A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time by Rose
1884. Immediately thereafter steps were taken, by the same trustees, to
1514 words | Chapter 127
remodel the church edifice into what now appears to be a building
thoroughly adapted for the purpose of art education, with the view of
making the institution as attractive and as useful as possible under the
circumstances; thereby hoping to create a more general interest in the
fine arts, the trustees have put forth the whole strength of the means
at their command, resulting in the gallery walls being covered with high
class work, consisting mostly of examples from the brush of English
Royal Academicians and other eminent artists of the present and previous
two centuries, besides a very full and complete school outfit of casts
from the antique, and drawing examples by leading artists,
characteristic of the South Kensington schools. In consequence of the
funds being thus exhausted, the institution is now solely depending for
its income upon its school fees and a charge for admission to the
gallery, but its being thus sustained solely on its intrinsic merits, is
a problem now in course of solution. If the experiment succeeds in its
aims it will prove to be a new departure in the maintenance of
educational establishments of a kindred character. The school is in
charge of John Hammond, a native of Montreal, who, in addition to being
a professional artist of many years’ standing, has, since his connection
with the Owens Art Institution, spent two years in European art study,
and his works having been repeatedly hung in the annual exhibition of
the Royal Academy of London, and the Paris Salon, gives him rank as
among the leading artists of the day. In addition to the patronage from
the city and outlying districts of New Brunswick, the school has thus
far attracted pupils who have registered respectively from Nova Scotia,
Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario, Maine and Massachusetts.
* * * * *
=Corning, Thomas Edgar=, Barrister, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, is of English
descent. His ancestors came to America in 1640, and settled in Beverley,
Massachusetts. His great grandfather removed in 1764, and was one of the
first settlers in Yarmouth. His father is Nelson Corning, of Chegoggin,
Yarmouth. Mr. Corning was born at Chegoggin on the 11th April, 1842. He
received his early education in Acadia College, Wolfville, Nova Scotia,
and graduated on the 6th June, 1865. Besides holding the degree of
bachelor of arts, he has been elected a scholar and member of the senate
of the University of Acadia. This latter event occurred in 1883. Having
finished his classical studies, Mr. Corning entered upon the study of
the law, and was admitted to the bar on 30th October, 1869. His
thoroughness and practical business turn of mind soon secured to him a
fair share of the legal business in Yarmouth, and he now enjoys the
reputation of being one of the best lawyers in Yarmouth county. He is
head of the firm of Corning & Chipman. In politics he is a
Liberal-Conservative, but resides in a constituency which has always
been intensely Liberal. However, at the general elections in 1882, Mr.
Corning was elected as a supporter of the then Liberal-Conservative
government led by the Hon. J. S. D. Thompson, now minister of justice at
Ottawa. This government resigned shortly after the elections, giving
place to the Liberal government first led by the Hon. Mr. Pipes,
afterwards by the Hon. Mr. Fielding. In the House of Assembly Mr.
Corning took a leading part in all the debates, and carefully considered
every question upon its merits, aiming to give an intelligent vote
always. Although staunch to his party, his candor and fairness made him
popular and respected by the dominant party. On the dissolution of the
house, in 1886, he was nominated by his party. But the secession
agitation had begun, and the Fielding ministry went to the country with
the cry of “Repeal.” To this issue Mr. Corning presented an unwavering
opposition, but the popular enthusiasm was too great for him, and he was
defeated in June, 1886, by a majority of one thousand. Since then he has
continued in private life, but his integrity and ability will, no doubt,
before many years bring him again to the fore in political matters. Mr.
Corning has never travelled much outside of his native province. He has
held the office of treasurer of the municipality of Yarmouth since 1874.
Although one of the largest towns in the province, Yarmouth has never
been incorporated, and is still managed in the old way. Nine of the
county councillors, elected in the limits of the polling district of
Yarmouth town, manage its affairs. Mr. Corning married, on the 25th
August, 1880, Jane Alden Baxter, daughter of John Baxter, of Yarmouth.
He is a Baptist in religion.
* * * * *
=Black, J. Burpee=, M.D., Windsor, N.S., was born at St. Martin’s, New
Brunswick, on the 15th August, 1842. Dr. Black is of Irish extraction,
his father, Thomas Henry Black, having been a native of county Armagh,
Ireland. His mother’s maiden name was Mary E. Fownes, and resided in St.
Martin’s. Dr. Black received his early education in St. Martin’s, and
continued his course in St. John, New Brunswick, and at the Mount
Allison Wesleyan Academy, Sackville, N.B. His family were Baptists, but,
owing probably to his educational associations, Dr. Black has for
twenty-five years worshipped with the Methodists, and has for some years
been an active member of their church. Having completed his studies at
Sackville, where he made the acquaintance of the lady who afterwards
became his wife, he studied medicine at Berkshire Medical College, in
Massachusetts, and received the degree of M.D., after finishing his
course at the University of Philadelphia. He commenced the practice of
his profession in the village of Hantsport, Hants county, N.S., but
after residing there for five years removed to Windsor, where he has
since resided, and has worked up one of the largest practices in Nova
Scotia. Hantsport has been in its growth one of the most prosperous
villages in Nova Scotia. It owes the greatest part of its success to the
business ability, integrity and enterprise of the Hon. Ezra Churchill,
who worked his way up from the humblest beginnings to the position of
M.P. in Nova Scotia before confederation, and a senator of the Dominion.
When he died, at Ottawa, in the spring of 1874, he owned a fleet of
upwards of forty ships of various sizes, and his property was estimated
at $800,000. He literally made Hantsport, most of the houses there
having been erected under his supervision. His daughter, Bessie, was
married to Dr. Black at Hantsport, on the 11th May, 1864. They have been
blessed with a family of ten children, nine of whom are living, and one,
the eldest, is married. Like his father-in-law, Dr. Black has always
been a Conservative in politics, and in some campaigns has taken the
stump in behalf of his friends. He has also been freely spoken of as a
possible candidate for legislative honors. He was elected a member of
the town council of the town of Windsor in October, 1882, and held the
position until his time of service expired in 1884, when he was elected
warden of Windsor without opposition. Windsor became an incorporated
town in the year 1878. Previous to this time its affairs had been
administered by justices of the peace sitting at quarter sessions. Its
public moneys were voted at a town meeting held once a year. The chief
officers were the town clerk, the commissioner of streets, and the
collector of rates. During Dr. Black’s period of service as councillor
the town was supplied with water from a reservoir on Fall Brook, a
stream of water running from lakes on the South Mountain, six miles in
rear of the town. The actual length of the water mains is about three
miles. The cost of this public work, the greatest yet undertaken by the
town, was $48,000, and $8,000 has since been expended in extending the
system. Debentures paying five per cent in two half-yearly instalments
were issued to raise this sum, which was readily procured, and has
proved to be excellent stock, the bonds now selling considerably above
par. All parts of the town are supplied cheaply and plentifully with
excellent water, while the pressure, 86 lbs., is so great that the town
has no need of fire engines, the supply from the hydrants being
sufficient to quickly extinguish any fire which has yet broken out. Dr.
Black was chairman of the water committee, and the works under his
management were constructed for a less cost than that estimated by the
engineer—a result very rare in public works. Dr. Black has also been
interested in most of the new manufacturing enterprises of the town. On
the expiry of his first term of service as warden, in 1884, he was
re-elected by acclamation, and held the office until he retired in 1885.
He is connected with no secret society except the Masonic fraternity. He
was made a Mason in Mount Lebanon lodge, R.E., Prince Edward Island, in
Reading Tips
Use arrow keys to navigate
Press 'N' for next chapter
Press 'P' for previous chapter