Read, Rev. Philip Chesshyre, M.A., Professor of Classics, Bishop’s College, Lennoxville, Quebec province, was born on the 4th March, 1850, at Woodend, Hyde, Cheshire, England. His father, Rev. Alexander Read, B.A., late scholar of Trinity College, Dublin, was a descendant of an old Scotch family from Ayrshire, who settled in North of Ireland, in 1600. His mother, Anne Whiteway, is descended from a Devonshire family from Kingsteignton and Whiteway, and was a daughter of Philip Whiteway, J.P., of Runcorn, Cheshire, and Anne Chesshyre, of Rock Savage, his wife. Professor Read received his education in Manchester Grammar School from 1861 to 1867—being captain of the school in 1866. He then attended Lincoln College, Oxford, where he secured a brilliant record, and in 1872 was assistant lecturer in the college. In 1873 he was ordained by his lordship the Bishop of Salisbury. In 1872 he was appointed assistant master at Marlborough College; in 1874, secretary of the Church Council and examiner of schools under government in Barbadoes; in 1876, head master of the school at Newton, Lancashire; in 1877, rector of Bishop’s College, Lennoxville; in 1882, professor of Classics and Philosophy in Bishop’s College, Lennoxville; and in 1887 examiner to the Medical Board of the province of Quebec. In early life Professor Read began to take an interest in the volunteer movement, and was sub-lieutenant in the Oxford Rifle Volunteers. He is now captain of the school corps at Lennoxville. In 1886 and 1888 he occupied the position of chaplain in the Independent Order of Foresters. He has travelled a good deal, and found time to visit the West Indies, Spain, and several other foreign countries. In religion the professor belongs to the Episcopal church, and holds moderately broad views. On the 28th June, 1879, he was united in marriage to Helen Rosina, daughter of John W. McCallum, of Quebec, and Annie S. Brown, of Halifax, his wife. Mrs. Read is a lineal descendant of an old Scotch manufacturer who settled in Quebec shortly after the conquest of Canada. The fruit of the above union has been two promising children, Alexander Cuthbert Read, and Philip Austin Ottley Read.
Sterling, Alexander Addison, Fredericton, N.B., High Sheriff of the county of York, New Brunswick, was born on the 22nd of August, 1838, at St. Marys, York county. He is the third son of George Henly Sterling, and his wife Susan Elizabeth McLean, and grandson of Captain John Sterling and Captain Archibald McLean, who were both loyalists and served in the war of the American revolution, but eventually settled in New Brunswick. He was brought up on his father’s farm at St. Marys, and commenced his education at the local school, finishing his course of study at the Fredericton Grammar School. He has been engaged in farming and mercantile pursuits all his life, commencing his commercial career as clerk in a store at Fredericton, in 1852, where he remained until 1856. In 1857 he removed to Toronto, Ontario, being employed by Paterson & Sons, hardware merchants of that city. Relinquishing this position in 1858, he returned to New Brunswick, and commenced farming at Maugerville, Sunbury county, in partnership with his brother, the late George A. Sterling (who was elected a member of the Provincial legislature for the county of Sunbury, at the general election of 1882, but who died in October, 1883.) From 1864 to 1867 he represented the parish of Maugerville in the municipal council of the county of Sunbury, but during the latter year he removed to Fredericton, where he opened a general store, which was carried on for fifteen years, and in the year 1883 this was merged into a wholesale flour business, in which trade he is now successfully employed. He was married on the 12th of August, 1869, to Sarah Haws, daughter of John Haws, ship-builder, of Portland, St. John, N.B., and there have been six children issue of this marriage. Living in the cathedral city of his province he is a staunch member of the Episcopal church. He has been an energetic worker in the educational, parochial and municipal affairs, having been appointed a member of the Board of School Trustees for the city of Fredericton, in 1875, and also high sheriff for the county of York, in 1883, both of which offices he now holds. For a number of years he was connected with the temperance movement, and was an active member of the Order of the Sons of Temperance, and held the office of grand worthy patriarch for the province of New Brunswick, in 1876.
Torey, Edgar J., formerly Principal of the Hants County Academy at Windsor, N.S., is a native of Guysborough, N.S., where he was born about twenty-seven years ago. He attended the grammar school in his native town and studied with such diligence that at a very early age he passed the examination held under the Council of Public Instruction for grade B, or first-class male teacher’s diploma. He began to teach at the age of fifteen, and has since, with intervals of study, pursued that employment. He has taught in Amherst town, Hantsport, Hants Co., and in various other important schools in the province. Feeling the need of a thorough classical education, Mr. Torey availed himself of the advantages offered to gentlemen in the teaching profession by Dalhousie College, Halifax, N.S. He, like many other teachers, taught during the summer months and attended lectures in Dalhousie during the winter term, lasting from November to April. Pursuing this course for some years with success he took his degree of B.A. in 1882. He then took charge of the Victoria County Academy for one year, at the end of which period he resigned the principalship to accept a similar position in Guysborough, and won the encomiums of all with whom he came into contact, for careful and thorough teaching. In October, in the year 1884, the position of Principal in the Hants County Academy at Windsor, worth $850 a year, falling vacant, Mr. Torey applied for the situation and was selected from among a number of other applicants. The public schools were established in Windsor in the autumn of 1866, and now number eight departments. The position of Principal has been held by such educationists as S. S. Fisk; James Forrest, M.A.; J. L. Brown; Dr. Emdon Fritz; John F. Godfrey, B.A., and H. Elliott. The schools are thoroughly graded from the primary department and kindergarten up to the academy, which draws a special government allowance. A three years’ course is followed in the academy, embracing the classics and French, physics and the higher mathematics, and chemistry. The Principal, in addition to his labors in these branches and in preparing students for the matriculation examinations at the various provincial colleges, has a great deal of work to do in preparing and discussing questions for examination in the grading of all the schools. He also has a general supervision of the schools. The school is periodically visited by the county inspector, C. W. Roscoe, an experienced teacher, and also by Dr. David Allison, superintendent of education. Mr. Torey conducted the school with much success, and has fitted several students for college. After holding the position of Principal for three years he decided to adopt the profession of medicine as a permanent employment. His pupils heard of his approaching resignation with regret, and presented him with a valuable and handsome gold-headed cane, accompanied with an address. He resigned his position in October, 1887, and repaired to the University of New York, in the medical department of which he is preparing himself for his life work in the healing profession. He has the advantage of studying in one of the best equipped medical colleges in America, and one from which have graduated some of our best provincial medicos. He is pursuing his studies with great success and is very popular among his fellow-students.
Blackadar, Hugh William, Postmaster of the City of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was born at Halifax, March 4th, 1843. He is son of Hugh William Blackadar, proprietor and publisher of the Acadian Recorder, and Sophia Coleman. Educated under George Munro (now millionaire publisher of New York), then rector of the Free Church Academy, Halifax. He early in life took an active part in the conduct of the Acadian Recorder, and on the death of his father, June 13th, 1863, assumed the management of that journal, which he enlarged from a weekly to a tri-weekly, and subsequently to a daily. In 1864 Mr. Blackadar joined the volunteers, and subsequently held the rank of lieutenant in the third brigade Halifax artillery. He is a member of the Halifax Yacht Club. He was elected an alderman for Ward 4 in 1867, and was re-elected in 1870, serving altogether six years. Represented the city of Halifax as co-delegate with Mayor Stephen Tobin at the railroad convention held at Portland, Me., in 1868, and was one of the secretaries of the convention. In 1869 he was made magistrate for the city and county of Halifax; was a member of the Halifax Board of School Commissioners for five years from the reconstruction of that body in 1868; was appointed Queen’s printer of the province in 1869, and held that position under the Vail-Annand and Hill administrations till 1875. He was appointed postmaster of the city of Halifax Nov. 5th, 1874, by the Dominion government, which office he now holds. In religion he belongs to the Baptist denomination. He married, May 29th, 1866, Rachel Saxton, of Halifax.
Plumb, Hon. Josiah Burr, Speaker of the Senate of Canada. The country lost, by the sudden death of Senator Plumb, at Niagara, on the 12th of March, 1888, a gentleman possessed of excellent qualities as a man and as a politician. He was born on the 25th March, 1816, at East Haven, Connecticut, United States, where his father, an Episcopal clergyman, had charge of a parish. In 1845 he came to Canada, married a daughter of the late Samuel Street, and took up his residence at Niagara. For many years he lived in retirement, ample means rendering it unnecessary that he should take part in business, and it was not until 1874 that he turned his attention actively to politics. At that time Sir John Macdonald was passing through he darkest period of his political career, and it was more out of a chivalrous regard for the fallen leader than from any desire to achieve honors for himself that Mr. Plumb threw himself into the fight. In parliament and on the platform he was a most effective worker. He never for a moment spared himself, nor did he despair of success, though the outlook for his party and his leader up to the very day of the election in 1878 was never very bright. After that victory it was thought the indefatigable member for Niagara would receive for his services some recognition; but at that time this was not to be. Mr. Plumb continued to serve as a follower, and even consented in 1882 to the extinction, under the Redistribution Act, of the borough for which he sat. Having thus been legislated out of Niagara, he ran at the general election in the same year for North Wellington in the Conservative interest; but owing in part to the late hour at which he accepted the candidature, and in part to the personal popularity of his opponent, he suffered defeat. In the following year he was called to the Senate. As a senator he certainly made his mark. He brought to his task in that body a ripe parliamentary experience, a well-stored mind, and great fluency of speech. So highly appreciated was he by the ministerialists in the Senate and by the government that on the occasion of the withdrawal of Sir Alexander Campbell from the government, and pending the selection of a successor, he was asked to take charge of government measures in that chamber. The duty imposed upon him, it is hardly necessary to say, was performed most acceptably. Mr. Plumb’s elevation to the speakership of the Senate took place immediately after the general election of 1887. His wide information, dignified bearing, and fine social qualities made him a model president of the Upper House. Yet he has departed, as he might well have wished to do, full of years and honors. [For a more extended record of Mr. Plumb’s career, see the first series of this work.]