Smith, Robert Herbert, of the city of Quebec, is the eldest son of the Rev. Robert Hopton Smith and Jane his wife, who was a daughter of Robert Chapman, of London, England. Mr. Smith was born in the year 1825, at Little Berkhampstead, England, and had the advantages of a private education. In 1851 he came to Canada, and six years afterwards was admitted as a partner into the lumber shipping firm of Benson & Co. Three years later the name of the firm was changed to Roberts, Smith & Co., and again, in 1880, to Smith, Wade & Co. Six years later, Mr. Smith retired from business. In 1869 Mr. Smith was appointed by the Dominion Government a member of the Board of Protestant School Commissioners for the city of Quebec, and in 1870 he received the appointment of warden of the Trinity House in the same city. Mr. Smith has taken an active interest in many benevolent enterprises. Chief among these is St. George’s Society, of which he is a life member, and of which society he was president during the years 1883 and 1884. In 1857 he was married to Amelia Jane, fourth daughter of Henry LeMesurier, of Quebec. He is a member of the Church of England, and at present fills several important public and other offices. He is a member of the Quebec Harbour Commission, a director of the Quebec Bank, and is also chairman of the Quebec Gas Company.
Jennings, Rev. John, D.D., was born at Glasgow, Scotland, in October, 1814. He was the only son of John Jennings, manufacturer, of that city. His parents having died when he was two years of age, his earlier education was received under his uncle, the Rev. John Tindal, of Rathillet, Fifeshire. In early life he showed a great liking for the study of medicine and theology, and entered upon a theological course at St. Andrew’s University, and completed it at the University of Edinburgh. As he determined upon laboring in a foreign field, he further equipped himself by taking a complete course in medicine. In 1838 he was appointed missionary to Canada by the United Presbyterian Church of Cupar. Before setting out for his field of labor he was married, in the same year, to Margaret Cumming, daughter of Robert Cumming, of St. Boswell’s. Arriving in Toronto, the young clergyman was not long in looking about for a congregation. The city of Toronto at that time consisted of about eleven thousand inhabitants. His congregation was at first naturally small, consisting of seven members and twenty-one adherents, and their first place of worship was in a carpenter’s workshop on Newgate (now Adelaide) street. Over this congregation he was inducted as the pastor of the First United Presbyterian church of Toronto, the congregation residing principally to the east of Yonge street and south of Queen street. The growth of the congregation was rapid, and soon they purchased the old Baptist church on Stanley street, but required shortly to find larger premises, and obtained possession of a church built on Richmond street west (close to Yonge street). In a few years still larger premises were required, and the brick church on Bay street was erected, and continued for thirty-six years to be occupied by the same congregation, under his uninterrupted pastorate. In addition to the pastorate of Bay Street Church, Mr. Jennings had arduous labors to perform throughout the western and northern portions of the province as missionary, especially in establishing new stations and preaching to the scattered settlers. In these itinerant labors he had to encounter many difficulties and hardships, but his strong physical frame greatly strengthened him to bear these toils in the cause he held so dear. His knowledge of medicine was an invaluable assistant to him, and many of the scattered settlers were benefited bodily as well as spiritually. One year’s record shows that he travelled in these missionary tours upwards of three thousand miles, almost entirely in the saddle. In acknowledgment of his labors, and several works that he wrote on theological and university subjects, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conferred on him by the University of New York—the first degree given to a Canadian minister. He was at last obliged, through failing health, to resign his charge as pastor of Bay Street Church, which he had held for thirty-six consecutive years. The congregation reluctantly consented, and manifested its appreciation of the long services he had rendered their church by settling a liberal life-long allowance upon him. Notwithstanding the many and continuous calls upon his time during his long pastorate, Doctor Jennings found time to devote himself to assisting in building up many of the public institutions of the city, more especially in connection with the educational system, and for many years he was a member of the senate of the University and Upper Canada College, Council of Public Instruction and High School Board. He was one of the foremost on the platform and in the press in the discussion which led to the secularization, in 1854, of the clergy reserves, and was also a principal mover in the schemes for the union of the different branches of the Presbyterian church. He was gifted with a winning, cordial disposition; was a clear, forcible preacher, liberal in church and sectarian matters, which made him universally popular with his fellow-citizens of all creeds. His visits to the sick-bed and family circle were especially acceptable. He was fond of all healthy amusements, especially outdoor sports, his own early athletic training having assisted in building up a strong constitution, which in after years stood him in good stead. After the resignation of his charge his health failed rapidly, and in February, 1876, he succumbed to an attack of paralysis, maintaining to the last all his senses. His wife, three sons and four daughters survive him.
Slack, Edward, Waterloo, Quebec, was born at Eaton, Quebec, on the 17th August, 1841, and is a son of the Rev. George Slack, of London, England. Unlike most clergymen, Mr. Slack’s father has passed a very adventurous career. Before he was ordained he was an officer in the British Navy, and was in the service of the Queen of Portugal during the insurrection of 1830. He was in the battle of Cape St. Vincent on the 5th July, 1833, and for his gallantry on that occasion received the Order of the Tower and Sword of Portugal. He afterwards returned to England, and in 1837 retired from the navy. He then put into operation a project he had formed of coming to Canada. Shortly afterwards, however, he returned again to England to be married to Emma Colston, of Epsom, a niece of General Sir Edward Howarth, baronet, K.C.B. The newly married couple then left England to take up their permanent residence in Canada. Arriving, they remained for some time at Eaton, Quebec, where Mr. Slack was ordained by the late Bishop Mountain, of Quebec, and after removing to different places they finally settled down at Bedford, of which district the Rev. Mr. Slack became Rural Dean. His son, the subject of our sketch, received his education at Bishop’s College, Lennoxville, where he took a classical course. A true chip of the old block, he joined one of the Volunteer forces and served as lieutenant at Niagara in the Trent affair. He again saw active service during the Fenian raid, and also took part in the battle of Pigeon Hill, on the Missisquoi frontier. He has occupied at different times as many as seventeen municipal and public offices. He has been mayor of Waterloo for eight years, and a member of the council for over twenty. He is at present warden of Shefford county, a position which he has held for a number of years, and is also a director of the Waterloo and Magog, and the Stanstead, Shefford and Chambly Railroads. He is a member of the Church of England, and is thoroughly independent in politics. His wife is Marion A. Ellis, daughter of the late R. A. Ellis, of Waterloo, Quebec. They were married on the 20th September, 1864, and have seven children.
Hudspeth, Adam, Q.C., M.P., Lindsay, Ontario, was born in Cobourg, Ont., on the 8th of December, 1836. He received his education in the Grammar School of his native town, under the tuition of his father, who was head-master. He studied law, and was called to the bar in 1867. A year later he married Harriette Miles, daughter of R. S. Miles, of Brockville, a retired chief factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Mr. Hudspeth soon made his mark as a lawyer and acquired a large practice. He was also, from early manhood, a keen politician and did yeoman service for his party (the Conservative) in all the political contests of his district for many years. In 1875 he received the nomination of his party for the local legislature and fought a hard fight against heavy odds, and though not successful, he won the respect of opponents as well as the admiration of friends by the manly earnestness of his campaign. Though giving much attention to politics, Mr. Hudspeth advanced rapidly in his profession and some years ago became a bencher of the Law Society of Ontario. Mr. Hudspeth was deputy judge for the county of Victoria for many years, being entrusted also with the duties of revising officer under the Franchise Act of 1885 to prepare the lists for North Victoria. Although complaints were made by the Liberals of the action of revising officers in different parts of the country, those complaints being all the more bitter because of the fierce opposition which had been offered to the Franchise Bill in parliament, no such complaints were made of the manner in which the lists for North Victoria were prepared, both sides acknowledging that a strict even-handed justice was meted out in every case. When the election came on Mr. Hudspeth ran as the Conservative candidate in South Victoria. He was elected by a handsome majority; but it was supposed that he was disqualified under the Independence of Parliament Act. Thereupon he resigned his office as revising officer and again entered the contest. The fight was one of the fiercest that has ever been known, even in Victoria, where party spirit is strong, but the result was another victory for Mr. Hudspeth. The victor was able to take his seat during the first session of the new parliament, being received with enthusiastic plaudits on being introduced to Mr. Speaker. His friends regard his entry into parliamentary life as the fitting result of a long political education gained in the field of active contests and as the real opening of a brilliant career. Undoubtedly Mr. Hudspeth’s talents were far above the average, and his remarkable energy and force of character are certain to bring those talents into prominence that the possessor of them will be called upon to take a high place among the representatives of the people.
Morrison, Alfred Gidney, Barrister, Halifax, was born on 31st May, 1854, at Folly village, Londonderry, in the county of Colchester, Nova Scotia. His parents were Thomas Fletcher Morrison and Margaret Brown Fletcher. On his father’s side he is descended from the ancient family of Morrisons of the West coast of Scotland, who were present in Ireland and took part in the defence of Derry. From thence they came to New Hampshire, and from there to Londonderry and Truro, in the county of Colchester, in the year 1760. On the mother’s side he is descended from the Rev. John Brown, who was a native of Scotland, and one of the pioneers of the Presbyterian church of Nova Scotia. Rev. Mr. Brown was the associate of the late Dr. McGregor, the founder of Pictou academy, one of the leading educational institutions in eastern Nova Scotia. Mr. Morrison received his primary education at the common school in his native village; and when a mere lad happened one day to go into the court house at Truro, and hearing two distinguished members of the bar wrangling over a disputed point, he, on returning to his home, announced his determination to be a lawyer. Although years elapsed before he could carry out this cherished idea, he at length succeeded in getting a chance to study this profession. He removed to Halifax in 1878, and after taking a course at Pictou academy, he studied law for a short time in the Halifax Law School, which was then newly established, and afterwards read law with Weatherby & Graham, barristers, and Thompson & Graham, barristers, Halifax, and was admitted to the bar of Nova Scotia in December, 1882. He immediately afterwards entered into a partnership with W. F. MacCoy, Q.C., but three years afterwards he joined the firm of MacCoy, Pearson, Morrison & Forbes, which firm now does a large business in Halifax. From 1870 until 1879 he held the position of deputy surveyor of shipping at Londonderry. In 1884 he acted as secretary to a provincial delegation to Ottawa; and was solicitor for the Board of Public Charities at Halifax until the board was abolished by the legislature in 1886. He helped in the establishment of a system of printing cases for argument before the court in banc; and also in the establishment of a law school at Halifax. He was connected with the press for two years, and in this connection assisted in promoting several important public enterprises. Mr. Morrison believes in open and free discussion, and always likes to see the best man win. He has been, since 1878, a leading member of the Young Men’s Liberal Club at Halifax, and takes an active part in politics. He is considered a good campaign platform speaker, and has taken an interest in all election contests since 1878. He is familiar with the maritime provinces; but has only been able, so far, to visit Ottawa and the New England states. He was brought up a Presbyterian, and his mind has undergone no important theological change from youth up. Mr. Morrison’s progress has been upward in his profession. He is a man of sound judgment, excellent address, diligent in business, and possessed of an untarnished reputation for integrity. He is very fond of literature, but unfortunately his legal business gives him little time to indulge this taste, to any great extent, in this direction. He was married on the 7th February, 1884, to Rubie F. Douglas, of Maitland, in the county of Halifax, who is a lady of good education and refined taste. She was for some years, previous to her marriage, engaged in educational work, of which she is particularly fond. She was educated at the Truro Normal School. One son has been born of this union.