Gendreau, Jean Baptiste, Notary Public, Coaticook, county of Stanstead, province of Quebec, was born on 25th February, 1850, in that part of the old parish of St. Hyacinthe now called Ste. Madeleine, in the province of Quebec. His father, Jean Baptiste Gendreau, was first a farmer and afterwards an hotel keeper in the parish of St. Pie, in Bagot county. Jean Baptiste Gendreau, the subject of our sketch, first studied at the College of St. Hyacinthe, and after completing his college course, passed a few months in the Jesuits’ Novitiate, at Sault-au-Récollet, near Montreal. He left the latter place for Coaticook in the fall of 1873, where he served for a few months as a clerk in a store, and then, in May, 1874, he decided to study the notarial profession. This he did for four years, and was then admitted to the profession of notary in May, 1878. He then settled in Coaticook, where he still resides and does a good business. Though comparatively a young man, he has taken a prominent part in all the public questions, and is now one of the leading citizens of his district, especially amongst the people of his own nationality. When Mr. Gendreau first settled in Coaticook it was a village municipality, erected in January, 1864; now it has grown to be an enterprising place, and there are several manufactories and industries established in it. Mr. Gendreau has successfully filled the following offices, namely: secretary-treasurer of the Catholic School Board since 1875; municipal councillor since 1881; president of the old Coaticook Building Society at the time of its liquidation in 1882; director of the Eastern Townships Colonization and Credit Company of Lake Megantic since 1882; mayor of Coaticook, after its erection into a town, in 1884 and 1885, and warden of the county of Stanstead during the same years; and is now the revising officer of the same county under the new Dominion Franchise Act. He was married to Marie Rose Durocher, daughter of Gédéon Durocher, a notary public of the parish of St. Aimé, in Richelieu county.
McKnight, Robert, Owen Sound, Registrar of the county of Grey, was born at Kilkeel, in the county of Down, Ireland, on the 4th September, 1836. His parents were Robert McKnight and Eliza Gray. He received a scanty education in the schools of his native village, and when only nineteen years of age left his native land for Canada. He arrived in New York in the latter end of June, 1858, and while there he engaged with the captain of a whaling ship to go to the Arctic regions on a whaling expedition, but in consequence of the ship not being ready to put to sea at the time agreed upon, he broke off the engagement and started for Canada. Arriving in Tossoronto, Simcoe county, he found employment in a saw mill. Six months after the mill was placed in his charge, and the entire business was conducted by him for the next three years. In 1860 he left the mill, and took charge of a school in the adjoining township of Essa, where he remained for another three years. Leaving Essa, he took up his abode in Tecumseth, where he taught for another three years, and during this time secured the highest grade of a first-class teacher from the County Board of Education. In 1864 he entered the Military School at Toronto, and received a cadet’s commission. He raised a company of volunteers at Markdale during the Fenian raid, and was chosen captain, but the minister of militia having declined to increase the strength of the 31st battalion, the company disbanded. Subsequently, however, on his removal to Meaford, he accepted a lieutenant’s commission in No. 2 company Grey battalion, and remained in the service until he was appointed registrar of Grey, when he resigned. Bidding good-bye to school teaching, he opened a general store in the village of Markdale, Grey county, where he remained for two years and then sold out. He next took up his abode in Cookstown, Simcoe county, and here began business anew, adding drugs to his general business. Next year a fire broke out in the village, and, among other buildings, swept away Mr. McKnight’s store and dwelling. Nothing disheartened by this calamity, although a great loser by the destruction of the contents of both store and dwelling, he went to work and paid up every dollar of his indebtedness. He then removed to the then rising village of Meaford, and went into the drug and grocery business, and through close attention to business he soon overcame his losses at Cookstown, and it was not long before he became one of the leading citizens, taking an active part in everything pertaining to the advancement of the village. As a politician he was ever active, having first taken a part in the contest between the late Hon. William McMaster and John W. Gamble, in the old home district, for a seat in the Legislative Council of Canada. At this time Mr. McKnight sided with Mr. McMaster and the Reformers, and has ever since worked in the same ranks. In 1872 he was chosen by the Reformers to contest East Grey against W. R. Fletcher, the Conservative candidate, for a seat in the House of Commons, but he failed to secure his election. Again, in 1874, he took the field against his old opponent, but at the close of the poll it was found that Mr. Fletcher still held the seat, although only by a majority of three hundred, on the previous occasion he having carried his election by six hundred majority. In 1875 Mr. McKnight was once more chosen to carry the Liberal standard, and this time in North Grey. His opponent was David Creighton, the sitting member, and editor and proprietor of the Owen Sound Times, a gentleman well known throughout the riding, while Mr. McKnight was practically an outsider. The battle was a fierce one, but at the end of it Mr. Creighton held his old seat in the Ontario legislature, only, however, by a majority of fifty-nine. In 1874 Mr. McKnight was made a justice of the peace, and the same year a commissioner per dedimus potestatem. He was appointed registrar for the county of Grey in 1875, and to this office he now devotes the principal part of his time. His removal from the arena of politics has given the subject of our sketch some leisure to practise his favorite pursuits—notably, floriculture and horticulture—and his home in Owen Sound testifies to his skill and taste in both. But fortunately for his neighbors he does not confine himself to his own private pursuits. He is at present president of the Mechanics’ Institute; a member of the Board of Education, and of the Board of Health; and an active member of the Masonic fraternity. He is well known as an enthusiastic apiarist. He is one of the leading spirits of the Ontario Bee-keepers’ Association, having been present at the convention held in Toronto, when it was first organized, and presided over the deliberations of that meeting in the city hall for three evenings. He was elected the secretary-treasurer of the newly-organized association, and on him devolved the perfecting of the organization, which he did thoroughly and well. For two years he held this position, and during that time edited the bee department of the Canadian Farmer. The following year he was elected president, and he has been on the executive committee ever since. He was appointed one of the delegates to represent Ontario’s display in the Colonial exhibition, held in London, England, in 1886. The magnificent display of honey was due in a very great measure to his efforts, as after a fair trial it was found that he possessed the art of staging the goods to the best possible advantage, and we think we may say, without fear of contradiction, that he has no superior, if an equal, in this line. To him alone was left the entire arrangement of the display, and the bee-keepers of Ontario feel very grateful for his untiring efforts in watching and carefully keeping the display up, changing it from day to day and from week to week, and making it always look fresh, as if just placed in position. He not only worked in the honey-building, but frequently spent hours after midnight with the pen to maintain the honor and reputation of the bee-keepers of his adopted country. He is an adherent of the Presbyterian church. In 1865 he was married to Miss McLean, daughter of Duncan McLean, of Elm Grove, and has a family of three children.
Torrance, Hon. Frederick William, B.C.L., Judge of the Superior Court of the Province of Quebec.—The late Judge Torrance was born in Montreal on the 16th July, 1823, and died in the same city on the 2nd January, 1887. He was a son of John Torrance, in his lifetime one of the leading merchants of Montreal. Judge Torrance received his primary education at private schools at Montreal, at the Nicolet College, and at Edinburgh under private tutors; and finally entered the University of Edinburgh, where he took the degree of M.A. in 1844, ranking second in the order of proficiency in classics and mathematics. He had previously, in 1839-40, followed courses of lectures at Paris, France, at the Ecole de Médecine and at the Collège de France. He studied law with the late Duncan Fisher, Q.C., and the Hon. James Smith, subsequently attorney-general for Lower Canada, and a judge of the Queen’s Bench. In 1848 he was called to the bar of Lower Canada. In 1852 he formed a partnership with Alexander Morris, who afterwards for a time filled the position of chief justice of the Court of Queen’s Bench for Manitoba—the firm being known as Torrance and Morris. In 1861, Hon. Mr. Morris having entered the political arena, was elected to represent South Lanark in the Legislative Assembly, and shortly afterwards removed to the province of Ontario. He was succeeded in the firm by his brother, J. L. Morris. On 27th August, 1868, Mr. Torrance was appointed a puisne judge of the Superior Court of Quebec, and from that time until his death earned for himself the reputation of an eminent jurist, and an upright, careful and painstaking judge. His decisions in business matters were always considered of great value, on account of his extensive experience in commercial law while practising at the bar. Judge Torrance was lecturer and professor of Roman law in McGill University (of which he was governor, and from which he obtained the degree of B.C.L. in 1856) from 1854 to 1870. In 1865, he was one of the commissioners appointed to enquire into the St. Albans raid affair, and did good service. In conjunction with Strachan Bethune, Q.C., J. L. Morris, and the late Mr. La Franaie, he brought out the Lower Canada Jurist, to which he contributed for many years. He was intimately connected with the Fraser Institute, and with the Hon. J. J. C. Abbott devoted much of his time towards establishing a free library in connection therewith. In religion Judge Torrance was a staunch Presbyterian, and he took a deep interest in all things relating to that church. He was president of the Presbyterian Sabbath-school Association, and after being connected with the Coté Street Church, Montreal, for many years, he became an elder of Crescent Street Church, which position he held at the time of his death. He contributed materially to the foundation of the Montreal Presbyterian College, and always took a lively interest in its welfare. He was also a life governor of the Montreal General Hospital. He subscribed largely to the general fund of the Home and Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian church. He took special interest in the missions to the Jews. He always identified himself enthusiastically with Sabbath-school work. He was known as a generous, kind-hearted and public-spirited citizen, and his death was deeply regretted by a large number of personal friends and the whole community, by whom he was held in great esteem. Some ten years ago he married Mrs. Pugh, of Louisville, Ky. He left a widow, but had no children. Judge Torrance was not reputed to be very wealthy, but during his lifetime his donations to the institutions with which he was connected were large and numerous.
Thomson, Donald Cameron, Lieutenant-Colonel, Lumber Merchant, Quebec, one of the most esteemed and successful men of business in the ancient capital, was born in 1823, at Kenlochiel House, near St. Andrew’s, county of Argenteuil, province of Quebec. His father served as a commissariat officer during the war of 1812; and his mother belonged to the family of Lochiel. In 1860, when the Trent outrage aroused the loyalty of Canada’s sons, Mr. Thomson raised a company of volunteers, and was attached to the battalion commanded by Lieut.-Col. De Salaberry, and on the latter retiring from the service, Captain Thomson was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy, and given command of the battalion. He was out during the Fenian troubles, and subsequently retired retaining his rank. For a number of years Colonel Thomson has been actively engaged, and still continues, in the export trade of timber to Britain, etc. He took a prominent part in the creation of the Union Bank of Canada, at Quebec, as well as in the formation of several commercial companies connected with river navigation. At present he is a director of the Union Bank of Canada; vice-president of the Quebec Steamship Company; president of the Saguenay & Lake St. John Railway Company; director of the St. Lawrence Steamboat Company; and director of the Quebec Ferry Company. A lover of sport Col. Thomson divides his summer vacation between the secluded salmon pools of the Murray river, leased to him, and his rustic cottage at Pointe-à-Pic, Murray Bay. Later on one may meet him scouring for cariboo, with an Indian guide, the snow-clad heights in rear of Baie St. Paul, known as Les Jardins. In politics the colonel may be counted among the Liberal-Conservatives, and in religion an adherent of the Presbyterian church. He is married to Annie Atkinson, niece of the late Henry Atkinson, of Spencerwood.
Oulton, Alfred E., Dorchester, Judge of Probate for the county of Westmoreland, New Brunswick, was born in Westmoreland, on the 2nd March, 1845. His parents were Thomas E. Oulton and Elizabeth Carter, both 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.