Part 18

On December 12, 1889, Mr. Ardley married Miss Tamar Jane Phillips, a daughter of Henry Phillips, of Upway, England. He is independent politically and a member of the Church of England.

REV. HERBERT SYMONDS.

A man who has made his zeal and commanding ability the basis of an important work not only in the cause of religion but in the public service along lines of charity and reform is Rev. Herbert Symonds, since 1903 vicar of Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal. He is a prominent orator and preacher, an able writer and an untiring worker for the promotion of religious and social advancement and is regarded as one of the vital forces in the spread of movements looking toward Christian unity. He was born in Rickinghall-Inferior, Suffolk, England, December 28, 1860, and is a son of George and Hannah (Wright) Symonds. He studied in Framlingham College in England and in Trinity University, Toronto, Ontario, from which he was graduated with the degree of B. A. in 1885, receiving the degree of M. A. and the prize for an English essay and sermon in 1887. He holds the honorary degree of D. D., given him by Queen’s University in 1901, and the honorary degree of LL. D., conferred upon him by McGill University in 1910.

Rev. Herbert Symonds came to Canada in 1881 and four years later was ordained deacon in the Anglican church. He received orders as a priest in 1887 and from that year to 1890 was a fellow and lecturer in Trinity University in Toronto. The next two years he spent as professor of divinity in the same institution and in 1892 was made rector of St. Luke’s church in Ashburnham, Ontario. He resumed his work as an educator in the year 1901, being made headmaster of Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario, serving in that capacity from 1901 to 1903. In the latter year he was transferred to Montreal and made vicar of Christ Church Cathedral in this city, and he has since held the position, which affords him an excellent scope for his talents and abilities and in which his work has carried him forward into important relations with Anglican affairs. He was president of the Montreal Protestant Ministerial Association in 1905, first president of the Canadian Society of Christian Unity and in 1910 a delegate to the World’s Missionary Congress, held in Edinburgh, and the Anglican Church Congress, held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Mr. Symonds married, in March, 1883, Miss Emma Blackall, fourth daughter of the late Mossom Boyd, of Bobcaygeon, Ontario, and both are well known in social circles of Montreal. Since 1907 Mr. Symonds has served as Protestant school commissioner and he is well known in military circles, having been from 1896 to 1907 chaplain of the Third Prince of Wales Canadian Dragoons and since that time chaplain, with the honorary rank of major, of the First Regiment, Prince of Wales Fusiliers. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and is a past grand chaplain of the grand lodge of Quebec. A writer of great force and power, he has made many contributions to The Week and Expository Times of England and other papers and is the author of articles on Trinity University and University Federation, published in 1894, on Christian Unity, published in 1899, and The Anglican Church and the Doctrine of Apostolical Succession, 1907. He is regarded as one of the ablest preachers in the Anglican pulpit at the present time and has made this talent also a force in the accomplishment of a great and lasting work.

HENRY HOGAN.

Very few if any men in Montreal were any better known in their respective lines of business than was Henry Hogan, in connection with the hotel business. He occupied a position among his contemporaries that made him a unique personage. The story of his life is best told by the history of the hostelry, St. Lawrence Hall, that his name had made famous and over which he had charge for upwards of a half century. Mr. Hogan was born at La Tortue, near Laprairie, on the 12th of April, 1820, and was a son of Nicholas Hogan, who served in the British army in the Peninsular war and at Waterloo under the Duke of Wellington. He was engaged in the woolen manufacturing business in Manchester, England, and upon coming to Canada established a mill at La Tortue. He met his death from drowning, the result of the giving way of the rail on a boat, which precipitated him into the St. Lawrence river. He was survived by a widow and several children.

Henry Hogan was but a boy when he came to Montreal and his early training in a business way began in the line of business of which he made such a great success in later life, the hotel business. In 1851 he became proprietor of what was then called the Hogan Hotel, in which enterprise he was in partnership with Messrs. Borden and Compaine, but both men retired early, being succeeded in the firm by Frederick Penn, who remained a partner with Mr. Hogan until 1869. After that time the latter was alone as sole proprietor of St. Lawrence Hall. In 1856 he was one of the prominent factors in the grand banquet given by the citizens in the Hall to mark the opening of the Grand Trunk Railway, on which occasion many distinguished citizens were his guests. In 1860 he entertained the members of the suite of the Prince of Wales, later His Majesty, King Edward VII. In those days Mr. Hogan entertained many people of title and prominence. The story of this hotel has its own connection with the history of Canada, for under the roof of St. Lawrence Hall there occurred many things that led to the present-day development of the Dominion. Here Mr. John A. Macdonald, later the great Sir John, met his sturdy opponent, Mr. George Brown, and exchanged views on the best means of uniting the scattered provinces. From this beginning confederation was achieved and Mr. Hogan performed his share in these events and at all times faithfully carried out the duties of citizenship. St. Lawrence Hall was for many years the best known hotel in Canada and one of the best known on the continent. Princes of the royal blood, soldiers and statesmen, political refugees, artists and poets, stars of the operatic and dramatic stage partook of its hospitality and their names recall events of bygone days. The opening of Victoria bridge brought many notables to the Hall, and during the progress of the Civil war in the United States the clank of the sword was heard at St. Lawrence Hall, which became the headquarters for the Confederate representatives and southern refugees. Jefferson Davis and John Wilkes Booth were guests of the Hall, and during the Trent affair it was the headquarters of the officers. During the trial of John Surratt, the register of the Hall was taken to Washington and has never been returned. After the Civil war, General Sherman, of the Union army, and also one of the most prominent Confederate generals visited Montreal and were entertained by Mr. Hogan, as was Henry Ward Beecher and other distinguished Americans. The banquets held at St. Lawrence Hall were noted affairs, the place being the scene of many brilliant social gatherings.

The ancestral records of the Hogan family included the names of many prominent in military circles and Henry Hogan also took a deep interest in these affairs, being for years commanding officer of the Montreal Field Battery, of which he was lieutenant in 1855, afterwards became colonel and assumed command, retiring with that rank in 1866. Mr. Hogan had been connected with numerous business enterprises aside from his hotel interests. He always had implicit confidence in the future of Montreal and made investments that proved highly profitable. His business ability won him success and prominence in his chosen field and his capability, tact and resourcefulness made him an ideal host, whether entertaining a little private gathering of friends or a large concourse of notable and eminent citizens at a banquet. In religious belief he was a Unitarian. His death occurred October 9, 1902, and he was survived by a widow, two sons, Henry H. and Lawrence H., and also two daughters: Anna W., now the widow of Major Low, of the British army; and Marion E., who died unmarried.

MARTIN MONTGOMERY REYNOLDS.

Martin Montgomery Reynolds enjoyed the reputation of being one of the foremost experts in railroad accounting and finance. He had thirty years of experience along that line and was connected with roads in the United States and Mexico until he came to Canada in 1908 as fifth vice president of the Grand Trunk Railway and third vice president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. At his death, which occurred June 17, 1914, he held the position of vice president in charge of the financial and accounting departments.

Martin M. Reynolds was born in Syracuse, New York, and educated there. His first notable position in the railroad world was that of auditor of the Mexican National Railroad, which office he held until 1892. He then went to Vermont as general auditor of the Central Vermont Railroad, which office he held until 1896. From 1896 to 1899 he was auditor for the receivers of this road, and from 1899 to 1902 auditor for its successor, the Central Vermont Railway. From 1902 to 1904 he was comptroller of the National Railway of Mexico and in 1904 accepted in addition to this office the comptrollership of the Mexican International Railway and the Interoceanic Railway of Mexico, continuing in this office until 1908. In that year he came to Montreal as fifth vice president of the Grand Trunk Railway and third vice president of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, and in 1910 was promoted to the third vice presidency of the Grand Trunk. From 1911 Mr. Reynolds was vice president in charge of the financial and accounting departments of the Grand Trunk and Grand Trunk Pacific and affiliated lines. His office was one of the most important in the service. Mr. Reynolds was also a director of the Canadian Express Company.

In 1894 Martin M. Reynolds was united in marriage to Miss Flora Livingstone and they resided at the Linton apartments, Montreal. Although he was in Montreal only a few years he quickly became imbued with the Canadian spirit and his aims and interests became thoroughly Canadian.

CHARLES A. BRIGGS.

Charles A. Briggs was an active business man of Montreal, well known and respected. He conducted a retail fur store under his name on Notre Dame Street, and careful management and wise direction of his interests wrought the substantial success which eventually came to him. A native of Montreal, he was born October 3, 1839, a son of Russell Briggs, who came to this city from Vermont and here spent his remaining days. Charles A. Briggs was indebted to the public-school system of Montreal for the educational opportunities he enjoyed. In early life he acquainted himself with the fur business and eventually became proprietor of a retail fur store on Notre Dame Street. He closely applied himself to the conduct of the business and his able management and reliable methods were strong elements in his growing success.

In 1862 Mr. Briggs was united in marriage to Sarah S., a daughter of Mansfield Holland, who in early life came from Maine to Montreal and was actively identified with the infant industrial development of the city, building the first rolling mill here and also a nail and spike factory, making the first railroad spike manufactured in Canada. His plant was located on Mill Street and there he continued actively and successfully in business throughout the remainder of his days, his death occurring in 1883. He was then seventy-four years of age, his birth having occurred in 1809. He was twenty years of age when he arrived in Montreal in 1829, becoming a most active factor in its business circles, for, with the growth of his enterprise, he employed many men. His wife was in her maidenhood Miss Gould and by their marriage they became the parents of twelve children. Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Briggs became the parents of seven children: Charles Russell; Celia; Florence; Edwin; Dr. George Nixon; Henry, who died young; and Ethel.

Mr. Briggs held membership in St. James Cathedral, to the support of which he made generous contribution. He stood stanchly in support of many of those factors which work for the betterment of the individual and for the community and at the same time he conducted a successful business indicative of his ability and his enterprise.

JOHN A. PILLOW.

Standing deservedly high in the respect of all who knew him, John A. Pillow was regarded as a progressive business man and valuable citizen of Montreal, of which city he was a native. He was educated in the public schools and for many years ranked as one of Montreal’s oldest and best known manufacturers. In his business career he made advancement step by step, gaining thus a broader outlook and wider opportunity. He made wise use of the advantages that came to him and eventually reached a position of prominence in manufacturing circles. It was in the late ‘60s that he succeeded to the rolling mill business of T. D. Bigelow & Company, which was one of the oldest establishments of the city, having been founded for a century. Forming a partnership with Randolph Hersey, he continued the business under the firm name of Pillow & Hersey. Later this was converted into a stock company and Mr. Pillow was elected to the presidency. He stood deservedly high in the regard of his contemporaries in commercial circles. Business men knew him as one whose word was thoroughly reliable, who met every obligation and kept every engagement, and the record which he thus made was one which any might envy. He was very thorough and competent in all that he did, neglecting no details and at the same time developing his interests along the broad lines characteristic of business enterprise at the present day.

Mr. Pillow was united in marriage to Annie Elizabeth Hillyer, and their surviving children are two sons, Laurence B. and Howard W. He was a man of domestic tastes, devoted to the welfare of his family and finding his greatest happiness in promoting their interests. He rejoiced in his prosperity not merely from the standpoint of success but because of the opportunity which it gave him to provide liberally for his family and to give generously to the poor and needy. He attended the American Presbyterian church and in his life exemplified his Christian faith. He was much interested in the welfare of his native city, cooperating in many movements that have promoted its interests along various lines. He belonged to the Board of Trade and his social nature found expression in his membership in St. James Club, the Forest and Stream Club and the Manhattan Club of New York. Death called him February 16, 1902. He had remained a lifelong resident of his native city and his worth was widely recognized by those who had been his associates in business and by those who met him in social relations.

JAMES ELLIOT.

James Elliot, for more than half a century one of the best known bankers of Montreal, was born June 2, 1840, in this city, and was the eldest son of the late Andrew and Sarah (Pullan) Elliot. The father was a native of Northumberland, England, and following his arrival in Montreal in 1832 became a well known contractor of the city.

After acquiring a thorough education in the Montreal high school James Elliot entered the dry-goods establishment of the late Mr. Alexander Molson, and after a time spent in that connection entered Molson’s Bank in 1860. In 1870 he became accountant and further promotion came to him in recognition of his ability in his appointment to the position of manager of the Montreal branch in 1879. Step by step he advanced in his connection with financial interests until he became recognized as one of the foremost bankers of the city. In May, 1900, he was appointed general manager, which position he ably filled until his death, December 19, 1913. In banking circles he was recognized as a man of exceptional ability, prudence and sagacity, and was termed both a model man and a model banker. That he occupied a position of distinction in business and financial circles was evidenced by the large number of business men who paid their last tribute of respect to his worth when he passed away.

Mr. Elliot was for many years a councillor of the Canadian Bankers Association and was otherwise officially connected with interests of importance to the public, being a life governor of the Montreal General Hospital, a vice president of the Montreal Prisoners Aid Association and an active factor in philanthropic work. Mr. Elliot was also an attendant at the Melville Presbyterian church. His political support was given to the conservative party. Although he was past the allotted age of three score years and ten when called from this life, Mr. Elliot’s friends were drawn largely from the younger generation. He was a quiet, unostentatious gentleman of the old school, whose delight outside of his business was his home and garden on Cote St. Antoine road. This home was one of the early residences in Westmount and when erected more than a quarter of a century ago was surrounded by open fields.

Mr. Elliot was unmarried. After providing with great liberality for near relatives he bequeathed five thousand dollars to the Montreal General Hospital, five thousand dollars to the Protestant Hospital for the Insane and a thousand dollars each to the Western Hospital, McKay Institute, Grace Dart Home, the Protestant House of Industry and Refuge and the Salvation Army. His bequest to these many organizations showed his broad-mindedness and his deep interest in the welfare and uplift of his fellowmen.

JOSEPH ARTHUR COUTURE.

Joseph Arthur Couture, a notary public practicing in Montreal and in Maisonneuve, was born on the 29th of December, 1881, at Sherrington in the county of Napierville, P. Q., his parents being Jules and Dométhile (Bourgeois) Couture. He represents two of the old French families of the province. His great-grandfather and his grandfather, both of whom bore the name of François Couture, were farming people, the former following agricultural pursuits at Lacadie, while the latter was a farmer at St. Cyprien in the county of Napierville. He married Sophie Ward and their family included Jules Couture, who married Dométhile Bourgeois. Her father, Pierre Bourgeois, was at one time a farmer at St. Jean, P. Q., and later at St. Cyprien, where he was residing at the time of his death. His wife was a member of the Granger family. Jules Couture was born in St. Cyprien, county of Napierville, and made farming his life work, but since 1900 has lived retired, his home being in the village of Napierville. His wife was born in the parish of St. John, P. Q., and died on the 15th of September, 1907. They had a family of twelve children, of whom three daughters and five sons are living.

Joseph Arthur Couture, the youngest of the family, attended the parish school to the age of ten years and afterward studied with the parish priest of Sherrington for three years. He next entered Montreal College, where he pursued a five years’ classical course and later became a student in the Seminary of Philosophy, where after two years, or in 1902, he won his degree of Bachelor of Letters. In September of that year he matriculated in Laval University where he studied law in preparation for the notarial profession, receiving his LL. L. degree in 1905. He was received as a notary in July of the same year and in September began practice in the village of Napierville, where he continued until the 1st of October, 1906. He then removed to the city of Maisonneuve, where he continues in practice, and at the same time maintains an office in the city of Montreal. He is likewise a commissioner of the superior court in and for the district of Montreal. He carefully prepared for his chosen calling and his knowledge of the law and his understanding of all phases of the notarial profession have given him high rank among his associates in that field of labor.