Ellis, Jas. E., of the firm of Jas. E. Ellis & Co., jewellers, Toronto, was born in the city of Liverpool, England, on the 22nd of February, 1842. The firm of which he is now a member was founded in 1836 by the Rossin Brothers, and was purchased from them by his father, Jas. E. Ellis, sen., in 1852 since which time it has been successfully carried on, and is now one of the leading diamond and jewellery houses in Canada, having moved to their present fine and commodious premises in 1881. Our subject was educated at Upper Canada College, which he left in 1857. In 1859 he went to the Red River settlement, where he remained until 1862, hunting and trading with the native population. On his return he became an active member of the firm, and since that time has taken a leading part in the management of its affairs. Being at all times partial to out-door sports, the subject of this sketch became one of the Edrol four-oared crew, in the days when races were races (of four miles), and rowed against all comers. The Edrol Crew defeated the best professional crew on the lakes in those days. This crew became the foundation stone, as it were, of the Toronto Rowing Club, the stroke oar of the Edrols being now Lieutenant-Colonel Otter. Mr. Ellis is a member of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, the Toronto Yacht Club, the National Club, and Granite Rink. Being an enthusiastic yachtsman he is always ready to splice a rope or spin a yarn. He was one of the original members of the Toronto Field Battery, as well as a member of No. 1 company of rifles, which was organized by Captain Brook, and from which the Queen’s Own sprang. He also acted as ensign in No. 1 company 10th Royals in 1864-5. He is a member of the Toronto Board of Trade, and a life member of the Athenæum Club, Toronto. In politics he is a Liberal-Conservative, and in religion belongs to the Church of England.
ADDENDA.
The following changes, alterations, and additions have come to our knowledge since this work has been printed: —
Angers, Hon. August Réal, appointed lieutenant-governor of the province of Quebec, 20th October, 1887. (See sketch of his life, [page 242].)
Baillairgé, Louis de Gonzague, Quebec. (See sketch of his life, [page 252].) Add: The church donated by him to Pointe aux Esquimaux, on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, below Tadoussac, was built towards 1886. The house wherein General Montgomery died, 1st January, 1776, and which still exists, belongs to him, and is on the north side of Louis street, in the vicinity of the City Hall, Quebec. It is built partly of timber and stone, on a lot 20¾ feet in width by 148½ feet in depth, between the houses of Judge Tessier and Michael Collins; is one storey in height with an attic, and is kept in repair from year to year. The room wherein the general died has not been altered. The house is let to a person who sells Indian curiosities to American tourists. Part of the old shingles on the roof were removed and replaced by sheet iron. These shingles were cut into small pieces, labelled and sold to the Americans by the guardian of the City Hall at ten cents each. In the yard still stands an oven which was built by the original proprietor, M. Botherill, who was a baker.
Bingay, Thomas Van Buskirk, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. (See sketch of his life, [page 550].) In the 20th line of the sketch strike out “at the siege of Saratoga,” and substitute the words, “in his expedition to New London.”
Burns, Rev. Robert Ferrier, D.D., Halifax, elected moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Canada, June, 1887. (See sketch of his life on [page 40].)
Chabot, Julien, Harbour Commissioner, Quebec. (See sketch of his life, [page 381].) He was married in 1857, not in 1858, as appears in his sketch.
Edgar, William, General Passenger Agent, Grand Trunk Railway, Montreal. (See sketch of his life, [page 664].) Omit the words from “when he,” on the 21st line, to the words “Western line,” on the 27th line, and read, “when he was removed to New York to take charge of the passenger department of the general extension of the Great Western and Michigan Central Railways, regaining in that position until November, 1875, when he was offered and accepted the office of general passenger agent of the Great Western Railway, with head quarters at Hamilton.” Add to the words “Grand Trunk Railway,” on the 30th line, “which included the Great Western system.”