Part 78

=Longworth, Hon. John=, Q.C., Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island. The Hon. Mr. Longworth, who died at Charlottetown, on the 11th of April, 1885, in the seventy-first year of his age, was born in Charlottetown, on the 19th September, 1814, and was a son of Francis Longworth, who came to the island when a young man, and during his residence there held many important and responsible offices. He was a member of a highly respectable Irish family, and married Agnes Auld, a native of Prince Edward Island, her parents being from Ayrshire, Scotland. Hon. Mr. Longworth received his education at the old Central Academy, Charlottetown, and studied law with Sir Robert Hodgson, when he was attorney-general of the province. He was admitted as an attorney of the Supreme Court in the autumn of 1837, and was called to the bar in the autumn of the next year. He went to England for a year, and returning to Charlottetown, opened a law office there in 1840, and was created a Queen’s counsel on the 23rd of May, 1863. He served as a deputy judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court of the province, a member of the legislature for twelve years, a member of the government for eight years, at various times, as Queen’s counsel, and as attorney-general, with credit to himself and advantage to the country. The administration of which he was an influential member, first led by the Hon. Edward Palmer, now chief justice of the province, afterwards by the Hon. Colonel Gray, C.M.G., was a strong and able one, and during its existence many measures of great importance to the well being of the province were carried into effect. Amongst them was the purchase by the government of the Selkirk and Cunard estates, two of the largest and most valuable estates in the province, made upon terms highly favourable to the interests of the government and tenantry; and as a mark of the Queen’s approval of the general policy of the administration, Mr. Longworth and his colleagues, on their retirement in May, 1867, received Her Majesty’s special sanction and authority to retain the rank and title which they held as members of Her Executive Council. Mr. Longworth’s politics were Conservative, but it is well known that the acts and legislation of the present Dominion government, especially in connection with the Pacific Railway, and its trade or national policy, did not meet his approval, this policy being especially, in Mr. Longworth’s opinion, highly detrimental to the most vital interests of Prince Edward Island and the other Maritime provinces. The deceased gentleman was well known as a consistent and devoted member of St. Paul’s, Church of England. He was a man of sound Christian character, generous impulses, a kind friend to the unfortunate, and his career as a public and private member to the community, won for him the warm respect of all who had the pleasure of being intimately acquainted with him. He married in March, 1847, Elizabeth W. Tremaine, daughter of Richard Tremaine, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, and by her had six children, of whom three died. He left a widow, two sons and one daughter to mourn his loss.

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=Hossack, William=, of Mount Pleasant, Quebec, was born in the ancient capital, on the 12th January, 1814, and has continued to reside there ever since. He is the eldest of twelve children of the late William Hossack, who for so many years was engaged in the grocery trade in Quebec. The Hossacks came to Quebec from Morayshire, Scotland, about the middle of last century, though their origin is Danish. For several generations the name has been a prominent one in Quebec in connection with the grocery trade, the family business being still in the hands of a member of the family, George Hossack, of Garden street. The subject of our sketch, after receiving a good English and commercial education at old Mr. Thom’s Academy, became associated with his father in business, and continued with him until he was in a position to start in life for himself. His first venture was in the leather trade, but the great fire of Quebec in 1845, which destroyed millions worth of property, destroyed Hossack’s tannery and warehouse, involving the young and enterprising owner of it in what seemed at one time the commercial ruin of the city. Nothing daunted, however, the young merchant set to work to recruit his fallen fortunes. A short time after the terrible calamity which befell his native city, he once more took to his father’s line of business, and soon forgot his first commercial drawback in the prosperity which began to smile on his new enterprise. After many years of close attention to his business, he eventually found himself in a position to retire on a competency. His inclinations had always been those of a careful reader of books and events, and now, when he found leisure on his hands, even while he had but yet attained to the prime of life, he determined to travel in Europe and Egypt, where for months he passed from city to city, visiting the scenes of historic interest, and deepening the impressions gained of such by desultory study. Even while busily engaged with his daily occupations as a business man, he was known to be one who was fond of what people call heavy reading; and he was now able to mature his native intelligence within the broader and deeper light of a personal experience with the scenes of which he had read. On his return to Quebec he began to take an active part in public affairs. For eight years he represented St. Louis ward in the city council, and was at the end of that period chosen mayor of Quebec, an office, however, which he held only for a short period, on account of some legal technicality in connection with his residing beyond the city limits. In addition to this high honor conferred upon him by his fellow councillors, he was for some time president of the St. Andrew’s Society, president of the Eastern Townships Colonization Society, and vice-president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Few men have been more highly respected as a public man. Straightforward in his dealings, he has easily won and retained the confidence of those associated with him in conducting public business. At present he is president of the Quebec City Mission; vice-president of the Literary and Historical Society, and chairman of the Protestant Board of School Commissioners. These offices he has held for a long period of years. For fifteen years he fulfilled the duties of treasurer of Chalmers’ Church, Quebec, a congregation in which he is one of the most highly-respected members and adherents. Indeed, in every good work Mr. Hossack is always to be depended upon to take his share. In 1868 he married Helen, daughter of the late Philip Peebles, of Quebec. His youngest sister is married to William Cassils, one of Montreal’s most prominent citizens.

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=Smith, Robert Barry=, Barrister, Moncton, New Brunswick, was born at Portland, St. John, N.B., on the 15th May, 1852. His father was the Rev. William Smith, Wesleyan minister, who came to Nova Scotia from Nottingham, England, as a missionary, in 1827, and who died at St. Andrew’s, N.B., in 1862. His mother, Ellen Barry, was the fourth daughter of Robert Barry, who went to Virginia in one of the king’s ships, and having procured his discharge, settled there, and when the revolutionary war began left a very valuable property and emigrated to Nova Scotia, settling near Shelburne, and afterwards removing to Liverpool, N.S., where he died in 1839, greatly esteemed. Mr. Smith was educated at Mount Allison College, Sackville, N.B., and went through the arts course, but left without taking any degree. He studied law with A. A. Stockton, LL.D., now member of the New Brunswick legislature for St. John city and county. He was admitted an attorney in 1874, and called to the bar in 1875. In 1880 he removed to Dorchester, and practised in partnership with J. B. Beck, then clerk of the courts. In 1881 he, however, returned to Moncton, and has since been engaged in nearly every important case tried in the county. In 1885 he argued the “Scott Act Scrutiny” case before the Supreme Court of Canada at Ottawa, in the interests of the liquor dealers, in which, after six months’ consideration, a majority of the court gave an adverse opinion. In 1886 he argued before the same court against an appeal taken by the town of Moncton from the Supreme Court of New Brunswick, which had decided that the mode in which the town carried on its tax-sales of land was illegal, and was successful. He was counsel in the Cadby extradition case, in the interest of the United States, and succeeded in obtaining the prisoner’s extradition after much delay and argument. In this case he was associated with W. F. MacCoy, Q.C., of Halifax, and C. A. Palmer, of St. John, leading on the arguments. Mr. Smith is thought to be successful in criminal trials, and is generally employed for the defence. In 1884 he was appointed clerk of the circuits for Westmoreland county, and in the same year a police judge for Moncton, and holds these offices still. In 1886 he entered into a professional partnership with James Kay, and the firm is now doing a large business. Mr. Smith is a strong Liberal in Dominion politics, and supporter of the present local government. He has taken an active part in politics, both in canvassing and speaking throughout the constituency. In municipal politics he offered, in March, 1887, as a candidate for councillor in the 2nd ward, but was defeated by a small majority, on account of his opposition to the Scott Act. In religious matters he inclines to Methodism in most points, but is generally opposed to creeds and dogmas. He was married on the 29th June, 1875, to Miss T. W. Knapp, daughter of Charles E. Knapp, clerk of the peace for Westmoreland county, and a great-granddaughter of Major Dickson, who was a sturdy Indian fighter, and who commanded Fort Beauséjour (Cumberland) for some time. She was also a direct descendant of U. E. loyalists who settled near the fort.

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=Kennedy, James Thomas=, Contractor and Builder, Indiantown, St. John, New Brunswick, was born in 1809, at Westfield, Kings county, New Brunswick. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Kennedy was born at Covent Garden, London, Eng., and before he attained his majority sailed for America in the frigate _Cumden_, which was laden with supplies for the loyalists during the American revolution. This vessel was cast away on the east end of Long Island, but the crew and passengers escaped with their lives. Soon after this, James Kennedy joined one of his Majesty’s foot regiments stationed near Boston, in which he served until the close of the war, and was afterwards removed to Fredericton, where he got his discharge. Here he married Elizabeth Belmain, who was born in Londonderry, Ireland, May 27th, 1750, and settled in Westfield, Kings county, where he died, leaving four children—James, Anne, John and Joseph, all of whom are now dead. John Kennedy, the father of James Thomas, was born at Westfield, June 27th, 1788, and was married to Mary Trott in 1810, by Parson Scoville, rector of the Episcopal Church, at Kingston, Kings county, by whom he had a family of twelve children—John, James T., Elizabeth, Mary B., Joseph E., Kate A., William D., Polly S., Samuel P., Sophia R., Sarah C., and Moses R., seven of whom are now residing in California. On 1st November, 1819, John Kennedy removed with his family from Westfield to the United States, James T. being at this time about ten years of age. They set sail from St. John in the fishing schooner _Bunk_, but as the war of 1812 had not yet been brought to a close, they were landed in a small boat at the mouth of the Penobscot river, and shipped in the coasting schooner _Seven Brothers_. The weather was cold and stormy, and on the 1st of December they were wrecked during a snowstorm on Cranberry Island. Here they remained on the beach from eight o’clock in the evening until two o’clock the following day. Mrs. Kennedy and the children suffered great hardships, the passengers having been brought to land by boats attached to a line. After a short delay on the island they sailed for Castine in a fishing schooner, and on their arrival at this place the unfortunate castaways were treated with great kindness by the inhabitants. The family remained in Maine until 1822, when they returned to New Brunswick and settled in Carleton county. James Thomas Kennedy, the subject of this sketch, received his education in Westfield, and was married on the 4th July, 1838, to Cynthia Waters, of Westfield, who was of loyalist descent. This lady died on the 17th July, 1839; and on the 27th November, 1845, he married Eliza Lingley, also of Westfield. Miss Lingley was a daughter of Abraham Lingley, a grandson of Jane Astor, a sister of the late John Jacob Astor, of New York, who came with a party of U. E. loyalists to New Brunswick in 1773. Her grandfather bore arms through the revolutionary war, and at its close settled at Nerepis Creek, Kings county, where he died in 1861, at the age of ninety-one years, and was buried on the anniversary of his birth. His wife died three weeks after him in the same place at the age of eighty-six years. Early in life Mr. Kennedy displayed that aptitude in business which has made nearly every enterprise in which he has engaged a success. In 1842 and 1843, we find him sailing a passenger steamer, and also in command of a boat, towing logs from Fredericton to St. John. And about the same time he erected two sawmills which he worked successfully. In 1841 he removed his family from Westfield to Indiantown, St. John, where he took up his residence. In 1843 he transported in boats from Spoon Island the granite that was used in the construction of the North Wharf buildings in St. John; and also conveyed from the same quarries the granite used in the building of the custom-house on Prince William street, destroyed by the great fire in 1877. This was one of the most imposing buildings erected in the Maritime provinces previous to confederation. He also transported the stones used in the fortifications about St. John, including those at Partridge Island, the Hampton Jail, and for the capital of the province at Fredericton. During the years 1878, ’79, ’80 Mr. Kennedy was engaged in the construction of the deep-water terminus of the Intercolonial Railway at Lower Cove, St. John, which is one of the most substantial structures of the kind on the coast of the Dominion; and in 1882 he completed the St. Peter’s canal at St. Peter’s, Cape Breton. It is half a mile in length, fifty-eight feet in breadth, eighteen feet in depth, and has a lock two hundred feet long and forty-eight wide. This canal—its usefulness being of great value—will stand for centuries as a monument to its builder. He took a great interest in the centennial celebration of the landing of the U. E. loyalists in St. John, which was held on the 17th May, 1873; and on the occasion presented to Portland an elegant freestone drinking fountain for man and beast, in commemoration of the day, and in memory of his only son, born 24th November, 1854, and who died on the 30th October, 1877. Mr. Kennedy was made a freeman of the city of St. John in 1839, and was appointed a magistrate in 1873. Although his business life has been a most active one, yet he has found time to travel through several of the states of the neighbouring Republic and in the provinces of Canada. During these rambles he has been a keen observer, and never failed to store his mind with facts likely to prove useful to him in the prosecution of his business. He has never been an aspirant for official honours, the only office he ever accepted being a seat in the Portland town council in 1874 and 1875. He has always been a constant advocate of temperance, and is a member of several temperance societies. In religious matters he is an adherent of the Episcopal church. Active in all movements calculated to improve the condition of the poor and to elevate the masses to a better appreciation of the duties and responsibilities of life. Five children have been born to Mr. Kennedy, one son and four daughters. Mr. Kennedy, we may add, is a Conservative in politics.

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=Cameron, Charles=, Manager of the Great Northern Transit Company, Collingwood, Ontario, was born on the 24th February, 1835, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. He is the son of Donald Cameron, of Appin, Argyleshire, one of the clan of Lochiel, and a slate manufacturer. His mother was Isabella Harper, and belonged to the parish of Marnoch, in Banffshire, Scotland. Mr. Cameron received a liberal education at the public schools of his native town, and was apprenticed to the joiner and millwright trade, and came to America in 1853. After spending one season in Cleveland, Ohio, and a second in Toronto, he went north to Collingwood, arriving in that place on the 7th February, 1855. After working at his trade for about two years, on the fine railway station, which is so conspicuous an ornament of the town of Collingwood, he went into the hotel-keeping, combining therewith livery stables, and controlling the principal mail stage routes of the vicinity, until 1871, when he retired from this business, and since that time has devoted his time mostly to the shipping enterprises with which he has since become identified. Mr. Cameron has ever been in the front with any and every undertaking calculated to benefit the town he has chosen as his home. He built the first schooner ever launched in the port, and was the primary promoter of the Collingwood Tug and Wrecking Co., the Georgian Bay Transportation Co., the Great Northern Transit Co., and the Collingwood Iron Foundry—all of them pioneer enterprises. Mr. Cameron is also an active member of the Agricultural and Horticultural societies in the county of Simcoe, and has been of great service to the farming community of this part of the province. He has aided greatly in the importation of valuable draught stallions, and thus gave an early impulse to the improvement of the breed of horses, now so noticeable in the local fall shows. Mr. Cameron held the offices of a councillor, reeve, and deputy-reeve for nine years, closing with the office of warden, to which he was elected by a unanimous vote of the county council of Simcoe, which at that time numbered fifty-four members, and ranked the fourth largest legislative body in the dominion. Although declining all municipal honours since 1881, he still enjoys the esteem of his former colleagues by representing them on the Collegiate Institute board, and this position he has held for the past fourteen years consecutively. Mr. Cameron is also vice-president of the Farmers’ North-West Land and Colonization Co., a director of the Collingwood Horticultural Society, treasurer of the North Simcoe Conservative Association, and manager of the Great Northern Transit Co. He is the largest property-owner in the town of Collingwood, and one of the largest in the county of Simcoe. Mr. Cameron is a Knight Templar of the Masonic order, in which he has held the office of eminent preceptor. He is a strong Conservative in politics, and in his religious opinions adheres to the Presbyterian church of his ancestors. He was married, in February, 1860, to Margaret Barron, daughter of George Lunan, formerly of Lower Canada, by whom he has had seven children. Four are living, viz., Isabella H. (married to Chas. E. Holmes, of Toronto), Alexander B., Chestena C., and Charles H. M. Mrs. Cameron died 12th April, 1885.

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=Cameron, William=, Farmer, Sutherland River, Pictou, M.P.P. for Pictou county, Nova Scotia, was born at Sutherland River, Pictou, N.S., on the 25th September, 1847. His parents were Alexander Cameron and Margaret McKay, of New Glasgow. His paternal grandfather emigrated from Inverness, Scotland, and settled in Pictou about 1801, and his maternal grandmother came from the same place about 1790, and her parents were among the earliest settlers in New Glasgow. Mr. Cameron received his education at Dalhousie College, Halifax, and graduated from that institution in 1873 with the degree of B.A. He taught school for some years before going to college, and afterwards during college recess. He was for a time principal of the high schools of Westville, River John, and Bridgewater, and closed his teaching career in the mathematical department of the New Glasgow High School. For two years Mr. Cameron studied medicine at the Medical School at Halifax, but his health failing, and on account of the death of his brother, which took place in 1877, he abandoned his medical studies, and returned home to assist his father, who was now growing old, and his mother very infirm, both of whom demanded his company as well as his care. He has been auditor of the municipality of Pictou since 1884. In 1873 he joined the Masonic brotherhood, and has ever since taken an interest in the order. On the 8th March, 1887, a vacancy having occurred in Pictou county, in consequence of the resignation of A. C. Bell, the sitting member, Mr. Cameron offered himself as a candidate, and was elected for his native county to a seat in the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia. In politics he is a Conservative, of the independent type, and is a thoroughly practical man. In religion he is an adherent of the Presbyterian church. In 1882 he was married to Mary Catherine Dawson, of Little Harbor, Pictou county, N.S.

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