Flynn, Hon. Edmund James, Q.C., LL.D., Quebec, M.P.P. for Gaspé county, is a native of the county he so ably represents in the Quebec legislature, having been born at Percé, on the 16th of November, 1847. His father, the late James Flynn, who was of Irish descent, was during his lifetime a trader and farmer in Percé, the place of his birth. His mother, Elizabeth Tostevin, was also a native of Percé, though her father was from the island of Guernsey, one of the English channel islands in Europe. The Hon. Mr. Flynn was educated at the Quebec Seminary, and at the Laval University, Quebec, graduating with honours, having taken at Laval the degree of master-in-law (LL.L.), in July, 1873. And Laval again, in 1878, presented him with the degree of LL.D. He adopted law as a profession, and in September, 1873, he was called to the bar of Quebec, and has ever since continued to practice as barrister, etc., in the ancient capital. Previous to this time, he, from 1867 to 1869, held the positions of deputy-registrar, deputy-prothonotary, deputy-clerk of the Circuit Court of the Crown and of the Peace, for the county of Gaspé, conjointly with that of secretary-treasurer of Percé municipality. He has been a professor of Roman law in Laval University since 1874. From the 29th of October, 1879, to the 31st of July, 1882, he was commissioner of Crown Lands for the province of Quebec; commissioner of Railways, from the 11th of February, 1884, till July, 1885, and solicitor-general from 12th May, 1885, till the 20th of January, 1887. The Hon. Mr. Flynn was made a Queen’s counsel in 1887. He has taken an active part in political affairs for the past fourteen years, and has been a candidate at eight different elections for Gaspé county. First in 1874, when he presented himself as a candidate for a seat in the House of Commons at Ottawa, but afterwards withdrew from the field when he was made a professor in Laval University, considering it incompatible to hold both offices. Again in 1875 and 1877, for the Quebec legislature, when he was defeated after a very severe contest, there being only small majorities against him, especially in 1877. This election he contested, and unseated his opponent; and the following year, on the 29th of April, he was elected by acclamation. On his entering the Chapleau cabinet in the fall of 1879, as commissioner of Crown Lands, he was again elected by acclamation. At the general election held in 1881, Mr. Flynn was once more elected by acclamation. On his accepting office in the Ross cabinet in 1884, which necessitated an appeal to the electorate, he was stoutly opposed by Major John Slous, but he beat this gentleman by a majority of 988 votes. At the general election held in October, 1886, he once more presented himself for election, and was returned by acclamation by his old friends at Gaspé. The Hon. Mr. Flynn has always been in principle a Liberal-Conservative. By his struggles in the county of Gaspé, he has succeeded in securing for the electors complete freedom and independence in the exercise of their franchise, which had been affected by the interference of certain large commercial firms. In the legislature the part played by Hon. Mr. Flynn has been most prominent as regards constitutional questions in particular. He has won for himself the well-deserved reputation of being a strong and energetic upholder of constitutional liberty; in proof of this it will suffice to refer to his noble and manly defence of the liberty of the press in the case of the Nouvelliste, in 1885, and his most eloquent speech on the question of Home Rule for Ireland, etc. His attention has been given to many other subjects of importance, such as that of colonization, which he has always and ever endeavoured to promote. He is the author of a homestead law for the benefit of settlers. His administration of the crown lands was marked with an increase in the revenue, increase in the value of timber limits, mineral lands,—and by many useful rules and regulations, calculated to promote colonization and the welfare of the many persons in the province who are occupiers of crown lands. Many other important measures were framed by him and carried through the legislature through him, namely: The Quebec General Mining Act of 1880; several acts concerning the crown lands, railways, the protection of forests, and encouragement of planting of trees, etc. He has also always taken a most lively interest in the question of the construction of a railway from Metapedia, on the Intercolonial Railway to Paspébiac and Gaspé Basin. Grants in land were secured in 1882, whilst he was commissioner of Crown Lands, and the same were converted into money grants under his auspices as commissioner of railways. He believes that in the construction of this line rests the future welfare of the population of the Gaspé peninsula. His travels have been always directed towards the acquisition of a complete knowledge of Canada, and the different parts thereof. In religion he is a Roman Catholic. He was married on the 11th May, 1875, to Maria Mathilde Augustine, daughter of Augustin Coté, editor of Le Journal de Québec, and niece to the late Hon. Joseph Cauchon, heretofore lieutenant-governor of Manitoba, etc. He has had eight children, of whom six are still living. He resides in Quebec city.
Hanington, Hon. Daniel L., Q.C., M.P.P. for the county of Westmoreland, residence, Dorchester, New Brunswick, was born at Shediac, N.B., on the 27th June, 1835. His father, Colonel Hanington, was for long years a member of the Assembly and Legislative Council of New Brunswick; and his mother Margaret Peters, a daughter of William Peters, a U. E. loyalist, who for years represented Queens county in the New Brunswick legislature. Daniel, the subject of this sketch, received a Grammar School and academic education at Shediac and Sackville, in his native county. After leaving school he commenced the study of law with Charles Fisher, attorney-general, of Fredericton, and finished with Judge A. L. Palmer, of Dorchester; was called to the bar of New Brunswick in 1861; and on the 11th November, 1881, was appointed a Queen’s counsel. Mr. Hanington has been very successful in his profession, and has a large practice in the courts of his native province, and as counsel in Nova Scotia and in the Supreme Court of the Dominion. From 1867 to 1870 he occupied the position of clerk of circuits and clerk of the county court of Westmoreland, when he resigned those offices to contest the election of that year, and was chosen to represent the county of Westmoreland in the New Brunswick House of Assembly. He sat therein until the summer of 1874, when on again appealing for re-election, he was defeated on the “Bible and religious instruction in the Common Schools” question, which he advocated. However, he was again chosen at the general elections of 1878, 1882, and 1886, to represent his old constituency. In July, 1878, he was appointed a member of the Executive Council; and on the 25th May, of the year 1882, he became premier. In February, 1883, he resigned office with his colleagues. Mr. Hanington has always taken a deep interest in educational matters, and for about seventeen years was a school trustee. In politics he is a Liberal of the old New Brunswick school of politicians; is a supporter of the Liberal-Conservative government at Ottawa, and took an active part in the last Dominion election. He is an adherent of the Episcopal church, which he represents in the Diocesan and also the Provincial Synod. In October, 1861, Hon. Mr. Hanington was married to Emily Myers, daughter of Thomas Robert Wetmore, barrister-at-law, and judge of probate, Gagetown, N.B. The fruits of this marriage have been seven children, three sons and four daughters.
Mellish, John Thomas, M.A., Halifax, Nova Scotia, was born at Pownal, Prince Edward Island, on January 26th, 1841. He is the eldest son of the late James Lewis Mellish, of the same place, and Margaret Sophia, his wife, daughter of John Murray, formerly of Tullamore, Ireland; grandson of Thomas Mellish, known in his day as “a most loyal British subject, and a devoted adherent of the Church of England;” and great grandson of Thomas Mellish, an officer of the British army, and member of an old and highly respectable English family, who settled on Prince Edward Island in 1770. Captain Mellish was for many years provost marshal or sheriff of the island, collector of customs, and a member of the Legislative Assembly. An interesting trial took place at Charlottetown, in the early part of 1779, arising from his seizure of the convoy ship Duchess of Gordon, for smuggling. He took an active interest in the defence of the colony during the American war, and was on military duty, assisting in raising troops at Halifax and Fort Cumberland, during the winter of 1779-80, returning to the island in the following spring. James Lewis Mellish, the father of John Thomas Mellish, died on the 14th June, 1886, in the seventy-ninth year of his age. His mother, a native of New York, was a daughter of the late James Lewis Hayden, J.P., a loyalist, who removed from Shelburne, N.S., to the island in 1785, having left New York in 1783. A newspaper extract says: “We have to record the death of one of our oldest and most highly respected citizens. James L. Mellish, Esq., late of Pownal, departed this life on the 14th inst., at the residence of his son, Stewiacke, N.S., whither he had gone a short time before on a visit. His remains were brought home for interment. In his death the community loses a most worthy and upright citizen. Energy, strength and integrity were united in his character. From his youth up he was a devoted and active member and office-holder of the Methodist church. He spent his life for the most part on his farm at the place of his birth. Mr. Mellish married, March 25th, 1840, Miss Margaret Sophia Murray, a lady of strong mind and superior attainments, of whose companionship he was deprived by death about ten years ago. Their married life was blessed with ten children, each one of whom is to-day occupying a position of usefulness and responsibility.” John Thomas Mellish, the subject of our sketch, was educated at Prince of Wales College, Charlottetown, and Mount Allison College, Sackville, New Brunswick, and holds from the latter the degrees of B.A. and M.A. On the opening of Cumberland County Academy, Amherst, Nova Scotia, in 1865, Mr. Mellish, who had been teaching at Guysborough, was selected to fill the position of head master, but resigned in 1870, in order to accept a situation in Mount Allison College and Male Academy, and was head master of this academy from 1871 to 1874. In the latter year, he was appointed on his own terms to the principalship of Albro Street School, Halifax, the largest school in the province. At the close of 1880, the strain of constant school work on Mr. Mellish’s health compelled him to place his resignation in the hands of the Halifax school commissioners, although that body the year before had raised his salary for the third time, and designated him to the position in the High School, vacated by the late Dr. H. A. Bayne, on his appointment to the Royal Military College, Kingston. Official records and reports testify to the great value of Mr. Mellish’s services in the cause of education. The Superior School grant was awarded to him when at Guysborough, his school being ranked as best in the county. While in charge of the academy at Amherst, he prepared a large number of students to matriculate in the different colleges, and a still larger number to pass the examinations for teachers’ licenses, from the academy or grade A license down. The last year he was at Mount Allison, it was found necessary to add six additional dormitories, in order to accommodate the increased number of boarders in the academy. Mr. Mellish has in his possession not less than a dozen complimentary addresses and quite a number of pieces of plate, books, &c., presented to him by his pupils, on anniversary and other occasions. In the summer of 1874, he made the tour of Great Britain and Ireland, and has since delivered on many occasions a lecture entitled, “My Visit to Scotland.” He frequently lectures on different subjects, and contributes to the newspaper press; is the author of various papers and pamphlets on educational and kindred topics, and of several papers on scientific subjects, published in the Transactions of the Nova Scotia Institute of Natural Science; is a member of the institute, and was associate secretary with the Rev. D. Honeyman, D.C.L., in 1875-80; has been president of the Teachers’ Institutes, at different places; is a magistrate, and a local examiner of the University of London; was for several years a vice-president of the Halifax Young Men’s Christian Association; and is a lay preacher of the Methodist church. Mr. Mellish married, July 18th, 1867, Martha Jane, only surviving daughter of the late Benjamin Chappell, of Charlottetown. They have six children living,—Arthur, Alfred Ernest, Mary Sophia, Anne Elizabeth, Martha Louise, and Frances, and one, John Thomas, died in infancy. All the children old enough are going to school. Arthur belongs to No. 3 Co., 82nd battalion militia, and with his company was called out and ordered to proceed to the front during the North-West rebellion. Every preparation was made to start, but after the company had been in barracks about a fortnight, the order was countermanded on account of the capture of Riel. Mr. Mellish has four brothers and five sisters: Rev. I. M. Mellish, Methodist minister, Nova Scotia conference, formerly captain in reserve militia; H. Pope, farmer, Stewiacke; James Roland, chief agent British American Book and Tract Society, Halifax; Humphrey, mathematical master, Pictou Academy, B.A., of Dalhousie College, matriculated with honours, first division in London University; Anne, wife of J. L. Archibald, J.P., of Halifax; Catharine Douglas, wife of Philip Large, Charlottetown; Mary (widow of the late A. N. Archibald, of Halifax), chief preceptress Mount Allison Ladies’ College, Sackville, New Brunswick; Martha Janet, and Margaret Elizabeth, unmarried.
Moody, Rev. John Thomas Tidmarsh, D.D., Rector of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. This deceased divine was born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 25th of March, 1804. His father, John Moody, who was one of the earliest merchants of Halifax, was born in New York, June 19th, 1779. His great grandfather, John Moody, was born in London, and also his grandfather, Thomas Moody, were loyalists. The family came to Nova Scotia about the year 1783. His mother was Mary R. Tidmarsh, of Halifax. His parents were married in 1800, and both lived to a great age, Mr. Moody to his 92nd and Mrs. Moody to her 86th year. The Rev. Dr. Moody received his education at King’s College, Windsor; took his B.A. degree in 1824; M.A. in 1833, and had the degree of D.D. (hon.) conferred, at the Encœnia of 1883, only a few months before his death. He was ordained deacon by the Rt. Rev. John Inglis, D.D., bishop of Nova Scotia, who also ordained him priest in the following year. Immediately after his ordination as deacon, he was appointed to the rectorship of Liverpool, N.S., where he succeeded the Rev. W. Twining, the first rector, and had charge of this parish for nearly twenty years. His work was largely of a missionary character throughout the county of Queens; and he was also chairman of the board of school commissioners during that time. Before leaving Liverpool he had the satisfaction of seeing his parish church much enlarged, two chapels and several school-houses erected in the rural districts, and the communicants increased from 19 to 200. Rev. Dr. Moody’s second appointment was that of rector of Yarmouth, in 1846. This position he held to the time of his death, which took place, suddenly, of apoplexy, on the morning of the 18th of October, 1883. During this period he saw the number of communicants in his parish more than trebled, and baptized, during his ministry of fifty-one years, considerably over 2,000 persons. The present parish church, which bears the name of Holy Trinity, was consecrated in 1872 by the late Rt. Rev. Hibbert Binney, D.D., bishop of Nova Scotia. It is a very handsome brick structure, in the early English period of architecture, and will seat about 700 persons. There are also two handsome school-houses in this parish. The church property is valued at about $40,000. One of the most pleasing events of his later years was the celebration of his golden wedding, on Tuesday, 14th of September, 1880. His surviving children were all present on that occasion. His parishioners and other friends took that opportunity of presenting him and his estimable wife with a cordial address, accompanied with a valuable present, as a slight token of their affectionate respect. We quote the following from his obituary notice, which appeared in the Yarmouth Herald of Oct. 25th, 1883: —
Surrounded by his sorrowing family, his sainted spirit passed into the eternal sunlight before sickness had weakened his frame, or age had dimmed his faculties. He died in the eightieth year of his age, beloved and honored not merely in the church of which, for thirty-seven years continuously, he had been pastor, not in the wide family circle with which he was connected, but universally wherever he was known, by people of all ages, classes, and creeds. A well-rounded, complete, and in many respects beautiful life had come to its close. Nothing was lacking to the completion of his work. Dr. Moody was, in many respects, a unique and singularly attractive character. As a preacher his manner was expressive of sincerity of thought, love for his people, and a deep desire to do good, which impressed alike the thoughtless and the reverend. His discourses were simple in outline, clear and unambiguous in expression, and pervaded with the profoundest piety and love for souls. His manner was singularly benignant and attractive, and his presence amid scenes of sorrow and suffering was always effective and consoling. His rendering of the noble ritual of the church has ever been marked for its power and pathos, his voice being rich, full, harmonious, and exquisitely modulated, without the least appearance of study or affectation. There seemed very little alloy of human passion in his humanity; the closer the acquaintance the more complete, happy and more fully satisfactory appeared the soul of the man as thus revealed to the observer. He was firm in his adherence to the rules and principles of his own communion, and conscientious to a degree, in insisting upon their observance by all who sought his advice or his sympathy, but he was broad in his sympathies and generous in his charities, as well. Among all denominations he was beloved and reverenced for his high-mindedness, his courtesy, his unvarying avoidance of all unseemly controversies, and his evident anxiety to promote affection and harmony among men of all creeds. His manner was dignified, but winning; old and young alike were attracted to him, recognizing instinctively, that he was a Christian and a gentleman, and that his kindly interest in them came from the sincere depths of a genuinely good nature.
He joined
Each office of the social hour