A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time by Rose
1845. His parents were Thomas E. Oulton and Elizabeth Carter, both
2640 words | Chapter 86
natives of Westmoreland county, whose ancestors came from Yorkshire,
England, and settled in Westmoreland in 1763. Mr. Oulton received his
education at the schools of his native place, and after attending in his
father’s store for a while, went to Sackville, New Brunswick, and spent
three years in Mount Allison Academy, taking a course of studies which
embraced the higher mathematics and the Latin language. He adopted law
as a profession, and pursued his studies in the office of A. L. Palmer,
now judge in equity of New Brunswick. He was admitted to practice as an
attorney in June, 1867, and as a barrister in June the following year.
He then went into a law partnership with Mr. Palmer for three years,
when Mr. Palmer removed to St. John and the partnership was dissolved.
Since then he has carried on business on his own account, and we may say
here that he has been a very successful lawyer. His practice extends
into all the courts in the province, and also into the Supreme courts of
the Dominion, and he does a great deal of office work, such as the
collecting of claims, conveyancing, and general notarial work. Mr.
Oulton was elected secretary of the municipal council of Dorchester,
N.B., on its organization on the 7th June, 1887, and still holds the
office. On the death of Governor Chandler, he was appointed judge of
probate, August 1, 1878, and is considered practical and painstaking in
the discharge of his official duties, and gives great satisfaction to
the public. He is a commissioner for the Admiralty Court of New
Brunswick. He joined the Masonic order in 1866, and was for three years
in succession master of the Blue lodge at Dorchester. He is also a Royal
Arch Mason, being a member of the chapter held at Moncton. In religion
he is a member of the Church of England; and in politics a Conservative.
He was married in June, 1883, to Kate Estabrook, daughter of the late G.
B. Estabrook, of Sackville, N.B., and they have a family of three
children, two boys and one girl.
* * * * *
=McIsaac, Colin F.=, Barrister, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, M.P.P. for
Antigonish, was born at South River, Antigonish county, in 1856. He is
of Scotch descent, his ancestors having come from Inverness-shire,
Scotland, many years ago, and settled in Antigonish county. His brother,
Angus McIsaac, now judge of the county court of Antigonish, sat in the
House of Commons at Ottawa from 1873 to 1885. Colin F. McIsaac was
educated at St. François Xavier College, in his native county. Having
adopted law as a profession, he devoted some years to study, and on 12th
January, 1880, was admitted to the bar of Nova Scotia, since which time
he has successfully practised his profession. In 1882 he was elected a
governor of St. François Xavier College, and has occupied this position
ever since. He entered political life in 1886, and at the general
election held that year was elected by a handsome majority to represent
Antigonish in the Nova Scotia legislature. In politics Mr. McIsaac is a
Liberal; and in religion is a member of the Roman Catholic church.
* * * * *
=Philp, Rev. John=, M.A., Pastor St. James Street Methodist Church,
Montreal, is a Canadian by birth, having been born in the town of
Cobourg, in the province of Ontario. His father, the Rev. William Philp,
a native of Cornwall, England, was for nearly forty years a minister of
the Wesleyan Methodist church in Canada. His mother was a person of rare
excellence of heart and life. Rev. Mr. Philp, the subject of our sketch,
was educated at Victoria University, Cobourg, and graduated in the arts
course in 1861, receiving the B.A. degree, and taking the Hodgins prize.
Three years later the same university conferred upon him the M.A.
degree. He entered the ministry of the Wesleyan Methodist church in
1860, when in the twentieth year of his age, and while yet at college.
In June, 1861, he received his first appointment. In June, 1865, he was
married to Miss Maggie Grafton, of Dundas, Ontario, and has a family of
four children, living, the eldest of whom will soon graduate in medicine
in McGill University, Montreal. His stations in order have been
Oakville, Dundas, St. Mary’s, Woodstock, Fairfield, Windsor, Paris, St.
Mary’s, Queen’s Avenue Church, London; Wesley Church, Hamilton; Carlton
Street Church, Toronto; St. James Street Church, Montreal, and few
ministers in the denomination can show more work done in the Master’s
vineyard during nearly twenty-eight years. Fairfield circuit, near
Brantford, was his first superintendency, and here extensive revivals of
religion took place. One of the finest country churches was erected on
what is known as Fairfield Plain. At Windsor during his term, the small
frame building in which the congregation had long worshipped was
superseded by a new and attractive brick church. At Paris, the present
beautiful sanctuary was built, and thus the interests of Methodism there
greatly furthered. At St. Mary’s, a remarkable temperance movement took
place, in which over two thousand signed the pledge. In this he took an
active part. During his term in London, the Queen’s Avenue Methodist
Church was modernised and beautified, at a cost of $14,000. And since he
took charge of the St. James Street Church, Montreal, the congregation,
by their spirit and liberality, have begun a signally important and
greatly needed work—the erection of a representative church in a more
central part of the city; which, when it is completed will be the most
imposing and commodious religious edifice of Methodism in Canada. Mr.
Philp has received many marks of esteem and confidence on the part of
his brethren in the church. He has been the secretary of the London
Conference; secretary of the Examining Board; delegate to the General
Conference; Conference examiner for the Theological College, Montreal;
preacher of one of the baccalaureate sermons for Victoria University,
&c. Though greatly devoted to his ministerial duties, he has found time
to go abroad a little, making a trip to Britain, and a tour through the
Continent, sailing up the Rhine, lingering amid the glories of Alpine
scenery, and viewing some of the principal cities of Europe. While in
England, nothing affected the reverend gentleman more than a visit to
the little Cornish town where his (now sainted) parents were born and
spent their early days. From that unpretentious centre (Lostwithiel and
its immediate vicinity) came eight young men who knew each other in
their boyhood, and who entered the ministry of the Methodist church in
Canada, doing blessed and effective service for Christ. Most of them
have since passed to their reward. Rev. Mr. Philp is a firm believer in
the great doctrines of truth as held by the Methodist church, not
because they are the creed of the church, but because they are the
vitalities of Christian life; preeminently, the divinity of the Son of
God, the vicarious character and sufficiency of the atonement, free and
full salvation alone through faith in Christ, regeneration, the witness
of the Spirit, the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures. But, while
strongly attached to the Methodist church, he would scorn all narrowness
of thought and view, all servile devotion to mere dogma, all sectarian
prejudice and caste, and would most fervently pray with the Apostle,
“Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.”
He believes that the pulpit should be progressive in its spirit and aim;
abreast of the times in sanctified scholarship and power to teach,
wisely conservative in its doctrinal tendency (by which he means not too
eager to hail and foster new things), gospel in its character, never
descending to the level of the mere lecture platform, or wasting its
energy in mere speculative enquiry. Its one mission should be to preach
Christ with all tenderness, simplicity, earnestness and directness as
the sinner’s hope, the world’s saviour. The Montreal _Daily Star_, of
the 24th October, 1887, thus kindly speaks of the Rev. Mr. Philp:—“He
is a comparatively young man, although his ministerial work has been
much greater and more varied than falls to the lot of men of his years.
In the pulpit he presents the appearance of a man of great intellectual
power, and his delivery bears out the impression, as his discourses are
logical and keenly analytic. His elocution is easy, and increases in
animation as he approaches the conclusion and application of his
arguments. Mr. Philp is noted as a successful revivalist, and he has
held in many places large meetings, and by his earnest, self-denying
labors in every station in which he has labored caused large increases
in the membership of his church. While especially active in forwarding
the advance of the spiritual interests of his flock, Mr. Philp is not
forgetful of the fact that the handmaids of religion, architecture,
music, etc., have also their influence on the people. He has endeavored
to promote their cultivation in available forms, and his efforts in the
direction of improving the ecclesiastical structures over which he has
had control, and the erection of others, have been peculiarly
successful.”
* * * * *
=Paton, Hugh=, General Manager and Secretary of the Shedden Company,
Montreal, was born at Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland, on the 5th
October, 1852. His parents were William Paton and Mary Shedden, of
Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, Scotland. Mr. Paton received his education in the
Grammar School of Paisley, Scotland. In 1871 he came out to Canada, to
reside with his uncle, the late John Shedden, railway contractor,
Toronto. He entered Mr. Shedden’s office in Toronto, and remained there
until that gentleman’s untimely death in 1873, he having been killed by
a train on the Toronto and Nipissing Railway, when celebrating the
opening of that line, which he had built. Mr. Paton then removed to
Montreal, where he has since resided, and became secretary-treasurer of
the Shedden Company, general forwarders and carriers, and cartage agents
for the Grand Trunk Railway, which succeeded to the business of the
deceased Mr. Shedden. This position he occupied until 1879, when he
became manager and secretary, and this office he still holds; and we say
here that Mr. Paton is now the principal proprietor of this company. He
was honorary secretary-treasurer of the Province of Quebec Turf Club for
four years; and honorary secretary-treasurer of the Montreal Tandem Club
for two years. From 1879 to 1886 he was honorary secretary-treasuror of
the Montreal Hunt; and this year (1887) he was elected master of the fox
hounds, and that position he now holds. He has always taken an interest
in racing and in agricultural pursuits, and is the owner of a farm near
the city of Montreal where he resides during the summer months, and
where he indulges in his favorite pursuits. He has owned several
“Queen’s platers” and “steeple-chasers.” Since Mr. Paton took charge of
the Shedden Company he has considerably extended its ramifications over
the Dominion of Canada and the Western States of America, carrying on
the business of contractors, forwarders, and carriers, owning about
eight hundred horses, and grain and general storage warehouses at
several points. In 1879 he made an extended tour over the continent of
America, visiting nearly all the western states, and among other places
of note Salt Lake City, the Yosemite valley, and San Francisco. Since
then he has twice travelled over the continent of Europe. Mr. Paton is a
Liberal-Conservative in politics; and in religion is an adherent of the
Presbyterian church. He was married in 1884 to Bella Robertson, daughter
of Andrew Robertson, formerly merchant, Montreal, and now chairman of
the Montreal Harbor Commission.
* * * * *
=De Wolfe, Charles Edgar=, Windsor, Barrister, Judge of Probate, and
Revising Barrister for the county of Hants, Nova Scotia, was born in the
town of Windsor, the shire town of the county of Hants, Nova Scotia, on
the 22nd of July, 1845. His parents were James Lovitt De Wolfe, and
Margaret A., daughter of the late Thomas Lovett, of Cornwallis, Kings
county, Nova Scotia. Their children were Charles Edgar, Sarah Frances,
widow of the Rev. H. P. Almon; Amelia Isabella; Benjamin Arthur, who
died 17th February, 1845; James Lovitt, a doctor, residing in England;
Benjamin Alfred, who died 17th August, 1851; Perez Morton, head of the
well-known book firm of De Wolfe, Fiske & Co., Archway Book Store, 365
Washington street, Boston; Annie, wife of W. I. Fenwick, broker,
Montreal, and Mary Agnes. J. L. De Wolfe was a lawyer, studied law in
the office of the late Judge L. M. Wilkins; and subsequently, and for
many years, Mr. De Wolfe was engaged in mercantile business in the town
of Windsor, in the widely-known firm of B. De Wolfe & Son, in which he
was junior partner. He died on 16th April, 1863, and his wife died on
23rd November, 1886. Benjamin De Wolfe, grandfather of C. E. De Wolfe,
was the senior partner in the before-mentioned firm. He was member for
Hants county in 1827-31. He married a Miss Lovitt, of the city of St.
John, New Brunswick. They had four children, James Lovitt, Benjamin,
lost at sea when acting as supercargo of a vessel; George, a medical
student, also dead; and Sarah L., who now resides in Windsor. Benjamin
De Wolfe, senior, died 9th December, 1863. Loran De Wolfe, the father of
Benjamin, was born at Say Brook, Connecticut, 7th April, 1754. He
resided in Windsor, or about three miles from it, the greater portion of
his life. He married Mary Fox, of Cornwallis, Kings county. They had
five children, viz., Benjamin, Phœbe M., George, Hannah, and Isaac. In
1791 Loran De Wolfe was assessor for the town of Windsor. The “Baptist
Missionary Magazine” for April, 1835, in an obituary notice of him
remarks: “As an instance of the public confidence in this worthy man, we
may remark that he was elected in 1812 by acclamation, to represent the
township of Windsor in the General Assembly. He retained his seat until
ill health obliged him to retire from public life.” Nathan De Wolfe,
father of Loran, and great-great-grandfather of C. E. De Wolfe, was born
in Say Brook, Connecticut, in 1720, graduated A.M. in 1743, at Yale
College, New Haven, and was engaged in the practice of law. He had
previously “owned the covenant,” or joined the Congregational church,
7th June, 1741. He married, first, about 1748, Lydia Kirtland, daughter
of John Kirtland. His second wife was Lydia Beldon, born at Say Brook,
October 28th, 1721. Their children were Lucilla; Edward, born 1752;
Loran, born 7th April, 1754; Elisha, born 5th May, 1756, and Nathan.
Nathan, senr., came to Horton, Kings county, Nova Scotia, in 1760. He
was a successful farmer. The Nova Scotian census returns of 1770 give a
detailed account of his farm produce and stock. His residence was on the
east side of the main post road, opposite to the present Baptist church,
in Wolfville (1887). His legal practice did not interfere with his
agricultural pursuits. He was for many years senior justice of the peace
for Kings county. He was also registrar of probate, and took an active
part in public affairs. He died at Horton on the 21st of March, 1789,
aged sixty-nine years. Charles Edgar De Wolfe, the subject of our
sketch, after receiving the usual course of education, entered upon the
study of law in the office of the solicitor of the city of Portland,
Maine, U.S., and continued his studies in the office of S. L. Morse,
Q.C., Bridgetown, Annapolis county, Nova Scotia, and completed them in
the office of the Hon. James Macdonald, Halifax, the present chief
justice of Nova Scotia. He was admitted to the bar on the 19th of July,
Reading Tips
Use arrow keys to navigate
Press 'N' for next chapter
Press 'P' for previous chapter