Table of Contents

PREFACE.

It has been too long a custom to regard as proper subjects for biographical literature only persons who have figured in political life. In preparing the present work, any man or woman who has, in any conspicuous way, contributed to the moral, intellectual, industrial or political growth of the country, has been deemed a suitable person for these pages. To the heroism and uncomplaining industry of the men who hewed out homes in the wilderness, and little by little overcame the obstacles of nature, are we indebted now for our thriving cities, and for our wide stretches of cultivated lands; and to omit a record of their labors, and select only for permanent record the deeds of those who came upon the scenes when the rugged work was done, would be singularly unjust. We have had, and still have amongst us, men of great genius in engineering skill, and in mechanical contrivance; and it was fitting that a brief record of their lives, and what they accomplished for the community, should be handed down in the history of our common country. The same may be said of men prominent in every branch of commerce, of our notable divines, our eminent judges, our great lawyers, our talented medical men, and those who have contributed to the educational growth of the country. These it was considered were worthy of place side by side with the men who chose political careers, and have won more or less distinction therein. There is to be said in justification of all these records, that even the history of the man in an obscure village is a portion of the history of the country, and the aggregate record of “Representative Canadians” may be regarded in a young country like Canada, as a full historical account, in every sense, for the period covered by the biographical matter in the volume. Men are forever drifting down the slow stream, and most of their deeds like themselves, pass into oblivion; it is well while the opportunity is at hand to save as much of the record as possible for posterity. The labor, the time, and the pains spent in securing data for the sketches herein contained have been greater than would be believed; and the more so since accuracy of statement of fact, and the chronological order of incidents, have been so rigidly aimed at. Dates and facts have all been verified either by reference to the best published authorities, or to the persons themselves. For the most part, the call for the coöperation of the public in furnishing data for the records has been cordially responded to. As for the literary portion of the work, no pains have been spared to make that equal to the other features. To make the volume complete in the historically “representative” sense, memoirs of the most illustrious of the dead of this country will be found in its pages. The enterprise has been tedious, laborious and expensive; but if it will supply a record that the country should not let die; if it preserves the names of worthy men and women whose deeds deserve to be remembered, it surely will have well repaid the time, the anxiety, and the pains that have been expended upon it. A work of this kind could not be else than tedious; and, therefore, since its commencement, several changes have taken place: some of the persons in its pages have died; others have passed from one office to another, and dropped from public places; but with these latter exceptions and some other minor ones, each memoir, it is believed, will be found to be an accurate record up to the present date.

GEO. MACLEAN ROSE.

Toronto, March, 1888.

Cartier, Jacques.—The ancient town of St. Malo, in France, had been for centuries a nursery of hardy seamen, and among the most eminent on its list stands the name of Jacques Cartier.—This celebrated navigator was the first European who explored the shores of Canada to any extent. On the 20th April, 1534, he sailed with two ships of three score tons apiece burthen, and sixty-one well appointed men in each. He steered for Newfoundland, which he reached in twenty days, passed through the straits of Belle Isle, and advanced up the St. Lawrence, till he saw the shores of Anticosti. The approach of winter caused him to return to France. In the spring of 1535, he received a fresh commission, and three vessels, named La Grande Hermine, La Petite Hermine and L’Hémerillon, the largest about 120 tons, were placed at his disposal. On the 16th May, the officers and sailors assembled in the Cathedral at St. Malo, where, after confession and hearing mass, they received a parting blessing from the bishop, and, three days later, they set sail. After experiencing very stormy weather, during which the vessels were separated, they reached the coast of Newfoundland on the 26th July. On the 10th August, it being the festival of St. Lawrence. Cartier gave that name to the bay which he entered, and it was afterwards extended to the river and gulf. On the 16th, he reached Stadacona (now Quebec). Hearing from the Indians that a town of some importance stood by the bank of the river, many days’ journey above, and named “Hochelaga,” Cartier determined to go thither, and on the 19th September, he hoisted sail, and with his pinnace and two small boats, departed on his journey up the river. On the 28th he reached lake St. Peter. At the head of this lake he was compelled to cast anchor on account of the shoals; and finding it impossible to proceed further with his vessel (L’Hémerillon), he took to his boats, and on the 2nd October, 1535, he landed about six miles from the town, below the current St. Mary. After he had gone about four miles, he was met by one of the chiefs, accompanied by many of the natives, who gave him a cordial welcome. Having seen all that he deemed worthy of notice in the village, Cartier was conducted to the top of the mountain, the view from which filled him with feelings of joy and gratification. In honour of his king he named it “Mont Royal,” which name has been extended to the city. On his return to the boats he was accompanied by a large number of natives, who appeared to be anxious to have him stay longer. He, however, embarked the same evening, and on the 4th October, he reached his vessel, in which he passed down the St. Lawrence, and rejoined his company at Stadacona. As the season was far advanced Cartier made the bold resolve to winter in the country. His party suffered much during the winter from want of proper food and clothing, and in addition to this, they were all attacked by the scurvy, twenty-six of whom died. The remainder soon recovered their health by the use of a decoction of the spruce fir, which had been recommended to them by an Indian. When spring returned Cartier sailed for France, taking with him several of the natives, and among them, Donacona, a chief. None of them ever returned, all dying before the French again visited Canada. On his return to France, Cartier found his native land distracted with religious dissensions, and it was not until 1541, that he sailed with five vessels, and full power to make discoveries and settlements in Canada. Jean François de la Rocque, superior of Roberval, was appointed by the king viceroy and lieutenant of Canada, and was to have accompanied Cartier, but through insuperable obstacles he was unable to leave until the next year, when he left with three vessels, having on board two hundred persons, male and female. Cartier passed the winter at Cape Rouge, where he erected a fort, but fearing the natives he resolved to return to France. On his way he fell in with Roberval, at St. John’s, Newfoundland, but he refused to return with him to Canada, and proceeded on his way to France, where he died shortly after his return. Cartier manifested in all his expeditions adventurous courage. No contemporary navigator had as yet dared to advance so far into the lands of the new world as he. In his braving the rigours of a Canadian winter, and shutting himself up for six months, without means of escape, he gave a signal example of the intrepidity of the mariners of his time and country. Of right therefore in every sense, he heads the long file of visitors of inner North America.

Young, Hon. Charles, LL.D., Q.C., Judge of Surrogate and Probate, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, was born on the 30th of April, 1812, at Glasgow, Scotland, and is the younger brother of Sir William Young, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia. The father of these illustrious men was John Young, of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland, and subsequently of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Judge Young received his early education in Dalhousie College, Halifax, and studied law in the office of his brother, Sir William Young, in that city. He was called to the bar of Nova Scotia in 1838, and to the bar of Prince Edward Island the same year. He practised his profession for a short time with his brothers, Sir William and the Hon. George Young, now deceased; and on November 23rd, 1847, was created a Queen’s Counsel, being the first barrister in Prince Edward Island on which this honour was conferred. Judge Young entered public life a young man in 1840, where he was returned for Queen’s County to the Island Assembly, and in December following, he was appointed to the Legislative Council. In this latter body he accepted a seat until 1863, ten years of which period he acted as president. He filled the office of Attorney-General from 28th May, 1851 to the 2nd of May, 1852; and from 26th June, 1858 to 11th April, 1859; and held the commission under the Royal Sign Manual as administrator of the Government of the Island for four years. Judge Young has the honour of being the first public man who advocated the question of responsible government for the Island, and he and his co-workers had the pleasure of seeing this boon granted in 1851, together with other important reforms, such as free schools, free lands for tenantry, savings banks, etc. He received his appointment as judge of probate in 1852, and judge in bankruptcy in 1868. On retiring from the latter position in March, 1875, he was presented with the following address, which was signed by every member of the bar in Prince Edward Island, viz: —