Langley, James P. (Toronto), was born in the Provincial Capital on June 15, 1864, and educated in Toronto, graduating from the Model School in 1877. Son of Aylmer Langley and Alice (Thornber), his father being a native of Ireland and his mother born in New York State. The subject of this sketch early developed a marked ability as an expert accountant and was one of the early members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, an institution which has done much to stimulate the study of higher accounting and to keep pace with the commercial and municipal necessities of the day, and is a Fellow of the Institute so founded. Mr. Langley is recognized as a man with a large and intimate knowledge of industrial and financial enterprises, and his services are in constant requisition by such institutions throughout the Dominion. He is retained annually as the auditor of many leading business concerns, and is trustee of large estates, his extended experience making his advice particularly dependable. Mr. Langley married Carrie, daughter of Nathan Brower, of New Jersey, U.S., and has one son, Clarence Aylmer. He is a member of the Masonic order and of the Granite and Albany Clubs, Toronto. He is also a Justice of the Peace; a member of the Church of England. Politically he is a Liberal-Conservative. Recreations, motoring and golf. Mr. Langley is one of the best known business men in the province and enjoys the confidence of the mercantile community in a marked degree.
Chamberlain, Theodore F., M.D., only son of Asher A. and Eliza Ann Chamberlain. Born at Harlem, County of South Leeds, Ontario, July 6, 1838. His family came from Birmingham, England, and were in politics, Cobdenites. The family crest bears the motto “Sapiens et Fidus.” His father was born in Vermont, U.S., Feb. 12, 1810, and came to Upper Canada in 1815, locating in the County of South Leeds. After attending school at Potsdam, N.Y., he entered the Medical College at Fairfield, N.Y., after which he returned to Harlem, South Leeds, and began the practice of medicine, which profession he followed with more than common success, until his death at Athens, on February 20, 1883. He was Past Master of Harmony Masonic Lodge, Leeds, one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Masonic lodge in Upper Canada. He was Major in the Eighth Battalion, Leeds Militia, was a staunch temperance man, a member of the Methodist Church, and always took an active part in politics, from the troublous times of the Rebellion of 1836-7 down to the time of his death. At the time of the Beverly Election Riots in South Leeds, he nearly lost his life at the hands of the Tory Party under the leadership of Ogle R. Gowan’s Orangemen. He was one of the deputation from Upper Canada who went to the rescue of Lord Elgin at the time of the burning of the Parliament Buildings in Montreal in 1849. His connection with the Masonic lodge has already been noticed; this lodge he resuscitated at Farmersville, in 1859, under the name of “Rising Sun Lodge,” and was for several years its Master; was a Justice of the Peace, Postmaster at Harlem, and held other positions of trust. Dr. Chamberlain’s mother was Eliza Ann Toffey, and was born at Quaker Hill, N.Y., Oct. 15, 1803, and died at Athens, formerly Farmersville, on March 20, 1894. The grandparents on both sides lived to very advanced years. The doctor has one sister, born at Harlem, August 2, 1836, and now living (1913) in Toronto. She is the widow of the late J. C. Miller, ex-M.P.P. for Parry Sound and Muskoka District, and owner of the Parry Sound Lumber Co. The early education of the subject of this sketch was gained from parental instruction at night around the old home fireside, and at the Township School. He attended the Grammar School at Perth for some months in 1851, and then served some two years as clerk in the general mercantile establishment of Henry Laishley, at Elgin, where he gained the business training and experience that stood him so well in later life. In 1851 he served as Lieutenant, under Capt. Wm. J. Smith, and Col. Young, in the 8th Battalion of Leeds Militia. Later he took up the study of dentistry in the office of F. D. Laughlin, Ottawa. After practising his profession for some time, he went, in the fall of 1857, to New York City, but later, yielding to solicitations of his father, he returned to his home in Athens, to take up medicine. He matriculated at Queen’s College, Kingston, in 1859, and passed the final examination in March, 1862, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, and his license to practice in Canada, from the hands of Governor-General Monk. On the 13th of April following, Dr. Chamberlain located at Morrisburg, County of Dundas, on the St. Lawrence River, and during the succeeding years built up a large and lucrative practice. In 1859 he was requested by the government of Sir Oliver Mowat to take the Inspectorship of Public Institutions of Ontario. The history of the doctor during these years is the history of a busy life. Besides following his profession, he served as Reeve of his municipality, member of the Counties’ Council, and Warden of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Justice of the Peace, Health Officer, member of the High and Public Board of Education, Director of the Agricultural Association, and Director of the Parry Sound Lumber Company. Inspector of schools for County of Dundas. At the time of the Fenian Raid, he was member of a strong company of volunteers under Captain I. N. Rose, Superintendent of the Williamsburg Canals, and with other members of the company was out night and day on guard at the locks, and in the village, as an attack was daily expected to be made by General O’Neal. On the 1st of July, the General with 1,600 men appeared on the bank of the river opposite Morrisburg. The Government of Sir John A. Macdonald, realizing the seriousness of the situation, and desirous of keeping informed of O’Neal’s movements, appointed a man to keep in touch with O’Neal’s forces, but this man failing to accept, Dr. Chamberlain, a strong personal, but not a political, friend of Sir John’s, was detailed for this duty. He accepted the appointment, and taking his horses and buggy, and accompanied by a young man named Leslie Weaver, set out to follow the Fenian force, and to report as fully as possible their movements and designs. Crossing the river to Waddington, N.Y., on Capt. Murphy’s Ferry, on July 9, he found that the Fenians had moved, and he followed them to Malone, about 50 miles distant, over-taking them about dark. Staying over night and having obtained all information possible, he left the next morning for Plattsburgh, which place he made that evening. After a wearisome and anxious night, he left Plattsburgh for Whitehall, at the foot of Lake Champlain, arriving there the next morning, and at Saratoga in the evening. He continued the journey to Troy and Albany, and returned thence to Ogdensburg, Prescott, and home to Morrisburg. The result of this close espionage, and prompt reports by the scouts, and the careful guarding of the river, was that the invaders were compelled to abandon their design of crossing the river, and to turn their faces to the west. The doctor’s services on this occasion were most effective and valuable, yet he never applied for nor received land grant, or medal, nor refund of his expenditure. In 1879, the doctor, as Warden, was appointed by the Counties’ Council, then in session, to go as their representative to the eastern boundary of the province, to meet their Excellencies, the Governor-General, the Marquis of Lorne, and the Princess Louise, and welcome them to Ontario. Later in the year he presented to their Excellencies at Government House, Ottawa, an address on behalf of the inhabitants of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. The doctor has always been an ardent politician, an indefatigable worker, and a vigorous but generous opponent. He was the candidate of the Reform Party for the Legislative Assembly for the county in 1879, and was defeated by 81 votes. In 1882, he was again the party candidate, this time for the House of Commons, and again defeated by 79 votes. Nothing discouraged, he again came before the Electors, in 1886, for the Assembly, and was elected by 25 majority. He was defeated next election by 28 votes, and again in 1904, was defeated for the Commons. In conjunction with his brother-in-law, Mr. W. G. Parish, of Athens, he established in the seventies, the first three cheese factories in Eastern Ontario. He carried on an extensive drug business in Morrisburg, from 1886 to 1873, when he sold it to Messrs. Carman and Brown. In 1871, he received the degree of L.R.C.P.S. from Queen’s College, Kingston, as well as that of F.B.S. During his practice in Morrisburg he had as students, Messrs. Hart, McLean, Howes, Musgrove, Lane, Shibbley, Beckstead and McKay, all of whom became successful practitioners. He was always a strong advocate of temperance, and a member of the Methodist Church. He became a member, under dispensation of the Grand Master, of Rising Sun Masonic Lodge, Athens, in 1857, and joined Excelsior Lodge, Morrisburg, No. 142, G.R.C., in 1862, and is yet an honorary life member, having filled every office in the gift of the lodge, and having received various decorations and gold medals. In 1867 he became a member of the Grenville Royal Arch Chapter, No. 23, at Prescott. In 1869-70 he was elected by the Grand Lodge, District-Deputy Grand Master for St. Lawrence District. In 1885 he received the 95 degrees in the Supreme Rite of Memphis, known as the Sovereign Sanctuary Degrees. In 1873 the doctor explored the country east and north of Lake Superior to the height of land, examining for timber and minerals. In 1878 he explored the country along the shores of Georgian Bay, the “Soo,” and to the head of Lake Nipissing. In 1883 he visited part of the southern, middle and western States, including California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Mexico. In 1889, leaving Montreal, he travelled through the North-Western Territories, and Victoria, Vancouver, Puget Sound, and Washington Territory. From 1889 to 1904, he acted as one of the Provincial Inspectors of Asylums, Prisons, Gaols and Hospitals, serving in that capacity until 1904, when he resigned, owing to ill health. In 1906 he was appointed by the Dominion Government, under the Public Health Department, Inspector of all the doctors employed on Public Works, from the Red River to the Pacific Ocean. In pursuance of the duties of this position, he had to travel distances of from 1,000 to 1,500 miles at a trip, ford rivers, make his own trail over prairies, sleep in a tent wherever night overtook him, in that great lone land. In the winter of 1907, he sent in his resignation, and in the spring of 1908, inspected and estimated the timber on the Dokis Indian Reserve, Lake Nipissing. The pine timber on this Reserve was sold by the Government at Ottawa in June, and the doctor bought one of the limits, and in the fall had buildings, appliances, and materials complete for lumbering operations. During the winter he took out, and in the spring sent, 2,300 pieces of board timber, for the English market, by way of Lake Nipissing to Callender, thence by rail to Kingston, and rafting it thence to Quebec. He closed up this deal, and in 1910 went to California, visiting by the way, the principal cities in the West. During the past 30 years, he has bought and sold large quantities of pine timber in Ontario, and prospected for and located mines in the Rainy River and Lake-of-the-Woods Districts, and explored almost every part of Northern Ontario mining and timber lands. Dr. Chamberlain married, in 1862, Annetta, third daughter of Arza Parish, Esq., merchant, Athens. He has one son, W. P., born at Morrisburg on May 19, 1863, and one daughter, also born at Morrisburg, March 8, 1871. The Dr. and Mrs. Chamberlain celebrated their golden wedding on July 3, 1912. They had resided in Toronto since 1890, but the lure of his profession became too strong, and so the doctor has improved and embellished his beautiful residence in Morrisburg, fitted it up with all the latest devices and scientific appliances, and is conducting most successfully a Sanatorium for the relief and cure of suffering humanity.
Chapleau, Major Samuel Edmour St. Onge, ex-clerk of the Senate, clerk of the Parliaments and master in chancery, was born at Syracuse, New York, in 1839. He is the second son of the late Pierre Chapleau, of Terrebonne, Quebec, and was educated at Terrebonne College. In 1860 he went to the United States, and at the outbreak of the Civil War, in 1861, entered the regular army of that country and received in succession, promotion to the ranks of second lieutenant, first lieutenant and Captain of the 16th Regiment of Infantry. He also received the rank of brevet-Captain for gallant and meritorious service at the battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and that of Major for gallant service during the Atlanta campaign and at the battle of Jonesboro, Georgia. He was at the battle of Shiloh, at the Siege of Corinth, and at the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga. He was sent to Memphis in 1866 during the riots in that city, and in 1868 was in command of the troops at Augusta, Georgia, during the riots which took place between the whites and the colored people on the occasion of the first election of President Grant. He retired from the United States Army, January 1, 1871, and September 15, 1873, entered the Civil Service of Canada. He successively held the appointments of Secretary Department of Public Works, Sheriff of the North-West Territories, and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery. On January 27, 1900, he was appointed Clerk of the Senate and held that position until he retired, in the early part of 1917. In view of his long and faithful service in the Senate, Major Chapleau was appointed an honorary officer of that house and is allowed entree and seat at the table on the occasions of ceremony. He married Caroline K., third daughter of the late Lieut.-Col. G. W. Patten, of the United States Army. Major Chapleau declined the honor of C.M.G. tendered to him in 1914.
Aikenhead, Thomas E. (Toronto, Ont.), was born at Toronto, September 14, 1859, and received his education in that city. In 1873 he entered his business career with his father’s firm, which was originally established in the year 1830, and conducted for many years by his late father, Mr. James Aikenhead and Mr. A. T. Crombie, under the name of Aikenhead & Crombie. To-day this firm has some 100 employees, and the subject of this sketch is President and General Manager, under the firm name of Aikenhead Hardware, Limited, with extensive premises on Temperance Street. During the earlier days of Canada there were but few hardware houses of such importance, and Mr. Aikenhead set to work to build up a business to suit the rapid development of the country and has to-day made a reputation for himself as a leader in his own particular branch. Besides his business connections he is an ardent worker in church circles and a regular attendant of the Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. He is a member of the Ontario Club, Toronto Bowling Club, Board of Trade and the Ontario Motor League, taking an active interest in the good roads campaign of 1910. He is also a director of the Tisdale Iron Stable Fittings Co. In looking over the extensive buildings erected in Toronto, one can only imagine the important part Mr. Aikenhead has played from a business standpoint, and he can truly be classed as one of the builders of Canada.
MacDonald, Neil S., B.A., D.Paed. (Toronto, Ont.), Public School Inspector, is the son of the late John F. MacDonald and Mrs. MacDonald, formerly of Darlington, now of Toronto. Born in Bowmanville, Durham County, Ont., on January 28, 1872, he received his early education in Clarke Union Public School and Bowmanville High School. At the end of six months in the latter school, he obtained a Third Class Teacher’s Certificate, and at the next Departmental Examination he obtained a Second Class Certificate and spent several years teaching in the rural schools of the Townships of Cartwright, Darlington and Hope. Feeling that he had learned all he could in these schools, he returned to Bowmanville High School to prepare for honor matriculation into Toronto University, and at his matriculation made a splendid record, receiving honors in Mathematics, Science, English, History and Geography. He did not enter the University, however, but took a year’s course in practical teaching in the Ontario Normal College at Hamilton, after which he was engaged as Principal in Richmond Hill Public School, where he stayed for one year, going from there to Toronto to accept the office of Vice-Principal of Ryerson School, which he held for six years, receiving while there training in the method of city schools under Principal McAllister. Then he was promoted to the Principalship of Duke Street Public School and after three years there was once more promoted, to be Principal of Cottingham Street Public School. He spent one year here, when he was promoted to Bolton Avenue School. Mr. MacDonald held a high ideal of success ever before his mind and backed it up with praiseworthy perseverance, and he owes his marked success in life to the stick-to-it-iveness which is one of his special characteristics. In 1910 he graduated from Queen’s University with the degree of B.A., very much to his credit, for he obtained this degree by private study while filling the position of Principal in a city school. Mr. MacDonald married Christina Lamb, the daughter of William Lamb, and has one son, Donald, born on August 29, 1913. Upon the retirement of Mr. R. W. Doan, in June, 1914, Mr. MacDonald became Principal of Dufferin School, Toronto, and it has been said of him, “His educational attainments, energy and enthusiasm mark him as a man well qualified to fill the highest position a School Board may offer.” Besides managing the regular school work, he took an active interest in the school sports and cadet drill, and his scholars always obtained good standing in these. After three years as Principal of Dufferin School, Mr. MacDonald was transferred, in September, 1917, to Ryerson School, as Principal in succession to the late W. E. Groves. Ryerson School is the school for practice teaching in connection with the Faculty of Education. As Principal he was chief critic teacher and supervisor of critic teachers. In February, 1918, the Toronto Board of Education appointed him Public School Inspector in District Five, a position left vacant by the death of Inspector W. F. Chapman, B.A. He is a Presbyterian in religion, belonging to St. John’s Presbyterian Church, where he is also Superintendent of the Sabbath School; a Conservative in politics and a member of St. Andrew’s Masonic Society, St. Patrick’s Royal Arch Masons and Cyrene Preceptory. In the spring of 1918 the degree of Doctor of Pedagogy was conferred upon Mr. MacDonald, and in partial fulfilment for the degree he submitted a thesis on “Open Air Schools,” which he has recently published.