Bell, Clarence A. H. (Toronto, Ont.), Clerk in Chambers, Supreme Court of Ontario, Osgoode Hall, son of Alexander Bell, M.D., whose father, James B. Bell, was for many years Registrar of the County of Lanark at Perth. Born at Oshawa, May 3, 1869, removing shortly thereafter to Lakefield, Co. Peterborough. Educated at Lakefield public school and Peterborough Collegiate Institute. He married Louise Ella, daughter of the late John Brown, of Lloydtown, June 24, 1893, and has two children, Sybil Irene and Arthur Armstrong (formerly a signaller in France). He entered the Department of Attorney-General under the late Sir Oliver Mowat, May, 1887, and was transferred to the Central Office, Osgoode Hall, 1896, receiving the appointment of Clerk in Chambers, June, 1917. Mr. Bell is an active member of many fraternal societies, being P.C., Knights of Pythias; High Chief Ranger, Independent Order of Foresters; representative on several occasions at the National Fraternal Congress of America; member of Ionic Lodge, A.F. & A.M. and St. Patrick’s Chapter; member Royal Arcanum; Chosen Friends; L.O.L. and Preceptory, R.B.K. For many years he has been active in church work (Anglican Church), being a member of the Executive Committee, Diocese of Toronto; Dominion President for several years of Anglican Young People’s Association; Secretary of Diocesan Lay Readers’ Association; President many years of Progressive Bible Class—at one time one of the largest Bible classes in Canada. He is publisher of the “Circuit Guide,” a compendium issued half-yearly for the use of judges and lawyers. To the average man, the above-mentioned associations would appear almost sufficient to occupy his spare time; but not so with Mr. Bell, whose activity seems almost infinite, for he is an enthusiastic student of astronomy and the history of ancient Egypt, upon both of which subjects he has given frequent lectures. But the safety-valve of his unusually active life is probably to be found in the even balance he maintains between mental, social, and religious pursuits on the one hand, and an ardent—always ardent and active in everything—love of wild animals, wild birds, wild flowers, camping, woodmanship and canoeing, at which he is an expert. All his available holidays are spent near nature’s heart at his summer house in the northern part of Peterborough County where he breathes in ozone, puts on tan, relaxes and strengthens his muscles, and augments his optimism in preparation for the following season of busy city life. His city residence is 563 Gladstone Avenue.
Brossoit, Numa Edouard, K.C. (Valleyfield, P.Q.), son of Thomas Brossoit, K.C., Advocate, and Rose Anne Sabourin, daughter of late Dr. Moise Sabourin of Beauharnois, P.Q. He is brother-in-law of Hon. Justice Wilfred Mercier; G. A. Marsan, K.C., Advocate; Ludger Codebecq, K.C., Advocate, and Dr. Charles Ovide Ostiguy. Was born at Melocheville on the 23rd of August 1875. Educated at the Seminaire de St. Hyacinthe and McGill University, Montreal, from which latter institution he graduated in June, 1897, with the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law. Married to Hectorine Mailloux, daughter of late Ovide Mailloux, Architect of the City of Montreal, on the 26th day of September, 1899. His wife died on the 31st day of October, 1915. Mr. Brossoit is the father of the following children: Laurette, Hermance, Irma, Pauline Eliane and Marcelle. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus Council 1180, 4th Degree Member; Catholic Order of Foresters; Canadian Order of Foresters; Alliance Nationale; Artisans; Union St. Pierre, and Union St. Joseph. He is Vice-Provincial Chief Ranger of the Provincial Court of Quebec of the Catholic Order of Foresters. He is one of the promoters—and is Vice-President—of the society, “The Fonds de Secours des Foresters Catholiques de la Province de Quebec,” organized on the 17th day of January, 1917 and duly incorporated on September 19, 1918. He is a Roman Catholic in religion and a Liberal in politics. He practised his profession with his father, the late Thomas Brossoit, K.C., from 1897 to June, 1905, and since the death of his father in that year he has practised alone. He has a large practice and is an advocate. King’s Counsel April, 1914. For many years he was one of the editors of “La Revue de Jurisprudence” and is a contributor to “Le Progres de Valleyfield.” Was Crown Attorney for the District of Beauharnois in 1907; Revisor of Electoral List for the city of Valleyfield since 1915 and Recorder of the City of Valleyfield since June 28th, 1909. His principal recreations are motoring, yachting, hunting and fishing.
Petrie, Harry David, is one of the leading barristers and financiers of Hamilton, Ont. He was born at Oakville, Ont., in 1869, the son of Adam and Margaret (Paterson) Petrie. He was educated at the Simcoe (Ont.) High School and the Ontario Law School, Toronto. He read law with C. E. Barber of Simcoe in 1888, and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1893. In 1898 he formed a legal partnership with Lieut.-Colonel Atkinson, M.P.P., at Simcoe, which continued until 1902, when he removed to Toronto, and for two years practised as partner of the late Hon. S. C. Biggs, K.C. Since 1904 he has practised in Hamilton, and has offices at 28 James Street. During his residence in Simcoe, he was a town councillor from 1900 to 1902, but has not since been a candidate for public office. His commercial and financial interests in the Hamilton district are very wide. He is Vice-President of the Ontario Yarn Company, Ltd., and also very extensively interested in real estate. He is director of the following realty companies:—Graham Land Company, Ltd.; the Oakwood Realty Company, Ltd.; the Oakley Heights Realty Company, Ltd.; Bronte Heights, Ltd.; Beechwood and Company, Ltd.; Roxboro Gardens, Ltd.; Lawrence Park, Hamilton, Ltd.; and several other land and building companies. He is a member of the Royal Arch Masons, and of the following clubs:—Commercial, Fernleigh Bowling and Athletic; Canadian (Hamilton), and Country (Burlington). In politics he is a Liberal, and in religion a Presbyterian. In 1896 he married Laura, daughter of the late Jonathan Ellis, Port Dover, Ont., and resides at 322 Queen Street, Hamilton.
Bowman, Charles Martin, M.P.P. (Southampton, Bruce County, Ont.), is one of the veteran members of the Ontario Legislature. He was born at St. Jacobs, Waterloo County, Ont., the son of Isaac Bowman, M.P. and his wife, Lydia Erb, on May 7, 1863. He is of Swiss descent, and his father represented North Waterloo in the House of Commons for several years. He was educated at the public school, St. Jacobs and at the High School, Berlin (now Kitchener), Ont. In 1880 he removed to Southampton, Ont., and engaged in the tanning business under the firm name of Bowman & Zinkan, in which he continued until 1900. From 1880 until 1890 he was also President of the Southampton Lumber Company, Limited, operating on the Bruce peninsula. He was engaged in the contracting business for twelve years, and from 1904 to 1910 was President of the Great Lakes Dredging Company, Limited, of Port Arthur, during which he carried out in the harbour of Fort William the largest contract for dredging ever awarded in Canada. He is a director of the Bell Furniture Company, Ltd., Southampton; of the Stevens Hepener Co., Ltd., manufacturers of brushes and brooms, Port Elgin, Ont., and of the Durham Furniture Co., Ltd., Durham, Ont. In 1894-5 he was a member of the Southampton Council, and afterward Reeve, and was also President of the Southampton Board of Trade, 1894-5. In 1898 he was nominated for the Legislature in the Liberal interest for the riding of North Bruce, and elected. Despite the vicissitudes of his party, he was re-elected at each succeeding election—1902, 1905, 1908, 1911 and 1914. As a member of the Standing Committees of the Legislature dealing with private and municipal measures, he has rendered much valuable service. In 1911 he was chosen Opposition whip by the Liberal caucus, a position he resigned in 1919. He was also named for the leadership of the party in the Legislature, but declined. He has long been a prominent member of the Executive of the Ontario Reform Association, and presided over the Liberal convention held at Toronto in July, 1919, at which Mr. H. H. Dewart, K.C., was elected leader. On October 20, 1886, he married Lulu, daughter of Julius Hesse, Howell, Michigan, and has one son and two daughters. He is a Methodist in religion, and a member of the A.F. & A.M., the I.O.O.F. and the Ontario Club, Toronto. His recreations are curling and bowling.
Dewart, Herbert Hartley, K.C., M.P.P. (Toronto), son of the late Rev. Edward Hartley Dewart, D.D., formerly editor of the Christian Guardian, and was born in St. John’s, Quebec, November 9, 1861. He received his education in Toronto at the Model School and Toronto Collegiate, graduating from the University of Toronto with B.A. degree in 1883. He was called to the Bar in 1887, and created a K.C., in 1899. He was for several years examiner in English at the University of Toronto, and was elected a Senator of the University in 1906. He has been counsel in many big criminal trials, and was junior counsel with B. B. Osier, K.C., in the Ford and Hyans murder trials. Later he prosecuted for the Crown, being appointed Crown Attorney for the County of York in 1891. He held this position until 1904, when he resigned to engage in general counsel work. He was engaged in many big trials, both criminal and civil. Notable among these were the defence of Carrie Davies and McCutcheon brothers. He was also retained in big inquiries, and as Liberal counsel at the small arms ammunition inquiry at Ottawa, had interesting passages with Sir Sam Hughes. He has also written and spoken on law matters. These are regarded as authoritative, and attracted much attention in legal circles. Mr. Dewart has been actively interested in politics for many years, although he has been a member of Parliament but a short time. Mr. Dewart’s first official connection with the Liberal party was in 1887, when he was President of the Young Men’s Liberal Club in Toronto. He held this position also the following year. His first attempt to get into the active arena as a member of Parliament was in 1904, when he contested South Toronto in the Liberal interest. He was defeated by A. C. Macdonell (now Senator) by a majority of 409. The next attempt was in 1911, when he was defeated in Centre York by Tom Wallace, M.P., but was successful in 1916, when he contested Southwest Toronto for the Legislature. He was a familiar speaker “on the hustings” throughout Ontario for years previous, and had taken a keen interest in Liberal organizations. As a lawyer he is famous throughout Canada, and has been in some of the biggest cases in the history of the courts. Success came in the by-election in Southwest Toronto for the Legislature in 1916. The seat had previously been Conservative by a majority of about 4,000. Mr. Dewart, running against Mr. James Norris, turned this into a Liberal majority of over 600. It was the first time in many years that Toronto had elected a Liberal. Mr. Dewart represents this riding in the Legislature at present. Since entering the House he has been one of the foremost in its affairs, and has tackled the Government on many problems. His speeches on the nickel question have received attention all over the Dominion. At the big Liberal Convention in Toronto in June, 1919, Mr. Dewart was selected as the Provincial Liberal Leader, by a most decisive majority, succeeding William Proudfoot, K.C. The new Liberal Leader is a speaker of logic and grace. His genial personality has made him many friends. He is also a good debater, as would be expected after a long and successful legal career. Mr. Dewart is senior member of the firm of Dewart, Harding, Maw & Hodgson, a Bencher of the Law Society of Canada, and also a member of the Bar of Manitoba. He married Emma Smith, daughter of the late H. B. Smith, of Sparta, Ontario. Mr. Dewart lives at No. 5 Elmesley Place, Toronto, and has a country place near Uxbridge.