Pelham Edgar

“ In November 1902 he was nominated a judge of the supreme court of Canada by Sir Wilfrid Laurier. In May 1902, as one of the 'distinguished jurists of repute,' he was chosen by the Canadian government to represent Canada on the international tribunal constituted to decide the Alaska boundary dispute. He died in London on 11 July 1903, whither he had gone to attend the sittings of the arbitration. A memorial service was held at the Temple Church. He was buried in St. Peter's cemetery, Cobourg, Ontario.
Armour was among the greatest jurists whom Canada has produced. ”

“ Brown and Mowat refused to join on the ground that the cabinet was hostile to the principle of representation by population. Howland and McDougall, the only Ontario liberals in the ministry, defended themselves from the charge of party disloyalty by asserting that they were acting solely in the interests of confederation? Howland remained in cabinet office for six years. In 1862 he was sent to England with Sicotto on militia matters. ”

“ In 1865 the family went out to Canada, where the father soon died, and the mother and her four children were reduced to the slenderest resources. After a few terms at a private school in Montreal, William Drummond studied telegraphy, and by 1869 was an operator at the village of Bord-à-Plouffe on the Rivière des Prairies. Here he first came in contact with the habitant and voyageur French-speaking backwoodsmen, whose simple tales and legends he was later to turn to literary account. ”

“ After education at the Quebec Seminary and Nicolet College, young Fréchette passed to Laval University (Quebec) , McGill University, and Queen's University. Becoming a law-student in Quebec in 1861 he published a first volume of (French) poetry 'Mes Loisirs' in 1863, and next year was called to the bar, but did not practise seriously, although he only retired from the profession in 1879. In 1865 he went to Chicago and there devoted himself for six years to journalism. ”

“ HOWLAND, Sir WILLIAM PEARCE (1811–1907) , Canadian statesman, born at Paulings, New York, on 29 May 1811, was son of Jonathan Howland, a descendant of John Howland, who migrated from England in 1620. His mother's maiden name was Lydia Pearce. After education at the common school of his native place and at Kinderhook Academy, Howland went to Canada in 1830 and found employment in a general store at Cooksville, Ontario. His business interests rapidly grew, and in association with his brother Peleg he soon owned a number of country stores, and made large profits in lumbering and rafting ventures. ”

“ The first journey Grant recorded in 'Ocean to Ocean' (1873) , and the impressions of both journeys are merged in four articles contributed to 'Scribner's Magazine' in 1880, and in 'Picturesque Canada,' a publication which he edited in 1884. To the press and to periodicals Grant frequently communicated his views on public questions. His political comments in the 'Queen's University Quarterly' were widely read. He powerfully supported the new imperialism, and urged on Canada her imperial responsibilities. He became president of the Imperial Federation League, Ontario, in 1889. ”

“ In Nov. 1842 the firm moved back to Toronto with the court of chancery, and from that time until his death Mowat lived almost continuously in Toronto. He rapidly gained distinction in equity practice, and was for many years the acknowledged leader of the chancery bar. He was a bencher of the Law Society of Canada from 1853 until his death, safe from 1864 to 1872, and was made Q.C. in 1856. ”

“ One hundred and ninety clergy and numerous lay readers were enlisted in church work. In 1875 Machray became metropolitan of Canada under the primacy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and at the union of the Canadian Anglican churches in 1893 he was created archbishop of Rupert's Land and primate of all Canada. ”

“ GRANT, GEORGE MONRO (1835–1902) , principal of Queen's University, Kingston, Canada, born on 22 Dec. 1835 at Albion Mines, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, was third child of James Grant, who, springing from a long line of Scottish farmers, emigrated from Banffshire in 1826, and married five years later Mary Monro of Inverness. Owing to the accident of losing his right hand at the age of seven, the boy was brought up to be a scholar. At Pictou Academy he gained in 1853 a bursary tenable at either Glasgow or Edinburgh University. ”

“ In 1887 Queen's University rejected federation with Toronto. But Grant's political influence steadily grew, and he secured for his university in 1893 a state-endowed school of mines, which subsequently became the faculty of practical science in the university. In 1898 Grant sought to sever the tie between the presbyterian church and the arts faculty of Queen's. ”

“ In the same year he returned to Quebec.
Turning to politics, he unsuccessfully contested his native place, Lévis, at the general election of 1871 in the liberal interest; but in 1874, when Alexander Mackenzie [q. v.] came into power, he won the seat. He was a consistent supporter of the Mackenzie liberal government. He failed to retain the seat in 1878 and 1882, and thenceforward devoted to journalism all the energies that he spared from poetry. ”

“ Settling in Quebec, he became editor in 1857 of the 'Courrier du Canada.' He was elected to the Quebec city council in the same year and was mayor of Quebec from 1858 to 1860. He entered political life in 1857, when he was elected member for Dorchester in the legislative assembly of Canada. ”

“ At the same time he sought to simplify and cheapen the operation of justice. By the Administration of Justice Acts (1873 and 1874) and the Judicature Acts of 1880 and 1881 he effectively assimilated the practice and procedure of the common law and equity courts. ”

“ Absolutely fearless and outspoken, he not infrequently aroused hostile prejudice. His alleged unfriendliness to corporations failed to affect his judgments, which were based on a thorough knowledge of the law and a profound insight into human nature. ”

“ He edited his 'Journal de Québec,' contributed largely to 'L'Opinion Publique,' and during 1884-5 was editor of 'La Patrie.' He wrote frequently, too, for the American magazines the 'Forum,' 'Harper's,' and the 'Arena.' In 1889 the Mercier government appointed him clerk of the legislative council in Quebec, and he held the post till death. ”

“ Elected a fellow of the Linnæan Society on 3 June 1886 and a member of the Entomological Society of America and other scientific societies, he was one of the founders of the Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club. ”

“ A portrait by Colin Forbes was presented to Machray in 1882.
[Robert Machray, Life of Archbishop Machray, 1909; Morgan, Canadian Men and Women of the Time; Dent, Canadian Portraits; Mockridge, Bishops of the Church of England in Canada and Newfoundland; Lowndes's Bishops of the Day, 1897.] ”

“ He chose Glasgow, and seven years later, on the completion of a distinguished course, he received his testamur in theology, and was ordained (Dec. 1860) by the presbytery of Glasgow as a missionary for Nova Scotia. He declined an invitation from Norman Macleod [q. v.] to remain in Glasgow as his assistant. ”

“ Of two portraits in oil, one is in Government House and the other in the National Club, Toronto; there is a bust by Miss Mildred Peel, R.C.A. (Lady Ross) , in the normal school.
[The Times, 3 Jan. 1907; Toronto Globe; Canadian Men and Women of the Time; Dent, Canadian Portrait Gallery, 1881, iii. 124; private information.] ”

“ In 1873 he had succeeded Sir George Etienne Cartier [q. v.] as leader of the French-Canadian conservative party. He owed his political influence to his consistent support of the ultramontane forces in the church. In 1870 Pope Pius IX created him Knight Commander of the Order of St. ”