopolis College, and his medical training in the medical department of Queen’s University, being graduate from the latter institution in 1858. He has been in general practice for twenty-one years, having a good run of … 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 David Glass, Q.C

David Glass born on the 20th July, 1829, at the township of Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Province of Ontario. His parents are from the North of Ireland. He is a brother of Sheriff-Glass, mentioned in a preceding sketch of this volume. At the age of sixteen he, in partnership with his brother William, opened a branch of the grain business, in which their father had for many years been engaged. At eighteen, having accumulated some money, he dissolved partnership with his brother, and for about a year attended the grammar school (of which Benjamin Bagley, M. A., was … Read more

Biography of Robert Henry

Robert Henry, ex-mayor of the city of Brantford, and a leading business man here of the younger class, was born in Perthshire, Scotland, November 30, 1844. His father is John Henry, a carpenter and contractor; his mother, Jane Dow, both Scotch. He was educated in the parish schools of Perthshire until nine years of age, came with the family to Canada West in 1853; finished his studies in the Brantford public schools; when in his twelfth year entered the new stationery and news store of Andrew Hudson; was with him three years, and then became an apprentice to the grocery … Read more

Lee, Mary Loney – Obituary

Mrs. Mary Lee, sister of Sam Loney, 10 West Oak Street, died Wednesday [April 1, 1931] at a local hospital following a brief illness. Mrs. Lee who was 67, was born September 3, 1864 near the city of Ontario, Canada, came to Walla Walla county in 1882 when she was only 18 years of age. The following year, in 1883, she married Henry Lee, who died October 16, 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Lee were the parents of ten children, eight of whom are still living. She is survived by her sons, Robert E. Lee of Dayton; Roy T. Lee of … Read more

Biography of James Hall, C.E.

James Hall, late member of the Dominion Parliament, dates his birth April 14, 1806, County of Clackmannanshire, Scotland, being a son of James Hall, senior, merchant. He was educated in the grammar school of his native town; spent some time in the office of his older brother, Francis Hall, civil engineer, and in 1820 came to Canada, with the family, locating in the township of Lanark, then in Carleton, now in Lanark county. His father built the first house in that township. There the son farmed a while, then had a store and distillery, doing more or less surveying at … Read more

Biography of Surgeon-Major Amos Samuel Bristol, M. D.

Amos Samuel Bristol, son of Major Coleman and Catharine (Way) Bristol, is a descendant of one of the families that settled in Rhode Island about two hundred and thirty-five years ago. The Town of Bristol, in that State, was named after the progenitor of the family in that place. Descendants are now scattered all over the United States and Canada. One branch settled in Troy, New York, nearly a century and a half ago, the great-grandfather of our subject being a clergyman in that city, prior to the Revolution. A son of his, John Bristol, grandfather of Amos, was in … 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 Hon. James Patton, Q. C.

The subject of this notice, youngest son of the late Major Patton, 45th Regiment, was born at Prescott, Ont., June 10, 1824. Removing to Toronto in 1830, he was educated at U. C. College, and in 1840 entered the law office of the late Hon. J. Hillyard Cameron at that time in partnership with the present Chancellor Spragge. In 1843, on the opening of King’s College (now the University of Toronto), he matriculated in arts, but graduated in law; and in 1858 took the degree of LL.D. Called to the Bar in 1845, he settled in Barrie, the county town … 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 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

Biographical Sketch of William M. Keith

The subject of this brief biographic sketch is a native of Dundee, Scotland, a son of Alexander and Helen (Roberts) Keith, and dates his birth September 17, 1841. He received a parish school education, including the classics; came to Canada West in 1859; taught public schools a short time in the counties of Bruce and Grenville; learned the printer’s trade at Prescott; started the Smith’s Falls Review, a Reform paper, afterwards called the News, in 1863, and conducted it until March, 1878, when he sold out. The year after starting the paper, he opened a book and fancy goods store, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Archibald McDonald

Archibald Macdonald, senior judge of the county of Wellington, is a native of this Province, being born in Cobourg, county of Northumberland, on the 7th of August 1833. His father was Captain Macdonald, who was in the war against Napoleon, serving ten years in the British army. He was educated at Victoria College, in his native town; commenced the study of law there in 1840; practiced his profession there from 1845 to 1854, when he was appointed judge of the county of Wellington, and settled at Guelph. His knowledge of law is very extensive, and when sitting on the bench … Read more