Part 43

=Bégin, Rev. Louis Nazaire=, D.D., Principal of the Laval Normal School, Quebec, member of the Academy of the Arcades of Rome, and of the Royal Society of Canada, was born at Levis, on the 10th January, 1840. His father, Charles Bégin, farmer, died in August last, 1887, in his ninety-first year; his mother, Luce Paradis, died about eighteen months ago, in her eighty-second year. After attending the Levis Model School, then under the direction of M. N. Lacasse, at present a professor at the Laval Normal School, Rev. Abbé Bégin followed, for one year, the mathematical course of the Commercial College of St. Michel (Bellechasse). That course was ably given by Professor F. X. Toussaint. His parents sent him, in 1857, to the Little Seminary of Quebec, to follow the classical course of that institution. As he had already commenced to study Latin with M. Lacasse, he was enabled to terminate his course in five years, in 1862. He then obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts at Laval University, and was the first to carry off the Prince of Wales prize. He resolved to adopt a religious life, and entered the Grand Seminary of Quebec, in September, 1862, where he studied theology, while teaching the class of syntax at the Little Seminary. The Seminary of Quebec was at that time thinking seriously about organizing a faculty of theology in connection with Laval University, and it was the earnest desire of the authorities that all the professors of that faculty should be educated in Rome itself. In May, 1863, his Eminence Cardinal Taschereau, then superior of the Seminary of Quebec, and rector of Laval University, proposed to Abbé Bégin to go and pass a few years in Rome, in order to study theology, take his degree, and then return to Quebec as professor of its university. This proposition was accepted, and on the 4th September of the same year, Abbé Bégin left Quebec to take his passage at Boston. He had as travelling companions Abbés Louis Pâquet and Benjamin Pâquet (now Domestic Prelate to his Holiness Leo XIII.), who were also sent to Rome to study the sacred science. Abbé Bégin was absent five years and returned to Quebec only in July, 1868. He followed the course of the Gregorian University of the Roman College, including dogmatic and moral theology, sacred scriptures, history of the church, canonic law, sacred oratory, and the Hebraic language. His professors were the Rev. Fathers Ballerini, Cardella, Sanguinetti, Patrizi, Angellini, Armellini, Tarquini and Franzelin; the two last named became, a short time afterwards, cardinals of the holy Roman Church, and died a short time ago. He received all the minor and major orders in Rome, and was ordained a priest in the Major Basilica of St. John de Latran on the 10th of June, 1865, by His Eminence Cardinal Vicar Patrizi. In the following year (1866), he succeeded in obtaining the degree of Doctor in Theology at the Gregorian University. The Seminary of Quebec granted the request of Abbé Bégin, and gave him permission to remain some time longer in Rome to make a special study of ecclesiastical history and Oriental languages: the Hebrew, the Chaldean, the Syriac, and the Arabic. The scholastic year 1866-67 was given to these interesting occupations. While at Rome he resided at the French Seminary, _via Santa Chiara_. After the great Roman festival in connection with the centenary of the death of St. Peter and the canonization of the saints, in 1867, he went to Innsbruck, in the Austrian Tyrol. During the summer holidays of the preceding years he had visited Italy, Savoy, Switzerland, Prussia, Belgium, and chiefly France, but he spent the summer of 1867 in studying the German language, so rich in scientific works on history and holy scripture. On the 30th September of the same year he started for Palestine, in order to get thoroughly acquainted,—as he had long desired,—with certain biblical and historical facts. He spent more than five months in this trip through Austria, Hungary, Roumania, Servia, Bulgaria, the two Turkeys, the islands of Tenedos, Lesbos, Rhodes and Cyprus, Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, Phœnicia, Palestine, Egypt, and Sicily. He then returned to Innsbruck to continue his studies in history and languages at the Catholic University, under the celebrated Professors Wenig, Jungmann, Hurter, Kobler, Nilles. He left Tyrol on the 2nd July, 1868, crossed France and England, and arrived at Quebec on the 27th of the same month, by the steamer _Moravian_, of the Allan line. He brought with him several Egyptian mummies and archæological curiosities he had acquired for the museum of the Catholic University of Quebec. In September he commenced to teach a portion of dogmatic theology and ecclesiastical history, as professor of the Faculty of Theology of Laval University. He taught from 1868 until 1884, having also, during the last seven or eight years, charge of the pupils of the University, or of those of the Little or Grand Seminary; he was also prefect of studies of the Little Seminary. During four or five winters he gave numerous public lectures at Laval University on the most controverted and interesting questions of the history of the Church. A select gathering filled the hall to hear these lectures given every week from the Christmas vacation till Easter. The first year (1870) he spoke about the prerogatives of Papacy, and refuted the objections raised, at the time of the Council of the Vatican, against the infallibility of the Pope, considered from an historical standpoint. These lectures were published in a volume of over 400 pages, entitled, “La Primauté et l’Infaillibilité des Souverains Pontifes.” In 1874 he published a second work entitled “La Sainte Ecriture et la Règle de Foi.” This work was translated into English: “The Bible and the Rule of Faith,” in 1875, and printed in London by Burns & Oates. In the same year (1874) an eulogy of Saint Thomas Aquinas was published. Abbé Bégin had delivered it at Saint Hyacinthe, in the church of the Rev. Dominican fathers, on the occasion of the sixth centennial anniversary of the death of Dr. Angélique. In 1875 he published another work entitled “Le Culte Catholique.” After passing six months (October, 1883, to April, 1884) at Pont Rouge, Portneuf county, to recruit his health, Abbé Bégin accompanied to Rome the Archbishop of Quebec, who was going to sustain the rights of Laval University and the division of the diocese of Three Rivers, before the Holy See. The voyage was prosperous, and lasted over seven months. On his return from Rome, on the first of Dec., 1884, he found his friend, Abbé Lagacé, dangerously ill. Death carried away, five days later, this distinguished priest, who had consecrated the best part of his sacerdotal career to the education of youth. Abbé Bégin was chosen by the Catholic Committee of the Council of Public Instruction to occupy the important post of principal of the Normal School, hitherto filled by Abbé Lagacé, and this choice was ratified by an order-in-council on the 22nd January, 1885. Since that time Abbé Bégin has fulfilled the functions of principal of the Normal School, comprising the department of male and female pupil teachers. Last year (1886) he published a small “Aide-Mémoire,” or “Chronologie de l’Histoire du Canada,” designed, as indicated by its name, to help the memory of pupils and facilitate their preparations to the examinations on the history of our country.

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=Anderson, Capt. Edward Brown=, Sarnia, was born at Oakville, in the county of Halton, Ontario, on the 24th January, 1838. His father, Edward Anderson, was born at a farm known as “Stenrie’s Hill,” near the town of Moffat, in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and died at Oakville, in December, 1840. His mother, Sarah Ann Williams, was born at Port Dover, Lake Erie shore, and died at Barrie, in January, 1878. Captain Anderson’s father having died before his son had reached his third year, very little schooling fell to his lot, as he was in consequence obliged to face the world at a very early age. When only about ten years old he commenced sailing on the lakes, and from that time to this he has steadily risen in his profession, and has now the proud satisfaction of knowing that he is considered second to none as an inland sea navigator and is in command of one of the finest steamers—the _Alberta_—of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, on Lake Superior. Previous to his taking charge of the _Alberta_ he commanded for seven years the steamer _Quebec_, of the Beatty Sarnia & Lake Superior line, and for two years was captain of the _Campana_, of the Collingwood line, and for the last four years he has sailed the _Alberta_. Captain Anderson left Oakville in 1875, and took up his residence in Sarnia, where he has made his home ever since. In 1867 he joined the Freemasons, and since then has taken a deep interest in that ancient organization. He crossed the Atlantic and spent the winter of 1885-6 seeing the sights in Europe. The captain is a Presbyterian, and is a firm supporter of his church; but in politics he takes very little interest. In August, 1885 he was married to Lucretia Waggoner, whose parents at that time resided in Oakville, but in 1860 they removed to Ballard, Kentucky, where they both died.

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=Robb, Alexander=, Iron Founder, Amherst, Nova Scotia, was born at Leicester, Cumberland county, Nova Scotia, on the 4th of March, 1827. His parents, Alexander Robb and Annie Brown, were natives of Bangor, Ireland, and settled in Nova Scotia a great many years ago. Alexander was only about eight years of age when he came to Amherst, and received his education in the public schools of the place. After leaving school he acquired a knowledge of the tin and sheet metal business. In 1848 he commenced business on his own account, and was among the first to introduce cast-iron stoves into the country. In 1866 he built a foundry and machine shops, and his business has grown steadily ever since, until his works, including salesroom and offices, now cover a space of about two acres. In outside industries, Mr. Robb has taken a great interest, having assisted in the development of the Boot and Shoe Tanning Company, which is now the most extensive manufactory of its kind in the province; and previous to his health breaking down in 1872, he was an active promoter of the Spring Hill collieries. Mr. Robb has always been a strong advocate of total abstinence, and has the honour of being one of the original members of the Amherst Division of the Sons of Temperance, the pioneer temperance organization in Nova Scotia. He took an active interest in the passage of the Free School Act for Nova Scotia, and was also an advocate of the confederation of the provinces. He had strong faith in the benefits to be derived from these measures for some years previous to their enactment, arising from a conversation he had had with the late Hon. Joseph Howe. Mr. Robb is a Presbyterian, and for the past twenty-five years has been a consistent member of that church. In 1855 he married Emeline Logan, daughter of David D. Logan, of Amherst Point, whose father, Hugh Logan, originally came from the North of Ireland, and was one of the first settlers of the county. His surviving children are:—David W. and Frederick B., who have managed the business of the firm of A. Robb & Sons since the failure of their father’s health in 1872; Walter R., who is associated with his father in farming and other private business; Maggie A. and Aubrey G., who are both at home, the latter still pursuing his studies. Mr. Robb has won for himself the character of being a man of perseverance and strict integrity, and is greatly respected by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance.

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=McNeill, John Sears=, Barton, M.P.P. for Digby, Nova Scotia, was born at St. Mary’s Bay (now called Barton), in the county of Digby, N.S., on the 15th June, 1829. His parents were John McNeill and Freelove Sabean. His great grandfather, Neil McNeill, emigrated from the north of Ireland to New York, where he married a Miss Sears, an American lady, and engaged in mercantile business. After the close of the revolutionary war he and his family came, with other U. E. loyalists, and settled in Long Island, then in the county of Annapolis, now in the county of Digby. John Sears McNeill attended the public school in his native place, but only at intervals, where he learned the rudiments of reading, writing, arithmetic, and English grammar. He spent his youthful days on a farm, and had, when a mere lad, to work in the fields with the farm labourers and do his share of hard work. On his sixteenth birthday he gave up farming, and entered the store of George Bragg, of Digby, as a clerk, and in this situation he continued for three years, when he returned to Barton, and commenced business on his own account. His capital was very small, but he determined to succeed, and consequently worked hard to increase his means. After a few years, having succeeded remarkably well, he resolved to extend his operations, and in the fall of 1867 opened another store at Maitland, Yarmouth county, in connection with Cyrus Perry, to whom he sold out his share in the business a few years afterwards. In 1871, in connection with several other gentlemen, he engaged extensively in the tanning business, but this venture not proving a success, in a few years it was abandoned. In 1875, in company with some others, he engaged in the manufacture of shingles and lumber at Berwick and Factorydale, in the county of King, N.S., but this, from lack of personal oversight, proved unremunerative, and was given up. In the fall of 1878 he handed over his business at home to his eldest son, and since that time has devoted all his energies to public affairs. Mr. McNeill was appointed a justice of the peace in May, 1864, and a commissioner of schools in 1867. On the 17th January, 1873, he was made a member of the Board of Health. He was clerk and treasurer of Poor District No. 2, Weymouth, from its creation into a separate district in 1851 until 1865, and re-appointed in 1868, and still holds the position (1887); and he has also been county treasurer for the years 1881, 1883, and 1884. He took the temperance pledge in 1842, when he was only thirteen years of age, and became a member of the Total Abstinence Society. On the introduction of the order of the Sons of Temperance into Nova Scotia, he joined Union Division, No. 6, Digby, on the 30th January, 1848, and continued in this division several years, when he transferred his membership to General Inglis Division, on its institution at Barton, in March, 1859. He has held nearly all the offices in the gift of his division. In 1860 he was initiated into the Grand Division of Nova Scotia, at its session held at Yarmouth, in 1860, and ever since then has been a faithful member of the order. Mr. McNeill’s father was a staunch Conservative, and his son received his political training in that school of politics. During the election contests held in 1851 and 1855 he worked and voted with that party; but in 1859 he gave his vote to the Liberals. He was opposed to the confederation of the provinces, and disapproved of the manner in which Nova Scotia was forced into the union, contending that a vote of the people should have been taken before the compact was entered into. In 1867 he was urged to allow himself to be nominated as a candidate for the Nova Scotia legislature, but declined the honour. He, however, presented himself for parliamentary honours at the general election in June, 1882, and was elected to a seat in the legislature of his native province, and was again returned to the same house in 1886. Mr. McNeill was brought up in the Episcopal church, and adhered to that church until 1862, when he united with the Methodist church, and has remained in that communion ever since. In politics Mr. McNeill is a Liberal and a Repealer, but, above both, a lover of his country, and a gentleman who has done a good deal to foster its industries and improve the social condition of its people. He was married, first at Barton, on 25th December, 1852, to Ann Eliza, daughter of William Thomas. This estimable lady died 1st October, 1869. His second marriage was solemnised at Bloomfield, Digby county, 24th January, 1870, when he united with Alice Maria, second daughter of Edwin Jones. His family consists of two sons and two daughters living, all of whom are married, except the youngest son, who is attending college at Sackville, New Brunswick.

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=DesBrisay, Theophilus=, Q.C., Bathurst, New Brunswick. The subject of this sketch is a son of the late Theophilus DesBrisay, naval officer of Miramichi and the eastern ports of New Brunswick, and grandson of the Rev. Theophilus DesBrisay, graduate of Magdalen College, Oxford, and the first rector of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, who died in 1824. He is of Huguenot descent, his ancestors having fled from France to Ireland at the time of the revocation of the Edict of Nantes; the pioneer in the Dominion of Canada being Thomas DesBrisay, captain Royal Artillery, who, was sent out as lieutenant-governor of Prince Edward Island, in 1777. The mother of our subject, before her first marriage, was Lucy Wright, daughter of the Hon. Thomas Wright, first surveyor-general of Prince Edward Island, and was the widow of Captain and Adjutant Colledge, who died in the first decade of this century while in the service of the king at the fortress of Quebec. Mr. DesBrisay was born at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on the 13th of December, 1816, educated at the Grammar School, Miramichi, studied law with the late Hon. John Ambrose Street, at Newcastle; was admitted an attorney in 1839, and to the Charlottetown bar at Hilary term, 1841, and has ever since been in practice in all the courts in New Brunswick and also as barrister of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island. He was appointed clerk of the peace for the county of Gloucester, N.B., in 1850; and is also clerk of the County Court and clerk of the Circuits. He was created a Queen’s counsel by the Dominion government in 1881, and appointed Judge of Probates for the county of Gloucester in 1883. Mr. DesBrisay is a past master of St. John’s lodge of Freemasons, Bathurst. He is a member of the Church of England, and has served as warden of St. George’s Church, Bathurst, for many years, and also as delegate to the Diocesan Synod. He is a lawyer of excellent moral character as well as legal standing. He married, in 1851, Jemima Swayne, daughter of David Swayne, of Dysart, Scotland, and has five children—four sons and one daughter. Lestock, the eldest, is a clergyman and rector of Strathroy, Ontario; Andrew Normand, is in mercantile business in Minneapolis; T. Swayne, is an attorney and barrister practising with his father; Charles Albert is a graduate of the Royal Military College, Kingston (class 1880, the first that graduated), and a civil engineer now practising his profession in Minnesota, and Lucy Isabella is at home.

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