A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time by Rose
1877. Mr. Kennedy was made a freeman of the city of St. John in 1839,
3137 words | Chapter 70
and was appointed a magistrate in 1873. Although his business life has
been a most active one, yet he has found time to travel through several
of the states of the neighbouring Republic and in the provinces of
Canada. During these rambles he has been a keen observer, and never
failed to store his mind with facts likely to prove useful to him in the
prosecution of his business. He has never been an aspirant for official
honours, the only office he ever accepted being a seat in the Portland
town council in 1874 and 1875. He has always been a constant advocate of
temperance, and is a member of several temperance societies. In
religious matters he is an adherent of the Episcopal church. Active in
all movements calculated to improve the condition of the poor and to
elevate the masses to a better appreciation of the duties and
responsibilities of life. Five children have been born to Mr. Kennedy,
one son and four daughters. Mr. Kennedy, we may add, is a Conservative
in politics.
* * * * *
=Cameron, Charles=, Manager of the Great Northern Transit Company,
Collingwood, Ontario, was born on the 24th February, 1835, in
Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He is the son of Donald Cameron, of Appin,
Argyleshire, one of the clan of Lochiel, and a slate manufacturer. His
mother was Isabella Harper, and belonged to the parish of Marnoch, in
Banffshire, Scotland. Mr. Cameron received a liberal education at the
public schools of his native town, and was apprenticed to the joiner and
millwright trade, and came to America in 1853. After spending one season
in Cleveland, Ohio, and a second in Toronto, he went north to
Collingwood, arriving in that place on the 7th February, 1855. After
working at his trade for about two years, on the fine railway station,
which is so conspicuous an ornament of the town of Collingwood, he went
into the hotel-keeping, combining therewith livery stables, and
controlling the principal mail stage routes of the vicinity, until 1871,
when he retired from this business, and since that time has devoted his
time mostly to the shipping enterprises with which he has since become
identified. Mr. Cameron has ever been in the front with any and every
undertaking calculated to benefit the town he has chosen as his home. He
built the first schooner ever launched in the port, and was the primary
promoter of the Collingwood Tug and Wrecking Co., the Georgian Bay
Transportation Co., the Great Northern Transit Co., and the Collingwood
Iron Foundry—all of them pioneer enterprises. Mr. Cameron is also an
active member of the Agricultural and Horticultural societies in the
county of Simcoe, and has been of great service to the farming community
of this part of the province. He has aided greatly in the importation of
valuable draught stallions, and thus gave an early impulse to the
improvement of the breed of horses, now so noticeable in the local fall
shows. Mr. Cameron held the offices of a councillor, reeve, and
deputy-reeve for nine years, closing with the office of warden, to which
he was elected by a unanimous vote of the county council of Simcoe,
which at that time numbered fifty-four members, and ranked the fourth
largest legislative body in the dominion. Although declining all
municipal honours since 1881, he still enjoys the esteem of his former
colleagues by representing them on the Collegiate Institute board, and
this position he has held for the past fourteen years consecutively. Mr.
Cameron is also vice-president of the Farmers’ North-West Land and
Colonization Co., a director of the Collingwood Horticultural Society,
treasurer of the North Simcoe Conservative Association, and manager of
the Great Northern Transit Co. He is the largest property-owner in the
town of Collingwood, and one of the largest in the county of Simcoe. Mr.
Cameron is a Knight Templar of the Masonic order, in which he has held
the office of eminent preceptor. He is a strong Conservative in
politics, and in his religious opinions adheres to the Presbyterian
church of his ancestors. He was married, in February, 1860, to Margaret
Barron, daughter of George Lunan, formerly of Lower Canada, by whom he
has had seven children. Four are living, viz., Isabella H. (married to
Chas. E. Holmes, of Toronto), Alexander B., Chestena C., and Charles H.
M. Mrs. Cameron died 12th April, 1885.
* * * * *
=Cameron, William=, Farmer, Sutherland River, Pictou, M.P.P. for Pictou
county, Nova Scotia, was born at Sutherland River, Pictou, N.S., on the
25th September, 1847. His parents were Alexander Cameron and Margaret
McKay, of New Glasgow. His paternal grandfather emigrated from
Inverness, Scotland, and settled in Pictou about 1801, and his maternal
grandmother came from the same place about 1790, and her parents were
among the earliest settlers in New Glasgow. Mr. Cameron received his
education at Dalhousie College, Halifax, and graduated from that
institution in 1873 with the degree of B.A. He taught school for some
years before going to college, and afterwards during college recess. He
was for a time principal of the high schools of Westville, River John,
and Bridgewater, and closed his teaching career in the mathematical
department of the New Glasgow High School. For two years Mr. Cameron
studied medicine at the Medical School at Halifax, but his health
failing, and on account of the death of his brother, which took place in
1877, he abandoned his medical studies, and returned home to assist his
father, who was now growing old, and his mother very infirm, both of
whom demanded his company as well as his care. He has been auditor of
the municipality of Pictou since 1884. In 1873 he joined the Masonic
brotherhood, and has ever since taken an interest in the order. On the
8th March, 1887, a vacancy having occurred in Pictou county, in
consequence of the resignation of A. C. Bell, the sitting member, Mr.
Cameron offered himself as a candidate, and was elected for his native
county to a seat in the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia. In politics he
is a Conservative, of the independent type, and is a thoroughly
practical man. In religion he is an adherent of the Presbyterian church.
In 1882 he was married to Mary Catherine Dawson, of Little Harbor,
Pictou county, N.S.
* * * * *
=Strothard, Rev. James=, Pastor of Grafton Street Methodist Church,
Halifax, Nova Scotia, was born at Tadcaster, a small market town in
Yorkshire, England, on the 5th August, 1847. His parents were Joseph and
Mary Strothard. His father held a position of trust under the first Lord
Londesborough, of Grimston Park, Yorkshire; and his maternal grandfather
was a person of considerable wealth and importance, and for many years
was a surveyor of highways. As a lad the Rev. Mr. Strothard attended the
National Grammar School in the village of Ulleskelf, and from a very
early age developed a love for books, often pursuing his studies long
after the rest of the family had retired to rest. He won his first prize
at school when only seven years of age, and a few years later received
as a prize a fine Reference Bible. After leaving the Grammar School he
spent two years in study at two first class boarding schools, and by
this means he secured a good English education. He was religiously
brought up in the Episcopal church, but having been converted in his
fourteenth year, joined the Wesleyan Methodist Church in his native
town. After attending the Sabbath-school as a scholar and teacher for
four years, he was sent out as a local preacher when eighteen years of
age. For several years he continued his theological studies under the
guidance and with the assistance of the several ministers who
successively occupied the circuit. Moving to Barnsley in 1868, he had
also the advantage for two years of listening to the theological
lectures from the Rev. Thos. H. Leal, at that time stationed there.
While pursuing his theological studies with a view of offering himself
to the English Wesleyan Conference for the West African mission field,
he received in November, 1870, a letter from the Rev. Humphrey Pickard,
D.D., who was then president of the Conference of Eastern British
America, informing him that he had been chosen for the ministry in the
Maritime provinces, and urging him to come out and accept an appointment
at once. Believing this to be a call of Providence, he responded by
embarking at Liverpool for Halifax on the 17th of December, 1870. His
clerical companions were the Rev. Caleb Parker, now at Souris River,
Manitoba, and the Rev. W. H. Emsley, of the Toronto Conference. After a
stormy voyage of sixteen days, the _City of Limerick_ steamed up Halifax
harbor on Monday morning, 2nd January, 1871. His destination was
Miramichi, New Brunswick. He labored on that circuit under the
superintendence of the late Rev. Ingham Sutcliffe, until the conference
of 1872; and was then appointed to take charge of the Charles Street
Church in the city of Halifax, this being a small mission church at that
time, and he was its first pastor. During his three years incumbency,
the congregation and Sunday-school grew so rapidly as to necessitate an
enlargement of the building. At the last session of the Conference of
Eastern British America, held at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, in
1874, presided over by the Rev. John McMurray, D.D., he was ordained to
the Methodist ministry, together with twelve other candidates, among
whom were Rev. W. W. Brewer, of Centenary Church, St. John; Rev. W.
Dobson, of Fredericton, and the Rev. Ralph Brecken, of Sackville, New
Brunswick. From the conference of 1875 to 1878 he was stationed at
Avondale, Hants county. During this period the circuit was visited with
a gracious revival, and a large number was added to the church. The next
three years were spent in Canning, Kings county. From thence he removed
to Granville Ferry, Annapolis county, where he remained the full term.
In 1884 he was invited to take charge of Providence Church, Yarmouth;
and after three years of successful work in Yarmouth, he is now back in
Halifax, having received an invitation to the Grafton Street Church, of
which he is now pastor and doing good work in the Master’s vineyard. As
a youth the Rev. Mr. Strothard served seven years in the First West York
Battalion of Rifle Volunteers. He was admitted when only fourteen years
of age (the regulation age being seventeen), being exceptionally tall
for his age. He is associated with the Independent Order of Oddfellows;
with the Independent Order of Good Templars; and with the order of Sons
of Temperance, and for two years filled the office of Grand Chaplain of
the Grand Division of the Sons of Temperance of Nova Scotia. He has
travelled a good deal, and has twice visited Great Britain and France
_via_ Boston and New York. He was married on the 8th of July, 1874, in
the old Centenary Methodist Church at St. John, N.B., by the Rev. Henry
Pope, D.D., to Alice Eliza, second daughter of Henry S. Beek, bookseller
and bookbinder. Mr. Beek was born in Cork; Ireland, but came to New
Brunswick early in life, his father being connected with the Crown Lands
office in the city of Fredericton. He was married to Olivia, the
daughter of Dr. Smith, of the Royal navy, by whom he had five sons and
two daughters.
* * * * *
=Trueman, Harmon Silas=, M.D., Sackville, New Brunswick, was born on the
20th August, 1858, at Point de Bute, Westmoreland county, N.B. His
father, Martin Bent Trueman (now, 1887, aged seventy-four years) was a
son of Harmon Trueman, whose father, William Trueman, came to
Westmoreland, then part of Cumberland, Nova Scotia, in 1775, from
Yorkshire, England. He came in company with his parents, his father
being also named William, and he William, junior, the only son. He, the
younger William, left, however, a large family, and those descended from
him now number over six hundred. Dr. Trueman’s mother, who is also still
living, and aged sixty-nine years, is Bethia Purdy, daughter of Samuel
Purdy, and grand-daughter of the late Colonel Gilbert Purdy. This
gentleman served in the British forces during the American revolutionary
war. For his bravery he was promoted to the rank of colonel, and on the
declaration of peace received a life pension. His home was for many
years in New York state, where he married one Phœbe Wood, and from which
place he with his wife and two of his brothers removed to Cumberland,
Nova Scotia, at the close of the war, they being of the true loyalist
stock. Dr. Trueman received his primary education in his native parish,
and afterwards carried to partial conclusion a course in arts at Mount
Allison Academy and College. He took the regular medical course at the
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, during the years 1877-1880
inclusive. In the autumn of 1880 he settled in Sackville, and having
purchased the premises of Dr. A. Fleming, who was leaving for Manitoba,
he began the practice of his profession, and has ever since carried on
practice without any interruption. He belongs to the Royal Arcanum. In
politics he is a moderate Conservative, but takes no active part in
political movements. He was brought up in the Methodist church, and
still adheres to the same denomination. In 1880 he visited Europe, and
travelled considerably in England and France. He has also visited most
of the New England cities. The doctor takes an interest in military
affairs, and has been a surgeon for two years in the 74th battalion of
Canadian infantry. On the 22nd June, 1881, he was married to Priscilla
Carlisle Bliss, daughter of the late A. A. Bliss, of Halifax, and
closely connected with the Bliss family now largely distributed
throughout America.
* * * * *
=Dobson, Rev. William=, Methodist Minister, Fredericton, New Brunswick,
was born at Bedeque, Prince Edward Island. His father, William Dobson,
was a native of Yorkshire, and came to America in 1821, and settled in
Prince Edward Island, where he began farming. In 1823 he married Ann
Moys, the eldest daughter of Captain Thomas Moys, of Bedeque, and the
subject of our sketch is the second son of this union. Rev. Mr. Dobson
received his primary education at the public schools of his native
place, and when about eighteen years of age entered the Grammar School,
where he remained two years. He then went to Mount Allison College,
where for a time he studied Greek, Latin, German, and theology. After
leaving school he entered the ministry of the Methodist church, and
since then he has occupied churches in Guysborough and Digby, in Nova
Scotia; and Jacksonville, Sheffield, Albert, Potton, St. John, and
Fredericton, in New Brunswick. He entered his present charge in
Fredericton in 1886, and is very much respected by his congregation.
Rev. Mr. Dobson takes an active interest in any movement calculated to
advance the Redeemer’s kingdom on earth. On the 11th of August, 1874, he
was married to Ella A. Morehouse, of Digby, N.S. Her parents were of the
old loyalist stock, who settled in Nova Scotia during the American
rebellion.
* * * * *
=Robertson, George=, Merchant, St. John, New Brunswick, was born on the
30th January, 1844, at Kingston, Kent county, N.B. His father, the late
Duncan Robertson, ship-builder, was a native of Aberdeen, Scotland,
whose forefathers had come from Perthshire and settled in Aberdeen. The
mother of the subject of our sketch was Georgina Jardine, a native of
Wamphray, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Both parents first settled in
Kingston, about the year 1834. Mrs. Robertson’s brothers, J. & T.
Jardine have had a long and successful career as ship-builders and ship
owners in Kingston; and her mother, Janet Paterson, came of a family
which has provided some men of historical note: among others, William
Paterson, the founder of the Bank of England, one of the promoters of
the disastrous Darien scheme, etc., and Sir Walter Scott’s “Old
Mortality,” etc. Mr. Robertson was educated in the English branches at
the public schools, and at Sackville Academy, and spent the greater part
of his boyhood in Moncton and Cocagne. He acquired some general
knowledge of ship-building, shop-keeping, and farming; and in 1858-9
lumbered in a small way on his own account. The family having returned
to Moncton in 1860, he shortly afterwards left for St. John in search of
employment, and to make his way in the world. On his arrival in that
city he found an opening in the establishment of James Macfarlane, then
a leading grocer, and this gentleman he served in the capacity of clerk
for seven years. In 1868, Mr. Robertson having saved some money, he
began business on his own account, and continued to prosper until 1877,
when the great fire occurred in St. John, and swept away a considerable
portion of his property. He then retired from active business for about
a year, in the meantime putting his affairs in order. In 1878 he made a
fresh start, and since that period the world has gone well with him. He
is now at the head of the firm of George Robertson & Co.,—having taken
S. A. Corbitt, a few years ago, into partnership,—carrying on a large
wholesale and retail business in groceries, and as importers of West
India and Mediterranean produce. Their office is at 50 King street, and
their warehouse at 17 Water street. Like all men in business, Mr.
Robertson has had the usual amount of losses and worries, but has now
the satisfaction of feeling that he has nevertheless succeeded, and also
gained the esteem and respect of his fellow-citizens, and others, who
have done business with him for many years past. Mr. Robertson was a
captain in the St. John city light infantry militia. He is also a member
of the St. Andrew’s Society of St. John; the Board of Trade, and a
director of the Maritime Warehousing and Dock Company. He has taken part
in various political discussions, and has strongly advocated trade
reciprocity with the United States; St. John as a winter port for the
Dominion; the short line railway with Montreal; St. John Harbor
Commission, etc. In religion he is in accord with the Presbyterian form
of worship, and is an elder in St. Andrew’s Church. In politics he is a
Liberal-Conservative. He was married to Agnes Turner, a lady of Scotch
descent, on the 18th June, 1873, and has a family of six children.
* * * * *
=Hopper, Rev. John Elisha=, M.A., D.D., Pastor of the Brussels Street
Baptist Church, St. John, New Brunswick, is a native Canadian, having
been born in Salisbury, Westmoreland county, N.B., on 18th December,
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