Amherst, Lord Jeffery.—Lord Amherst, who commanded the British army at the surrender of Montreal in September, 1760, one of the bravest officers that ever the nation had the great good fortune to possess, was born in Kent, England, on the 29th January, 1717. He was the second son of Jeffery Amherst, of Riverhead, in Kent, barrister-at-law, and Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Kerrill, of Hadlow, Co. Kent, who had four sons and two daughters. Sackville died unmarried, in 1763; Jeffery, the subject of our sketch; John, an admiral in the Royal Navy; and William, lieut.-general in the army, A.D.C. to the King, lieut.-governor of Portsmouth, governor of St. John’s, Newfoundland, and adj.-general of his Majesty’s forces; Elizabeth and Margaret. A pedigree extant deduces the family of Amherst from the Saxon era. Hamo de Herst is mentioned by Phillpot, to be flourishing in the second year of Edward III. In the next reign, Richard II., the name appears by record to be written, Amherst of Amherst, they (according to Collins) having dropped the Norman de and the aspirate H. Jeffery, Lord Amherst, in his childhood was noted for displaying great fondness for military life, and at that early period gave all his attention to the performance of martial evolutions. His father, observing his strong predilections, was induced to present him to one of his relatives, who was a captain. The sparkling eyes, speaking countenance, and significant manners of the young aspirant, recommended him highly to his superior officers, and at the age of fourteen he received an ensign’s commission in the Guards. Having distinguished himself on several occasions by his modest, prudent, and calm conduct, as well as by his valor, and constant attention to duty, he was, in 1741, appointed General Legonier’s aide-de-camp. In this high capacity he continued to serve in the German fields, and thus was present at the battles of Düttingen, Fontenoy, and Rocoux. He was at the side of the Duke of Cumberland, as aide-de-camp in the battle of Lauffeldt. On that remarkable day, young officer Amherst noticed and appreciated the celebrated James Wolfe, whose enthusiastic devotion and spirited bravery on the same field, drew forth the thanks of the Duke of Cumberland. No sooner had Pitt established himself in office, than he conceived the plan of an attack against the French colonies in America. This statesman had discovered in Colonel Amherst sound sense, steady courage, and an active genius. He therefore recalled him from Germany, and setting aside military forms, promoted him to the rank of major-general, and gave him the command of the troops sent against Louisbourg, Cape Breton. Hon. Edward Boscawen was chosen admiral of the fleet. Equipments were made with great zeal, and on February 19th, 1758, the armament sailed from Portsmouth, for Halifax. General Amherst’s army, which was almost exclusively British regulars, was put in motion, being divided into three brigades, under the Brigadier-Generals Whitmore, Lawrence, and Wolfe. On the 2nd of June, the armament arrived off Cape Breton. The troops were landed near Fresh Water Cove (Comoran Creek), four miles from the town. In a few days the British triumphed over every obstacle, and Amherst entered the city, July 26th, and took possession of the whole island of Cape Breton. Many illustrious persons were present at this victorious scene. Among whom were James Wolfe, the noble hero, who so gloriously fell on the Plains of Abraham, and whose daring skill even then excited great admiration; James Murray, the first British governor of Quebec; Commodore Durrell, the young Earl of Dundonald, who commanded the Grenadiers of the 12th Regiment, and the renowned Captain Cooke, then serving as a petty officer on board a ship of war. There were also Lord Rollo, Major Darling, etc., and Amherst the moving spirit, whose wisdom and energy had enshrined his name in the grateful affections of his countrymen. Amherst wished to follow up his success by pushing forward with his whole army to Quebec, but the engagement at Louisbourg, through the protracted defence of the skilful French governor, Mr. Drucour, delayed the forces of Amherst too long, so that a descent upon Canada was impracticable that year. Amherst sailed for Boston the last of August, and from thence pushed on through the wilderness to Lake George, where he left seasonable supplies with Abercrombie, and returned to Boston, and then to Halifax, to await orders from the British government. Abercrombie endeavored to sustain himself against the French troops to Ticonderoga, but was defeated near this place, and here fell the gallant and good Lord Howe, and with him seemed to pass away the energy and spirit of the army. In this year Fort Duquesne was captured, and the British officers with unanimous consent changed the name of the Fort to Pittsburg; a well-earned compliment to the minister who planned the conquest of that large country. With this expedition concluded the campaign of 1758. Early in 1759 Amherst was appointed commander-in-chief of the British North American armies in place of Abercrombie, who sailed for England the 24th of January following. For the next campaign, Pitt decided upon nearly the same plan of operations, which had partially succeeded before. The main body of the British army was assembled upon the shores of Lake George, being destined to penetrate Canada by the River Richelieu, and occupy Montreal. When Pitt cast his eyes over the maps of the western world and traced its net work of lakes and rivers, noted its far stretching wilderness of forests, so solemn, and almost impenetrable, and remembered the resources of the brave Montcalm, we should expect his zeal to have cooled, but he thought only of Wolfe and Amherst, and was sure of success. According to the plan, Amherst left New York April 28th, 1759, and arrived in Albany, May 3rd, to pursue the great plan of the campaign. An alarming spirit of desertion broke out among the militia, but Amherst’s promptness soon quelled it, and a great part of the army, with artillery and stores, arrived and encamped on the woody shores of Lake George, 21st June, and on 21st July, notwithstanding the heat of the weather, all was made ready, and troops and stores were embarked upon the lakes. Amherst took Fort Ticonderoga[[1]] from the French, and repaired it, and gave orders to increase the naval force on the lake. Then Crown Point was to be overcome. It was formerly called Point-a-la-Chevelure, situated about eighteen miles north of Ticonderoga. It was soon abandoned by the enemy, and Amherst took possession of it on the 4th of August, thus securing two important forts. On the 16th of August, he learned that the French were so strongly intrenched in Isle-aux-Noix, as to prevent him from joining Wolfe’s army before Quebec, and he was forced to remain inactive until October, although every hour was precious. He succeeded in crossing the lake on October 18th, when he learned that the fate of Quebec had been decided, and it was an honorable trait in the character of Amherst that, in his despatches, he allowed his brigadier the full credit of the action. From the uncommonly sickly state of his provincials, he was forced to prepare for the inglorious quiet of winter-quarters at Crown Point.[[2]] The next year, Amherst left New York with part of his army and proceeded to Oswego. He was followed by General Gage, and soon assembled his army on the shores of Lake Ontario, from whence he descended the St. Lawrence upon the enemy’s capital, leaving Lake Champlain to Colonel Haviland, whilst General Murray with the disposable portion of the garrison of Quebec, was to push up the St. Lawrence. On September 6th, the splendid army landed at Montreal, and invested it in form. On the 8th, the Marquis of Vaudreuil, who commanded in Montreal, signed the capitulation, and the whole of Canada became a British province. French troops were conveyed to France in British ships, and the Canadian militia allowed to return peaceably to their homes. The French colonists were guaranteed the same civil privileges as British subjects, and the free enjoyment of their customs, and laws. In the meantime the Island of Newfoundland having fallen into the hands of the enemy, General Amherst dispatched a sufficient force for the recovery of it, under the command of his brother, Colonel William Amherst, whose expedition was completely successful. The general now returned to New York, then the English capital of North America, where he was greeted with the strongest tokens of gratitude and respect, and whither, also, the thanks of the House of Commons had been transmitted to him from London. Thus General Amherst planned and executed an undertaking of the most striking interest. In 1761, he was appointed Knight of the Bath. He continued to command in America until 1764, when he returned to England. He was in reality the first British governor-general of Canada, Gage, Murray, Burton and Haldimand, being sub-governors only.[[3]] In 1771, he was appointed governor of Guernsey, where he gave a high idea of his talents as administrator. His venerable Sovereign George III., created him Baron Amherst, of Holmsdale, in the county of Kent in 1776, and two years later his lordship was constituted commander-in-chief of his Majesty’s land forces in Great Britain. In 1782, he received the gold stick from the king, but on the change of the administration, the command of the army and the lieutenant-generalship of the ordnance were put into other hands. In 1788, he received another patent of peerage as Baron Amherst, of Montreal, county Kent. In January 1793, he was again appointed to the command of the army in Great Britain, but in 1795, this veteran and very deserving officer, was superseded by H.R.H., the Duke of York, the second son of the king, who was only in the thirty-first year of his age, and had never seen any actual service. The government on this occasion, with a view to soothe the feelings of the old general, offered him an earldom, and the rank of field-marshal, both of which he at that time rejected. The office of field-marshal, however, he accepted in July 1796. He was formally thanked by parliament. A succession of honors attended him until the period of his death, which took place in his castle in Kent, August 3rd, 1797, at the age of eighty years. Thus the first barony expired, but the second devolved according to the limitation of the patent, upon his nephew, William Pitt Amherst, the first earl, who was afterwards ambassador to China, and governor general of India. The Amherst family seats are Montreal and Knole, near Sevenoaks, Kent, and the Motto “Constantia et virtute.” His career was wonderfully brilliant and successful. His time and talents had been devoted to military duty from his early years, and the history of his life beautifully illustrates the truth, that unbending application to any pursuit, will assuredly be crowned with success, and also reminds us, that neither exalted station, nor high enjoyment of life, can exempt from the power of death. The veteran of many battles and victories must at last resign his commission, and join the ranks of the spirit land. At that hour, all scenes of earthly magnificence, and pomp, and the glorious voice of renown, that had so often thrilled his soldier-heart, faded and grew silent, and the untold sublimity of an eternal existence asserted its sway. Happy was the great general, in his dying hour, that he could look with confidence to the great Being, “by whom king’s reign and princes decree justice.” He was twice married, first to Jane, only daughter of Thomas Dalison, of Hampton, in Kent; and secondly, to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of General the Hon. George Cary, and niece of Viscount Falkland, but left no children.
| [1] | “Chi-on-der-o-ga means great noise (say the Indians). It was near Fort Carrillon of the French, built and occupied by them in 1756, and was a strong post. Its ruins are seen in Essex county, N.Y., and are annually visited by a great number of travellers.” A few years ago the compiler of this sketch picked up a couple of rough hand-made bullets on the battle field (where a heavy rain had washed away the turf) which must have lain hidden there for more than 100 years, since her great-granduncle, Sir Jeffery Amherst took Fort Ticonderoga. |
| [2] | A stone, forming part of the wall of the old fort there, bears Amherst’s monogram and the date, 1759, at the present day. |
| [3] | Vide—“l’Histoire du Canada,” by F. X. Garneau, book eleventh. |
Smith, Rev. John, Erskine Church, Toronto, was born in Armagh, Ireland, on the 28th March, 1824, and died on the 20th January, 1888, after a few hours’ illness. He came to Canada with his parents in 1827, and spent the earlier part of his life in the neighborhood of Brampton, where his brother, Robert Smith, ex-M.P. for Peel, still resides. Mr. Smith entered Knox College as a student in 1845, and after completing his course of study was in due time licensed, and very shortly thereafter settled in Bowmanville, where for twenty-four years he made full proof of his ministry, and secured and retained the respect and affection not only of those more immediately under his pastoral charge, but of the general community in which he lived. In 1875 he received and accepted a call from what was then known as the Bay Street Presbyterian Church, in Toronto. In this charge he was permitted to labor, until his demise, with great assiduity, and with an encouraging amount of success. The congregation, when Mr. Smith was called, was comparatively a handful, but under his faithful ministrations it made great progress both in numbers and influence. In 1878, under his leadership, it erected a fine new church at the head of Simcoe street, which was named “Erskine Church,” and here Christian work in all its departments has been constantly carried on with ever-growing energy and success. In addition to performing with characteristic fidelity and zeal all the duties of the pastoral office which he held, Mr. Smith showed himself to be a public-spirited citizen, who was ready to do all in his power for the best interests of the country and city in which his lot was cast. He was specially earnest in the work of temperance, and spared neither trouble nor toil in his efforts to put a stop to the ravages of strong drink. Mr. Smith was married in 1851, shortly after his settlement in Bowmanville, to Elizabeth McArthur, of West Gwillimbury, sister of F. F. McArthur, of Bowmanville, by whom he had a family of seven children. The widow and four children survive him.
Parker, Rev. William Robert, M.A., D.D., Toronto, Ontario, was born in West Gwillimbury, county of Simcoe, Ontario, June 20th, 1831. His father, Robert Parker, was a native of Limerick, Ireland, whose paternal ancestors were from England, and whose maternal ancestry were German, his mother being a descendant of the brave band of exiles that found shelter in Ireland during the reign of Queen Anne, from the bitter storm of religious persecution that drove them from their pleasant homes in the Palatinate on the Rhine. It is held to be a proud distinction to be identified with this people, especially because of their ultimate influence on the character and destiny of the United States and Canada, through the agency of Methodism. In his early visits to Ireland, Wesley found this colony of erstwhile devout Germans sharing the religious apathy and demoralization so lamentably prevalent in those times. Wesley and his itinerants preached Christ to those strangers that had been as sheep without a shepherd for fifty years; and he soon rejoiced to see them revived and folded again. Wesley bears this testimony concerning the towns in which they lived: “Such places could hardly be found elsewhere in Ireland or England; there was no profanity, no Sabbath breaking, no ale-house in any of them.” Thus, these children of persecution became the fit progenitors of the American contingent of the most zealous type of Christianity known since Apostolic times; for these German-Irish Emburys and Hecks founded in New York, and in Augusta, Canada, the Methodism destined to be the predominant Protestant belief of the New World, from Newfoundland to the Pacific coast. Mr. Parker’s father was one of the heroic pioneers of Upper Canada. Upon his leaving his native land he came to Baltimore, Md., where he spent some time with an uncle, a merchant, dealing in paints and oils, and for whom he visited the West Indies, acting as supercargo of his merchant ship. He settled in West Gwillimbury about the year 1826, where he cleared one of the finest farms, and established one of the most comfortable homes of that wealthy township. He was industrious, economical, thrifty, and hospitable to a proverb. He was a devout and active member of the Methodist church, and one of its stewards and trustees. He was a Liberal in politics, though not partisan. He took an active part in suppressing the rebellion of 1837, and served as quartermaster-sergeant. After his children left home he sold his farm, and lived retired in Bradford, where he died on the 7th July, 1881, in the 84th year of his age, and was interred in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto. Dr. Parker’s mother, Sarah Sutherland, still surviving, and resident in Bradford, was a most intelligent and hearty sympathizer and co-operator with her husband in all his business plans, his home hospitality and religious duties. Her mother was one of the Talbots, and one of her kinsmen, Hon. Thomas Talbot, was recently governor of Massachusetts. Her father was one of the pioneers of West Gwillimbury. One of the Methodist appointments bears his name, the church having been built on the corner of his farm. The youngest son, Captain T. G. Sutherland, sold the homestead a few years since, when he retired to Alliston, where he and his wife now reside in a comfortable home. Dr. Parker had but one brother, the late Dr. T. S. Parker, M.P., of Guelph. He represented North Wellington in the old Canada parliament for a term just before confederation. After the formation of the Dominion of Canada, he was elected to the House of Commons for Centre Wellington by acclamation, for which he sat till the time of his death, which took place in 1868, through an accident that occurred to him while returning from a visit to a patient. He was a pronounced Liberal, and had won for himself a foremost place in his party, and a prominent position in the county and on the floor of the house, because of his personal qualities, and by his powers as a debater. His early death was a great loss to the Reform party, for he would no doubt have become a member of the government upon their coming into power. His widow is a daughter of the late Archdeacon Brough, of London, and cousin to the Hons. Edward and S. H. Blake. The subject of this sketch was educated in Victoria University, Cobourg, where he graduated, and received the degree of B.A., in 1858. He was the valedictorian of his graduating class. Some five years thereafter he received the degree of M.A., and in 1885, that of D.D. He was received as a probationer for the ministry of the Wesleyan Methodist church in 1856, and received into full connection and ordained in 1860, at the conference in Kingston, held in the Sydenham Street Methodist Church, the Rev. Dr. Stinson being president. Dr. Parker has been stationed successively in the following places: Toronto, Montreal, Odelltown, Stanstead, Brantford, St. Catharines, London, Woodstock, Thorold, Chatham, St. Thomas, and is now (1888) pastor of the Spadina Avenue Methodist Church, Toronto. He was chairman of the following districts: Niagara, London, Brantford, Chatham and St. Thomas. He was twice elected president of the London Conference. His second election was in 1886, to the present London Conference, held in St. Thomas First Methodist Church, where he was then pastor. The first election was in 1883, when he was stationed in Chatham, and when the old London Conference covered nearly all the territory now embraced in the present, London, Niagara and Guelph conferences. He has been a member of all the general conferences of the Methodist church held in Toronto, Montreal, Hamilton, Belleville and Toronto, respectively. He was opposed to the lately consummated union of all the Methodist churches, because of points in the basis, and of the haste with which it was pushed. He has pronounced views in favor of university federation. He is a member of the Board of Regents of Victoria University. His political views have been largely in harmony with those of the Liberal party, but he is now convinced of the necessity of consolidating the temperance forces of Canada in a prohibitory party, as both the existing parties so far decline to adopt the entire abolition of the liquor traffic as a plank in their platform. He has travelled in several states of the Union, and visited England, Scotland, Ireland and France. In England he “did” the International Exhibition, visiting in Scotland, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the lakes; and in Ireland, besides several centres and the Lakes of Killarney, his father’s and mother’s native places. As a preacher, Dr. Parker is clear, forceful, eloquent, and eminently practical. He fearlessly attacks the vices of the age, while insisting strongly on the great Methodist doctrines of repentance, conversion, and the necessity of true, practical holiness of heart and life. He is a vigorous opponent of all forms of priestcraft and sacerdotalism. He is no theorizer, nor idealist, but a firm believer and teacher of the great truth, that the religion of the Lord Jesus is designed to meet and bless all the requirements of human life; that in all civil, political and social life, it is not only possible, but imperative, that God should be honored, and that as a nation we are responsible for obedience to all God’s laws. In September, 1863, he was married to Annie Sophia Ruston, of Montreal. She was a native of the ancient capital, Quebec, where her father was a grain and flour merchant. She had an aunt, sister of her father, who was the wife of a Methodist minister, the Rev. R. A. Flanders, and two sisters of her mother, wives of Revs. G. H. Davis and Dr. Cox. She has one sister the wife of a Methodist minister, Rev. Dr. S. J. Hunter, now of the Centenary Church, Hamilton. Her grandfather Ruston, a Yorkshire Methodist local preacher, was induced, while a resident of Odelltown, near Montreal, to assume pastoral work by a people there as “sheep without a shepherd.” He was made eminently useful, and when Dr. and Mrs. Parker were stationed there, their first circuit after marriage, they found several of the most devout and venerable members of the church, who had been brought to Christ through his ministrations. Dr. Parker’s wife early evidenced literary taste and ability, and has contributed several articles and tales to different periodicals. She is now responsible for editing the ladies’ department of the “Missionary Outlook,” published under the direction of the General Missionary Society of the Methodist Church. This ladies’ department is conducted in the interests of Women’s Missionary Society of the Methodist church. Dr. and Mrs. Parker have been blest with three children. One dear son was called to an early immortality, and his body rests in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto. A daughter and son are yet left with them, the eldest and youngest. The daughter is a graduate of Alma Ladies’ College, St. Thomas, in the Provincial Arts Department. She took two prizes in paintings, “Studies,” in the Industrial Exhibition, in this city, last autumn. The son is in the fifth form in Upper Canada College, and has proved a diligent and successful student. If spared he will pursue a university course.