Masson, James, Q.C., Barrister, Owen Sound, Ontario, M.P. for North Grey, was born on the 17th February, 1847, in Seymour township, Northumberland county, Ontario. He is the eldest son of Thomas W. S. Masson, of Seymour, and grandson of Captain Thomas Masson, R.N., St. Andrews, Scotland. James Masson, the subject of this sketch, received his educational training in the public school of his native place and at the Grammar School, Belleville, and having selected law as a profession, he entered the office of W. H. Penton, Belleville, where he completed his legal studies. He was called to the bar of Ontario, Michaelmas term, 1871, and removing to Owen Sound, commenced the practice of his profession shortly afterwards, and has succeeded in building up a good business. He occupied the position of Master in Chancery at Owen Sound from 1873 to December, 1885; and in October, 1885, he was created a Queen’s counsel. In 1873 Mr. Masson first began to take an interest in politics, and at the general election of 1887 he was chosen to serve in the House of Commons at Ottawa as the representative of North Grey. He is a Liberal-Conservative in politics, and was for many years previous to this an advocate and supporter of the national policy. He served with the 15th battalion of volunteers at Prescott in 1866. He married in July, 1873, Jessie, fourth daughter of the Rev. D. Morrison, of Knox Church, Owen Sound.
Mills, John Burpee, M.P., of Annapolis, N.S., was born at Granville Ferry, in Annapolis county, 24th July, 1850. Granville Ferry is very prettily situated, being on the opposite side of the Annapolis river, about three miles from Annapolis Royal, the seat of so many historic associations. The country about there is occupied by many comfortable-looking, square-built, old English houses, built by military people in the days when Annapolis was a garrison town and the capital of Nova Scotia. There is a fine field for writers of imaginative literature in the early and even the later story of Annapolis. Of a pleasant afternoon in September there is no pleasanter drive to be enjoyed than that along the road from Bridgetown to Granville Ferry, on the right bank of the Annapolis river, when the tide is in. All along the highway is a succession of orchards of apples and plums. On the low meadows beside the river, stacks of hay stand on roughly made frameworks. The breeze comes down from the north mountain and sweeps through orchard and meadow. Mr. Mills belongs to a Baptist family and received his college education at Acadia College, Wolfeville, N.S., the headquarters of Baptist educational forces in the maritime provinces, which was founded and long sustained by the self-denying labors of “Father” Manning, Rev. Theodore Harding, the venerable and accomplished Dr. Crawley—who is still living near the seat of his life-long labors—Rev. Dr. Cramp, the historian of the Baptist denomination, and other able scholars and business men. Mr. Mills completed a successful course in May, 1871, when he took his bachelor’s degree, graduating with honors. He took an active interest in field sports whilst pursuing his studies with assiduity, and was for some terms captain of the college cricket eleven. In those days Acadia boasted a good cricket team, and in contests with elevens of neighboring towns, scored numerous victories. Continuing his love of Alma Mater after striking out in active life, in 1877 he presented himself again at old Acadia, and was honored with the degree of M.A. He has long been a member of the alumni of Acadia College. But before this he attended the law school of Harvard for one year, and completed his studies in law in Nova Scotia. He was called to the bar on 20th July, 1875. Immediately upon entering into business, he obtained a large practice which he still holds, being at the head of the firm of Mills & Gillies. They do a large business in conveyancing and real estate transactions. Mr. Mills’ father, John Mills, of Granville Ferry, is a merchant and shipbuilder, and the subject of this sketch is also largely interested in shipping. He has for some years taken a great interest in politics, and two years previous to the last Dominion general election, was nominated as candidate of the Conservative party in Annapolis county. He at once entered upon the canvass, and for a year previous to the election devoted much of his time to political work. His opponent was Colonel W. H. Ray, a man widely known and popular in the county, and then representing it at Ottawa. Parties are pretty evenly matched in Annapolis, and a candidate’s work is never easy there. Mr. Mills canvassed the county thoroughly, visiting every section of it, and seeing the leading men everywhere. In the May election for the local house in 1886, one Liberal, Attorney-General Longley, and one Conservative, Frank Andrews, were returned by very narrow majorities. The question of Repeal had decided the local contest in favor of the Liberals, and it was not known how far the same cry might prevail in the Dominion election. Mr. Mills secured 1758 votes, against 1730 polled by Col. Ray. He took his seat in the House of Commons last winter as a supporter of the government. As yet he has not taken a leading part in the debates, but with experience, may be expected to give a good account of himself in the political arena. At Ottawa it is only the men of many fights as a rule that are expected often to address the House. The principal part of every debate is by mutual consent relegated to the acknowledged leaders on either side, and younger and less practical statesmen have opportunities of studying the moves in the play of the principals. While devoting so much of his time to law and politics, Mr. Mills has taken an interest in most of the business enterprises of his native town, and is a director in several local corporations. A large part of the apple crop of the Annapolis valley is exported from Annapolis Royal. There is a direct line of steamers plying between the town, Portland, Me., and Boston. The town has suffered much from the ravages of fire, otherwise it would be one of the largest and most flourishing towns in the province, its natural resources and advantages being so great, and public-spirited citizens having at various times expended large sums of money in many business and industrial enterprises. Mr. Mills was a member of the municipal council from 1882 to 1887. He married, 23rd Oct., 1878, Bessie, daughter of A. W. Corbett, of Annapolis.
Roy, Rouer Joseph, Q.C., Barrister, Montreal, was born on the 7th January, 1821, in Montreal, province of Quebec. His father was Joseph Roy, who represented the city of Montreal in the Quebec legislature, before 1837. On the occasion of his death, which occurred in 1856, the Hon. Joseph Papineau thus spoke of him:—“The one we have lost has left us none but noble examples to imitate, and not one act or one word that requires to be excused.” His mother, Miss Lusignan, belonged to a family of Italian origin, which was allied to the noble house of the Rouer de Villeroy of France. Mr. Roy, the subject of our sketch, was educated at the Montreal College, where he took a full classical course, under Messire Baile, completing his studies in 1838. He then began the study of law under the Hon. M. O’Sullivan, formerly solicitor-general for Lower Canada, and afterwards chief justice of Quebec. On Mr. Sullivan being elevated to the bench as chief justice in 1840, Mr. Roy continued his studies under the Hon. Andrew Stuart, also one of the solicitor-generals of the province, and completed them some eighteen months before he became of age. He was called to the bar of Quebec in February, 1842. After a brilliant career as a barrister and leading attorney, he was, in 1862, appointed joint city attorney for the city of Montreal, and acted in that capacity up to the year 1876, when he became the sole legal adviser of the city, which position he still holds. In 1856 he was unanimously elected by his brother barristers syndic of the bar of Quebec, which position he held for four years. He was appointed Queen’s counsel in 1864, and since 1864 he has been president of the library committee of the bar. In 1887 he was elected bâtonnier of the bar of Quebec. He was appointed by the Fabrique, in 1870, churchwarden of the parish of Notre Dame. This is an honor conferred upon a very limited and selected number of persons, Mr. Roy being only the second member of the profession who has held this honorable position. He is a linguist of no mean ability, is a thorough Latin and Italian scholar, is well versed in Greek lore, and is familiar with the English language, as well as his native French. He was a captain of the Voltigeurs in 1849, shortly after the burning of the parliament buildings in Montreal. During his career as a practising barrister, he had the important case of Grant vs. Beaudry, arising out of the Orange troubles of 1878, which was carried to the Supreme Court and there decided in favor of his client. He has been intrusted with several cases before Her Majesty’s Privy Council in England, notably the St. James street case, which was the cause of much excitement at the time, also the case of Castonguay and LeClere, and more particularly the case of Lachevrotiere dit Chavigny and the city of Montreal. This case arose out of a dispute with regard to one of the principal squares of the city. Mr. Roy was married on the 22nd of January, 1857, to Corinne Beaudry, daughter of the Hon. Jean Beaudry, who, for many years was a member of the Legislative Council of Canada, and mayor of the city of Montreal. Mr. Roy has a family of eight children, seven daughters and a son, who to-day ranks among the rising civil engineers of Canada.
Weeks, Otto Swartz, Halifax, Nova Scotia, M.P.P. for the county of Guysborough, is a native of Nova Scotia. His father was the Rev. Otto Weeks, a clergyman of the Church of England, who entered King’s College, Windsor, in the year 1820, and graduated B.A. in 1824, taking his degree of M.A. in 1827. The family is of New England extraction. Mr. Weeks received his early education in Halifax and studied law with A. James, judge in equity for Nova Scotia. His talents attracted the attention of the late Hon. Joseph Howe, who took a great interest in his progress. Mr. Weeks began life as a newspaper reporter, and it being one of his duties to report the speeches in the House of Assembly during the palmy days of provincial eloquence and statesmanship, when giants like the late Hon. J. W. Johnston, George R. Young, William Young, late Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, James B. Uniacke, Joseph Howe, Herbert Huntingdon, and many others strove for the honors, limited enough, which the province had to offer, he early acquired a style of colloquial and forensic speaking which materially aided him in later life. He was admitted to the bar, 28th November, 1853, began practice at Brooklin, Hants county, but shortly removed to Windsor, the shire town and seat of the courts and public offices. Here he built up an extensive practice, his partner for some years being his cousin, John W. Ouseley, at present clerk of the House of Assembly. His business extended over the counties of Hants, Kings and Annapolis, and he became leader of the midland circuit, having for opponents at the bar, among others, John C. Hall, Hiram Blanchard, Hon. John W. Ritchie, ex-equity judge, and Hon. James McDonald, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia. His wife is Miss Ruggles, a sister of T. W. Ruggles, barrister, of Bridgetown, Annapolis county, N.S. Mr. Weeks has always been identified with the Liberal party, and in December, 1874, was invited to fill the office of attorney-general in the government of which Hon. P. Carteret Hill, D.C.L., was premier. He at once took the field in the constituency of Guysborough, and having for an opponent Captain Hadley, a well-known local politician, was elected by a narrow majority in 1875. After this victory, Hon. P. C. Hill, Mr. Weeks, and others, made a tour of the western counties holding public meetings in Windsor and Bridgetown. Mr. Weeks brought great strength to the government, especially in the debates in the house, where his most formidable antagonist was Douglas B. Woodworth, ex M.P. for King’s county, Nova Scotia. He held the office of attorney-general for one year when he resigned it, but still kept his seat in the house, and maintained his reputation as a keen and incisive debater. At the general election in 1878 Mr. Weeks again contested Guysborough but was defeated, there being a third Liberal candidate, D. C. Fraser, of New Glasgow, N.S., in the field. After assuming the duties of the attorney-generalship, Mr. Weeks relinquished his practice in Windsor, and removed to Halifax where he has since resided. At the general election of 1882 and 1886 he was elected for Guysborough. In former years he occasionally came before the public as a lecturer on literary topics, and always with marked success. Among his lyceum efforts delivered in Windsor may be mentioned those on Music and on the modern English poets. He excels as a reciter of poetry, and has a keen appreciation of the beauties of English literature. Although a great admirer of Hon. Joseph Howe, when that gentleman engaged in the famous campaign of 1869, after accepting a seat in the cabinet of Sir John A. Macdonald, Mr. Weeks took the stump against him and met him on many platforms in the county. As a lawyer he possesses the most wide-spread reputation of any man in the province, having great influence with juries. His manner is very deliberate, but gives added force to the pungency of his repartees, in making which he has no equal in Nova Scotia. He has not been prominently connected with any of the social movements of the time, although he took some degree of interest, in its early days, of the volunteer movement. His whole attention has been absorbed in the struggles of politics and the practice of his profession. A bill which passed the house whilst he was a member of the Hill government gave rise to the somewhat celebrated Great Seal Case of 1877. The point was raised by J. Norman Ritchie, now one of the judges of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, as to whether the local legislature could interfere with the precedence which his letters patent as Queen counsel appointed by the Canadian Government. This question was decided, after being argued with great ability by the full benches of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia and of Canada, in favor of Mr. Ritchie’s precedence.
Purcell, Patrick, M.P. for Glengarry, was born in Glengarry, Ont., May 1st, 1833. He unites in himself the best qualities of the two great branches of the Celtic race, his father having been a native of Kilkenny, Ireland, while his mother was from the Western Highlands of Scotland, a native of Argyleshire. He had but slight educational advantages in his youth, and, though quick of perception and remarkable from an early age for great shrewdness, was not of a temperament to be much improved by the merely literary methods of the schools. Had he been privileged in his younger days to attend some institutions such as the great technical colleges of today, in which not the memory only but the perceptive faculties and manual abilities are trained and developed, he would undoubtedly have made even a greater mark in life than he has done. But in the great technical school of life in which he had to make his own way from an early age, Mr. Purcell secured a training which has brought him out as one of Canada’s most remarkable citizens. When but 19 years of age Mr. Purcell married Isabella McDonald, daughter of Angus McDonald, a Glengarry farmer. Beginning life as a laborer, he worked his way rapidly forward until he began to take small contracts on his own account on some of the works on which he was employed. While still a young man he was the sole contractor on some important government works such as great capitalists band together to undertake. In this respect he is a worthy son of Glengarry. It is hard to say what America, and especially Canada, would have done to carry on its remarkable industrial development had they not had such shrewd, hard-working, responsible men as the great contractors who have come out of Glengarry. Dozens of names could be mentioned, and many will suggest themselves to the mind of the reader who is at all acquainted with the history of great public works in America. But among them all, none has shown more remarkable qualities as a business man or earned more signal success than Patrick Purcell. Among the great works which he has constructed are St. Peter’s Canal, Nova Scotia; section 21 of the Intercolonial Railway; 250 miles of the Canadian Pacific Railway west of Port Arthur (this last a work of greater difficulty under the circumstances probably than any section of railway of equal length in the world), and many others both in Canada and the United States. In the last general election he was elected to the Commons in the Liberal interest for his native county of Glengarry after a hard contest, his opponent being the sitting member, Mr. Donald McMaster, also a native of the county. The seat has been contested, and at this writing the case is still pending before the Supreme Court. Mr. Purcell is not only a shrewd business man, but a man of broad and generous sympathies. He uses his great wealth to help his friends, loaning money at nominal interest in a way to win the gratitude of many men who but for him would find it impossible to get a good start in life. He also gives large sums for charitable and benevolent purposes. In religion Mr. Purcell is a Roman Catholic.