JAMES POWER CLEGHORN.
Prominent for many years among the merchants of Montreal was James Power Cleghorn and equally well was he known through his support of charitable and philanthropic projects and his cooperation in affairs of public benefit. He was born in Montreal, October 31, 1830, and his life record covered the intervening years to the 14th of December, 1911, when he passed away. He was a son of Robert Cleghorn, who came to Montreal at a very early day. The latter married Miss Eliza Power, a native of Sorel, province of Quebec, and whose father was connected with the commissary department of the army. Their family numbered ten children. Robert Cleghorn was a public-spirited citizen and a man of domestic tastes, and the influences of a home of culture and refinement left their impress upon the life of James Power Cleghorn, who with the passing years rose to prominence along the different lines in which he exerted his activities.
He was educated at Howden & Taggart’s Academy and entered commercial circles as junior clerk in the mercantile house of J. G. Mackenzie & Company of Montreal in 1853. In that establishment he gradually worked his way upward until admitted to partnership in 1864, after which he had largely control of the business, which was extensive in proportion and which ranked with the oldest mercantile houses of the city. Mr. Cleghorn, however, did not confine his efforts entirely to one line. In fact he became recognized as a power in other business connections, both commercial and financial, and was elected to the directorate of the Intercolonial Coal Company, the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, the Merchants & Manufacturers Association, the Canada Accident Company and Molson’s Bank. He served as president of the Board of Trade and it was during his incumbency of the office that the site for the present building was selected. He was also a trustee of the Mount Royal Cemetery Association and the president of the Intercolonial Coal Company. His cooperation was likewise sought in behalf of those institutions where humanitarian principles must combine with executive ability in successful management. He was made a governor of the Montreal General Hospital, of the Montreal Hospital for the Insane and the Montreal Dispensary. An active member in the Church of England, he served as a delegate to the synod and cooperated in its work along many helpful lines. In politics he was a conservative and he stood ever for the welfare of the people.
On the 14th of February, 1865, Mr. Cleghorn was married to Miss Anna Spalding, of Port Hope, Ontario, who was born in Peterboro, Ontario. Five children were born to them: George S., connected with the W. R. Brock Company, Limited; C. Power, a general insurance broker, who married Florence Fechheimer, of New York, and to whom have been born two children, James Power and Helen Power; Emily C.; Helen G., who died at the age of thirteen years; and James Herbert, whose death occurred when he was eighteen years of age.
The family residence is at No. 256 Bishop Street, and their summer home, “Blinkbonny” is situated at Como in the province of Quebec. The death of Mr. Cleghorn left a gap in those circles where he had moved as a central figure. In business and social relations and in his connection with humanitarian interests he had established himself in an enviable position by reason of personal worth and capability, and his name is inscribed high on the list of Montreal’s valued citizens.
GEORGE WASHINGTON STEPHENS.
If one would seek a fitting poetical phrase to express the life work of the Hon. George Washington Stephens these lines might well be chosen:
“He leaves a patriot’s name to after times
Linked with a thousand virtues and no crimes.”
For an extended period he was in public life, and whether connected with municipal, professional, or national affairs was always the same public-spirited, progressive citizen, ever seeking the welfare of the constituency which he represented. He was born in Montreal in 1832, the second son of Harrison and Sarah (Jackson) Stephens. The father removed from the state of Vermont to Montreal in 1828 and for years was a leading merchant of the city.