Part 59
=Mellish, John Thomas=, M.A., Halifax, Nova Scotia, was born at Pownal, Prince Edward Island, on January 26th, 1841. He is the eldest son of the late James Lewis Mellish, of the same place, and Margaret Sophia, his wife, daughter of John Murray, formerly of Tullamore, Ireland; grandson of Thomas Mellish, known in his day as “a most loyal British subject, and a devoted adherent of the Church of England;” and great grandson of Thomas Mellish, an officer of the British army, and member of an old and highly respectable English family, who settled on Prince Edward Island in 1770. Captain Mellish was for many years provost marshal or sheriff of the island, collector of customs, and a member of the Legislative Assembly. An interesting trial took place at Charlottetown, in the early part of 1779, arising from his seizure of the convoy ship _Duchess of Gordon_, for smuggling. He took an active interest in the defence of the colony during the American war, and was on military duty, assisting in raising troops at Halifax and Fort Cumberland, during the winter of 1779-80, returning to the island in the following spring. James Lewis Mellish, the father of John Thomas Mellish, died on the 14th June, 1886, in the seventy-ninth year of his age. His mother, a native of New York, was a daughter of the late James Lewis Hayden, J.P., a loyalist, who removed from Shelburne, N.S., to the island in 1785, having left New York in 1783. A newspaper extract says: “We have to record the death of one of our oldest and most highly respected citizens. James L. Mellish, Esq., late of Pownal, departed this life on the 14th inst., at the residence of his son, Stewiacke, N.S., whither he had gone a short time before on a visit. His remains were brought home for interment. In his death the community loses a most worthy and upright citizen. Energy, strength and integrity were united in his character. From his youth up he was a devoted and active member and office-holder of the Methodist church. He spent his life for the most part on his farm at the place of his birth. Mr. Mellish married, March 25th, 1840, Miss Margaret Sophia Murray, a lady of strong mind and superior attainments, of whose companionship he was deprived by death about ten years ago. Their married life was blessed with ten children, each one of whom is to-day occupying a position of usefulness and responsibility.” John Thomas Mellish, the subject of our sketch, was educated at Prince of Wales College, Charlottetown, and Mount Allison College, Sackville, New Brunswick, and holds from the latter the degrees of B.A. and M.A. On the opening of Cumberland County Academy, Amherst, Nova Scotia, in 1865, Mr. Mellish, who had been teaching at Guysborough, was selected to fill the position of head master, but resigned in 1870, in order to accept a situation in Mount Allison College and Male Academy, and was head master of this academy from 1871 to 1874. In the latter year, he was appointed on his own terms to the principalship of Albro Street School, Halifax, the largest school in the province. At the close of 1880, the strain of constant school work on Mr. Mellish’s health compelled him to place his resignation in the hands of the Halifax school commissioners, although that body the year before had raised his salary for the third time, and designated him to the position in the High School, vacated by the late Dr. H. A. Bayne, on his appointment to the Royal Military College, Kingston. Official records and reports testify to the great value of Mr. Mellish’s services in the cause of education. The Superior School grant was awarded to him when at Guysborough, his school being ranked as best in the county. While in charge of the academy at Amherst, he prepared a large number of students to matriculate in the different colleges, and a still larger number to pass the examinations for teachers’ licenses, from the academy or grade A license down. The last year he was at Mount Allison, it was found necessary to add six additional dormitories, in order to accommodate the increased number of boarders in the academy. Mr. Mellish has in his possession not less than a dozen complimentary addresses and quite a number of pieces of plate, books, &c., presented to him by his pupils, on anniversary and other occasions. In the summer of 1874, he made the tour of Great Britain and Ireland, and has since delivered on many occasions a lecture entitled, “My Visit to Scotland.” He frequently lectures on different subjects, and contributes to the newspaper press; is the author of various papers and pamphlets on educational and kindred topics, and of several papers on scientific subjects, published in the Transactions of the Nova Scotia Institute of Natural Science; is a member of the institute, and was associate secretary with the Rev. D. Honeyman, D.C.L., in 1875-80; has been president of the Teachers’ Institutes, at different places; is a magistrate, and a local examiner of the University of London; was for several years a vice-president of the Halifax Young Men’s Christian Association; and is a lay preacher of the Methodist church. Mr. Mellish married, July 18th, 1867, Martha Jane, only surviving daughter of the late Benjamin Chappell, of Charlottetown. They have six children living,—Arthur, Alfred Ernest, Mary Sophia, Anne Elizabeth, Martha Louise, and Frances, and one, John Thomas, died in infancy. All the children old enough are going to school. Arthur belongs to No. 3 Co., 82nd battalion militia, and with his company was called out and ordered to proceed to the front during the North-West rebellion. Every preparation was made to start, but after the company had been in barracks about a fortnight, the order was countermanded on account of the capture of Riel. Mr. Mellish has four brothers and five sisters: Rev. I. M. Mellish, Methodist minister, Nova Scotia conference, formerly captain in reserve militia; H. Pope, farmer, Stewiacke; James Roland, chief agent British American Book and Tract Society, Halifax; Humphrey, mathematical master, Pictou Academy, B.A., of Dalhousie College, matriculated with honours, first division in London University; Anne, wife of J. L. Archibald, J.P., of Halifax; Catharine Douglas, wife of Philip Large, Charlottetown; Mary (widow of the late A. N. Archibald, of Halifax), chief preceptress Mount Allison Ladies’ College, Sackville, New Brunswick; Martha Janet, and Margaret Elizabeth, unmarried.
* * * * *
=Moody, Rev. John Thomas Tidmarsh=, D.D., Rector of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. This deceased divine was born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 25th of March, 1804. His father, John Moody, who was one of the earliest merchants of Halifax, was born in New York, June 19th, 1779. His great grandfather, John Moody, was born in London, and also his grandfather, Thomas Moody, were loyalists. The family came to Nova Scotia about the year 1783. His mother was Mary R. Tidmarsh, of Halifax. His parents were married in 1800, and both lived to a great age, Mr. Moody to his 92nd and Mrs. Moody to her 86th year. The Rev. Dr. Moody received his education at King’s College, Windsor; took his B.A. degree in 1824; M.A. in 1833, and had the degree of D.D. (hon.) conferred, at the Encœnia of 1883, only a few months before his death. He was ordained deacon by the Rt. Rev. John Inglis, D.D., bishop of Nova Scotia, who also ordained him priest in the following year. Immediately after his ordination as deacon, he was appointed to the rectorship of Liverpool, N.S., where he succeeded the Rev. W. Twining, the first rector, and had charge of this parish for nearly twenty years. His work was largely of a missionary character throughout the county of Queens; and he was also chairman of the board of school commissioners during that time. Before leaving Liverpool he had the satisfaction of seeing his parish church much enlarged, two chapels and several school-houses erected in the rural districts, and the communicants increased from 19 to 200. Rev. Dr. Moody’s second appointment was that of rector of Yarmouth, in 1846. This position he held to the time of his death, which took place, suddenly, of apoplexy, on the morning of the 18th of October, 1883. During this period he saw the number of communicants in his parish more than trebled, and baptized, during his ministry of fifty-one years, considerably over 2,000 persons. The present parish church, which bears the name of Holy Trinity, was consecrated in 1872 by the late Rt. Rev. Hibbert Binney, D.D., bishop of Nova Scotia. It is a very handsome brick structure, in the early English period of architecture, and will seat about 700 persons. There are also two handsome school-houses in this parish. The church property is valued at about $40,000. One of the most pleasing events of his later years was the celebration of his golden wedding, on Tuesday, 14th of September, 1880. His surviving children were all present on that occasion. His parishioners and other friends took that opportunity of presenting him and his estimable wife with a cordial address, accompanied with a valuable present, as a slight token of their affectionate respect. We quote the following from his obituary notice, which appeared in the Yarmouth _Herald_ of Oct. 25th, 1883:—
Surrounded by his sorrowing family, his sainted spirit passed into the eternal sunlight before sickness had weakened his frame, or age had dimmed his faculties. He died in the eightieth year of his age, beloved and honored not merely in the church of which, for thirty-seven years continuously, he had been pastor, not in the wide family circle with which he was connected, but universally wherever he was known, by people of all ages, classes, and creeds. A well-rounded, complete, and in many respects beautiful life had come to its close. Nothing was lacking to the completion of his work. Dr. Moody was, in many respects, a unique and singularly attractive character. As a preacher his manner was expressive of sincerity of thought, love for his people, and a deep desire to do good, which impressed alike the thoughtless and the reverend. His discourses were simple in outline, clear and unambiguous in expression, and pervaded with the profoundest piety and love for souls. His manner was singularly benignant and attractive, and his presence amid scenes of sorrow and suffering was always effective and consoling. His rendering of the noble ritual of the church has ever been marked for its power and pathos, his voice being rich, full, harmonious, and exquisitely modulated, without the least appearance of study or affectation. There seemed very little alloy of human passion in his humanity; the closer the acquaintance the more complete, happy and more fully satisfactory appeared the soul of the man as thus revealed to the observer. He was firm in his adherence to the rules and principles of his own communion, and conscientious to a degree, in insisting upon their observance by all who sought his advice or his sympathy, but he was broad in his sympathies and generous in his charities, as well. Among all denominations he was beloved and reverenced for his high-mindedness, his courtesy, his unvarying avoidance of all unseemly controversies, and his evident anxiety to promote affection and harmony among men of all creeds. His manner was dignified, but winning; old and young alike were attracted to him, recognizing instinctively, that he was a Christian and a gentleman, and that his kindly interest in them came from the sincere depths of a genuinely good nature.
He joined Each office of the social hour To noble manners, as the flower And native growth of noble mind.
Dr. Moody was married on the 14th of September, 1830, to Sarah Bond, eldest daughter of the late Henry G. Farish, M.D., of Yarmouth. His widow survived him, but entered into her rest on the 20th of May, 1887, universally beloved and revered. They had a family of nine children, only four of whom; three daughters and one son, survive them. Their eldest son, John T., rector of Tusket, N.S., died on the 4th of October, 1864, leaving a widow and three children. Their second son, Henry G., was a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, and died on the 30th of July, 1873, leaving a widow. James C., the only surviving son, is a graduate of the University of New York, and is engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery at Windsor, Nova Scotia.
* * * * *
=Crinion, Rev. James Eugene=, Pastor of the Roman Catholic Church, Dunnville, Ontario, was born on the 13th of April, 1859, in the parish of Slane, county of Meath, Ireland, and came to Canada in 1874. He received his primary education in St. Finian’s Academy, Navan, Meath county, Ireland, and continued his studies at St. Michael’s College, Toronto, completing his theological course at the Grand Seminary, at Montreal. The Rev. Father Crinion was the youngest of the thirteen students brought over from Ireland in 1874, by the late Bishop Crinnon, the year that right rev. prelate was consecrated bishop. After leaving Montreal, Mr. Crinion went to Hamilton, and was ordained a priest by Bishop Crinnon on the 30th June, 1881, in St. Mary’s Cathedral, who then appointed him assistant priest of the parish of Arthur, Wellington county, Ontario. In this charge he remained two years, and then revisited the scenes of his youth, in Ireland. On his return to Canada, he was appointed curate of St. Basil’s Church, Brantford. From this place, on the 8th September, 1886, he was transferred to Dunnville, and made first resident pastor of that parish. Here he has done good work, and succeeded in erecting a handsome new church, which is a credit to him and his congregation, and an ornament to the village. Its foundation or corner stone was blessed and laid on July 1st, 1886, by the Right Rev. Dr. Carbary. The style of architecture is Italian. The building consists of a nave seventy feet long by thirty-five feet wide, with chancel eighteen feet deep by twenty-one feet wide, having on the east side a beautiful Lady chapel, and on the west side a commodious sacristy. The chancel arch is ornamented with pilasters, surmounted by a rich classic moulding. The Lady chapel and entrance to sacristy have a similar finish. The ceiling is covered with rich mouldings. Over the front entrance is a good-sized gallery, calculated to accommodate over one hundred persons, and exquisitely finished in front. The high altar, the gift of Bishop Carbary to the church, is a splendid specimen of classic design which adds a grace and beauty to the entire structure. It consists of the altar proper, with super altar and tabernacle. The reredos presents a large ope, with circular top, for picture of the crucifixion. It is supported by two Corinthian pilasters, with richly-carved capitals, supporting a frieze and entablature. On the frieze is the inscription, “Gloria in excelsis Deo,” and in the pediment of entablature is a dove, emblem of the Holy Ghost, surrounded by rays. Then the entire altar is surmounted by a floriated cross. The altar was painted by Mr. James, of Dunnville, in a flat white, with the carvings and enrichments richly gilded. The work was executed by Cruickshank, of Hamilton, and reflects great credit on the skill and taste of the artificers. The pews, designed by R. Clohecy, the architect of the building, were made by Messrs. Bennett, of London, and finished in their usual careful manner. The entire appearance of the interior of this church has a finished and pleasing effect. The front of the church has a large circular window, with smaller windows at each side, and a great door for principal entrance. On the east angle of the front is a beautiful campanile rising to the height of seventy feet. In this companile, or tower, is another entrance to the church for winter use. It also contains a solid stairway to the gallery. The sides of the church are pierced with windows, filled with ornamental glass. Between the windows are buttresses, which give an air of strength and massiveness to the structure. The greatest credit is due to the accomplished architect, R. Clohecy, who has thus given a solid proof of his high culture and good taste, and has produced a monumental work for the good catholics of Dunnville mission. The entire cost is about $8,000. The building was taken up by Father Crinion in September, 1885. The care and watchfulness he bestowed on the work is now amply rewarded by having one of the most beautiful churches of its size in the province of Ontario in which to administer to the spiritual wants of his faithful and devoted people. A new presbytery is now in course of construction, which will be ready for occupation during the winter of 1888.
* * * * *