A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time by Rose
1854. In 1856-7 he was provincial secretary, and became premier of the
795 words | Chapter 175
government formed in 1865. He was also a member of the government of
1866-7. This year he was a delegate to the conference held in London,
England, to discuss matters relating to confederation. On the 1st of
July, 1867, he was called by royal proclamation to a seat in the Senate
of the Dominion of Canada. Upon the formation of Sir John A. Macdonald’s
government, in 1878, he was sworn in a member of the Privy Council
without portfolio, and shortly afterwards was appointed speaker of the
Senate, as successor to the Hon. David Christie. This office he held
until the time of the death of Lieutenant-Governor C. B. Chandler, when
he resigned the speakership, and on the 11th February, 1880, was
appointed lieutenant-governor of his native province. In this position
he faithfully served his country until the 11th November, 1885, when he
was succeeded by Sir Leonard Tilley. In 1851 the Hon. Mr. Wilmot left
the city of St. John to reside in Sunbury county, on a farm known as
“Belmont,” owned by his grandfather and father, and on the expiration of
his term of office at Fredericton, he again selected Belmont as his
home, and here he now resides. In politics, he is a Conservative, and
for many years was a leader of this party in New Brunswick. In religion,
he is a member of the Church of England. Few men are more respected than
the Hon. Mr. Wilmot, and all hope he may be long spared to enjoy the
honors he has earned, and of which he is most deserving.
* * * * *
=Rogers, Lieutenant-Col. Robert Zacheus=, Grafton, Ontario, is a younger
brother of Henry C. Rogers, who is referred to at length on page 147. He
was born at Grafton, Northumberland county, Ontario, 29th March, 1842.
His education was completed at Upper Canada College in 1859, and soon
afterwards he was entrusted with the management of the farm and business
of his father, whom he succeeded. He was among the first to take
advantage of the military training offered by the School of Instruction
established by the government at Toronto in 1864, and subsequently took
an active part in the volunteer movement of 1866, serving as a
lieutenant during the Fenian raids of that year. After nineteen years’
service as a captain in the 40th Northumberland battalion V.M., he
assumed the command of the same in compliance with the request of his
brother officers, some of whom were senior to him. In politics, he has
always taken an active part on behalf of the Conservative party, and for
eight years was the chosen leader of the county organization in support
of the government of Sir John A. Macdonald. In the spring of 1880 he
organized an expedition to colonize and develop the valley of the Souris
river, in the Canadian Northwest, which had been partly surveyed the
previous season and most favorably reported on. The point selected as
the business centre was called Millford, near the mouth of the
Souris—at which place he started a saw mill in June of that year, and
erected the first frame building west of the old province line, range 13
west of Winnipeg, and south of the present main line of the C. P.
Railway. The following year he added the pioneer flour mill of the
district to his establishment, and for five years carried on an
extensive business, and in many ways took an important part in promoting
the advancement of that very promising agricultural district. This
enterprise, however, did not prove a financial success, and Mr. Rogers
was forced reluctantly to abandon the idea of making that his future
home. In September, 1867, he married Isabella, eldest daughter of the
late Sheriff Waddell, of Chatham, Ontario, and granddaughter of the late
Captain William Waddell, of the 1st Royal Dragoons, a veteran of
Waterloo fame.
* * * * *
=Bourgeois, George A.=, M.D., C.M., Three Rivers, was born at St.
Grégoire, county of Nicolet, P.Q., on the 1st of October, 1822. His
father was Jacques Bourgeois, a farmer, and his mother Magdeleine
Bourke. He took a classical course at the Seminary of Nicolet. He
adopted the medical profession, received his license to practise on the
1st of March, 1844, and began his professional career in his native
parish, where he practised from that year till 1867, inclusively. He
then entered the civil service and was deputy commissioner of crown
lands for the province of Quebec from the 2nd of November, 1867, to the
2nd of October, 1869, during which period he resided in the city of
Quebec. He was director of the cadastral operations in the district of
Three Rivers, from the 1st of August, 1870, to the 1st of September,
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