Part 37

Mr. Hague has been married twice. In 1852 he wedded Sarah Cousins, a daughter of Mr. Joseph Cousins, a manufacturer of Sheffield, England. Her death occurred in 1900 and in March, 1902, he wedded Mary Frances Mitcheson, a daughter of the late McGregor Mitcheson, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is now past the eighty-ninth milestone on life’s journey, but in spirit and interest seems yet in his prime. The Canadian American has truly styled him, “A high-minded Christian gentleman, public-spirited and always at the front in every philanthropic movement ..., never knew a fairer man or one more actively unselfish.” All this indicates that his life was never self-centered but has reached out along lines of constantly broadening usefulness and activity for the benefit of the people, seeking rather the welfare and benefit of the many than the advancement of self. His life has indeed been one of signal usefulness.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON.

Insurance interests found a prominent representative in William Robertson in Montreal, who was largely a pioneer in the work of adapting English companies to the business methods pursued on this side of the Atlantic. A Canadian by birth, his native town was Lachute, province of Quebec, and his natal year 1847. His father, Dr. William Robertson, a graduate of the Edinburgh Medical College, settled in Lachute when a young man, there establishing himself in practice, but later removed to St. Andrews East, where he continued actively in the profession until his death, greatly endearing himself to the community by the willingness to which he responded to the call of the sick, even though it meant a self-sacrificing ride of from sixty to seventy-five miles. His patients had the utmost confidence in him and his professional efforts were a blessing to the inhabitants of that, then scarcely settled district. He married Miss Mary A. Tierney, of Ireland, and they had two sons and three daughters, the surviving son being Dr. Patrick Robertson of England. An uncle of our subject was Colin Robertson, who won fame in the northwest.

William Robertson pursued his education in the schools of St. Andrews East and from his youth up was an underwriter, having begun business when quite young by entering the insurance office of Simpson & Bethune of Montreal. Such was the reputation which he won for superior business qualifications, for executive power and administrative ability, that in 1873, when but twenty-six years of age he was elected as representative for Canada of the London & Lancashire Life Assurance Company. The duties of this office he filled most acceptably for about seventeen years, or until his life’s labors were ended in death. He projected many changes and improvements in the methods of the English offices, transacting business on this side of the Atlantic. He made thoroughly Canadian in spirit and activity, the London & Lancashire Company in the Dominion, bringing about its popularity and success. He carefully organized and systematized the business here, with the result that the London & Lancashire Company became one of the strongest insurance companies of the country.

In 1871 Mr. Robertson was married to Miss Helen I. Barnston, a daughter of George Barnston, who throughout his active life was engaged in the Hudson’s Bay service in British Columbia and in the northwest country. He came to Canada in 1821 and retired, after many years service with the Hudson’s Bay Company, spending the remainder of his days in a well earned rest in Montreal. His wife was Miss Helen Mathews of England. Mr. and Mrs. Robertson became the parents of two children, who are living: Dr. William Graeme Robertson of England, who is attached to the White Star service; and Helen M. C., at home.

Mr. Robertson was active as a faithful member of St. James Episcopal church, in which he served as warden and he also belonged to the St. James Club. His keen sagacity enabled him to recognize the different spirits of the business circles in the old world and in the new, to adapt himself to changed conditions and to work along lines of new world progress. Thus he became a recognized leader in insurance circles occupying a prominent position until 1889 when he went to Denver, Colorado, for his health, there passing away on the 26th of February, of that year.

CHARLES P. HEBERT.

Charles P. Hébert, the first president of the wholesale grocery firm of Hudon, Hébert & Company, Ltd., of Montreal, was born in the pretty little village of St. Charles on the Richelieu river, and when a young man made his way to the city which was ever afterward his home. Here he began business in a small way and by energy and industry soon built up his establishment. In 1883 he became a member of the firm of Hudon, Hébert & Company. The business was originally established under the style of E. & V. Hudon and subsequently was conducted under the name of V. Hudon and later became J. Hudon & Company. In 1906 it was incorporated as Hudon, Hébert & Company, Charles P. Hébert becoming the first president of that corporation. They are wholesale grocers and wine merchants, the premier establishment of its kind in the Dominion, importing directly from manufacturers in Europe, China, Japan, Asia Minor and the United States. They employ one hundred and seventy people in their Montreal establishment and have twenty-five salesmen constantly visiting all Canada, selling their goods from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the amount of five million dollars annually.

Mr. Hébert always took a deep interest in Montreal’s charitable institutions. He was president of the board of management of the Notre Dame Hospital and was also connected with other benevolent organizations and projects. He served as a member of the council of the Montreal Board of Trade and filled honorable positions in that body, including those of vice president and member of the board of arbitration. He was one of the directors of the City and District Savings Bank and also a director of the Masson estate.

Mr. Hébert died at his home at No. 117 Champ de Mars, Montreal, July 17, 1906, and was survived by a widow and six children.

After the death of Mr. Hébert Mr. Joseph Hudon was elected president of the corporation and on his death in 1908 Mr. Albert Hébert, son of Charles P. Hébert, succeeded to the presidency, and following his demise in 1911 Mr. Zéphirin Hébert, also a son of Charles P. Hébert, became president of the company.

REV. ALEXANDER CHARLESON MANSON, PH. D., D. D.

In Presbyterian circles in North America the name of the Rev. Alexander Charleson Manson is well known and since the 19th of April, 1912, he has been pastor of the Taylor Presbyterian church of Montreal, one of the largest organizations of the city. A native of Thurso, Scotland, he pursued his education in the schools of Edinburgh and of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Studying theology, he won his Doctor of Divinity degree at the University of Chicago and he first served as superintendent of missions of North Dakota. Later he accepted a pastorate in Duluth, Minnesota, and afterward became pastor of the Eleventh Presbyterian church in Chicago, Illinois. From that city he went to Detroit, Michigan, in response to a call from the Second Avenue Presbyterian church and left that city to come to Montreal on the 19th of April, 1912, where he entered upon his duties as minister of the Taylor Presbyterian church, which was organized July 23, 1876, with Rev. J. J. Casey as its first pastor. He continued in that position until March 16, 1882, and was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas Bennett, who remained in charge from the 1st of December, 1885, until December 31, 1897. His successor was the Rev. W. D. Reid, who continued in charge until 1912, when Rev. Manson became pastor. The present edifice of the Taylor Presbyterian church was erected in 1893, at a cost of about sixty thousand dollars. There is a membership of nine hundred and thirteen, with a Sunday school of four hundred and fifty members, and the Junior Christian Endeavor Society is the largest in the city. There is a strong Sunday Afternoon Club, a First Company of Montreal Boys Brigade and a Ladies Athletic Club as auxiliary organizations to the church. In fact, the church work has been thoroughly systematized in every department, and splendid results are being accomplished. The church is in touch with the broader idea that the best Christian service can be accomplished with better physical and mental as well as moral development. Much attention is paid to the social life, and yet nothing for a moment overshadows the foundation work of the organization, which is the salvation of souls. Rev. Manson is a fluent, earnest speaker, who studies life and its problems and with notable clearness shows the relation of modern day conditions to the lessons that have come down to us through the ages from the moral teachers of the past.

Rev. Manson was married June 24, 1889, to Miss Mary Elizabeth Ferguson, of Hamilton, Ontario, and their children are: Berith Du Val, of New York city; and Vera Charleson, Allena Conklin, and Leslie Worden, all at home. At this point it would be almost tautological to enter into any series of statements as showing Rev. Manson to be a man of broad intelligence and genuine public spirit, for these have been shadowed forth between the lines of this review. Strong in his individuality, he never lacks the courage of his convictions but there are as dominating elements in this individuality a lively human sympathy and an abiding charity, which, as taken in connection with the sterling integrity and honor of his character, have naturally gained for him the respect and confidence of men.

REV. THOMAS JOSEPH MACMAHON.

One of the most able Catholic educators in Quebec province, a man sincere, straightforward and reliable in the discharge of the duties and obligations of life, most earnest and consecrated in his work as a priest of the Society of Jesus, is Rev. Thomas Joseph MacMahon, rector of Loyola College in Montreal. He has been connected with this institution since 1912 and, constantly following high ideals and guiding his actions by sound and practical judgment, has been an important factor in its later development and growth.

Father MacMahon was born at Hamilton, Ontario, December 12, 1874, and received his primary education at the Catholic separate schools in that city, later attending Hamilton high school and St. Mary’s College, Montreal. Entering the Society of Jesus in 1895, he was sent to St. Louis, Missouri, where he received a long Jesuit training in philosophy and theology, after which he returned to Montreal, where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1910. Father MacMahon then went to England for further training preparatory to taking the position of prefect of studies at Loyola College, a post which he assumed in May, 1912. He proved a capable educator and an excellent disciplinarian and in 1913 was advanced to the position of rector of the college. This is a large and growing institution conducted by the Jesuit Fathers for English-speaking Catholic boys and has an enviable reputation throughout eastern Canada for the thoroughness of its training and the comprehensive courses of study offered. The high standard of efficiency, traditional in the school, has been maintained under Father MacMahon’s able management and the institution has made a creditable growth during the period of his incumbency. He has made himself thoroughly conversant with the affairs of the college and is rapidly pushing forward the work on the construction of the new buildings at Notre Dame de Grace, Sherbrooke Street, Montreal West, where the institution will be moved within the next two years.

Besides being an able educator and a farsighted and reliable business man, Father MacMahon is known also as a preacher of rare ability and power and has filled most of the pulpits in Montreal and the vicinity in a creditable manner. He has made his talents, powers and abilities forces in the spread of the Catholic religion in this province and has accomplished a great deal of beneficial and lasting work among the students of Loyola College and the people of the city. He has their love in large measure, while his upright and honorable character and his life of service has gained him the respect and esteem of people of all denominations.

ROBERT WARD SHEPHERD.

An age of intense commercial activity calls forth the powers of men who can grapple with new conditions and utilize the opportunities that come with successive changes. Adequate to the demands of the hour, Robert Ward Shepherd occupied a central place on the stage of business activity at Montreal for more than a half century. The high ideals which he cherished found embodiment in practical effort for their adoption. He was no dreamer, for his theories were such as could be put into successful execution and his business record balanced up with the principles of truth and honor. As the president of the Ottawa River Navigation Company, he was known to thousands of people in Ottawa valley and he also figured in financial circles as vice president of the Molson Bank.

Of English birth, Mr. Shepherd came to Montreal immediately after his arrival in Canada and soon entered into active connection with the Ottawa River Navigation Company, then under the presidency of Sir George Simpson. For some years he was captain of one of the boats of the line but was called into the office to fill a position demanding executive force and keen discrimination. He was made manager and from that post rose to the position of president, in which connection he continued until his demise. Under his guidance the business of the Ottawa River Navigation Company continuously developed along substantial lines, and progressiveness was as manifest in the care of its patrons and the equipment of its vessels as in any other line or field of business. Those who met Mr. Shepherd found him genial, courteous and obliging, and at the same time he possessed the keen sagacity and clear reasoning so indispensable to the successful conduct of any enterprise. Becoming interested in Molson’s Bank, he was elected vice president and director, filling the former position for more than twenty years. In all business affairs he was clear-headed, farsighted, and the record which he left behind him for integrity and sterling worth is one which might be envied by all.

Mr. Shepherd was married to Miss Mary C. de Les Derniers of the province of Quebec, and they became the parents of nine children: Robert W., who died in 1912; Miss F. A. R.; Dr. Francis J.; Sherringham A.; A. Maude M., who is the widow of Haldane Haswell; Esther E., who married Dr. W. A. Molson and is now deceased; Beatrice H., who married Arthur Henshaw; Mary R., the widow of George R. Robertson; and de Les Derniers. The mother passed away in 1902, having for seven years survived Mr. Shepherd, whose death occurred August 29, 1895, when he was seventy-six years of age.

Mr. Shepherd was a member and one of the founders of St. George’s church and in his Christian faith was found the root of his activities in behalf of his fellowmen and of the principles which governed his life. He belonged to the St. James Club and was greatly interested in art, acting as vice president of the Art Gallery of the city. He was one of the committee of management of the Montreal General Hospital; was a member of the committee of management of the Mackay Institution, and a generous supporter of the Protestant Hospital for the Insane. He gave freely of his means to various charitable institutions which seek to ameliorate the hard conditions of life for the unfortunate. Duty and honor were his watchwords and justice one of his strong characteristics.

JUDSON ALBERT DECEW.

Judson Albert DeCew, chemical engineer, whose identification with leading chemical societies in this country and the United States attests his higher professional standing, was born in Waterford, Ontario, on the 14th of December, 1874. He is descended from Captain John DeCew, a United Empire Loyalist, who served in the War of 1812 and in whose house, at DeCew Falls near St. Catharines, Ontario, Lieutenant Fitzgibbon and his soldiers were quartered, when Laura Secord gave the warning which enabled them to capture the United States forces under Colonel Boerstler. Mr. DeCew’s parents are Thomas Howard and Valdora (Beemer) DeCew, both of whom are living at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He was married on August 20, 1913, to Mabel Marshall, daughter of John Marshall, educationist, of Weyburn, Saskatchewan. She is a graduate in arts of Queen’s University with the class of 1910.

After finishing his early education at Woodstock College, he attended the School of Practical Science of Toronto, graduating in 1896. After spending four years in practical work he held a fellowship in the University of Toronto in 1901 and took the degree of Bachelor of Applied Science with the class of 1902. In the same year he took a position as chemical engineer with the Canada Paper Company, which he held until 1905. In 1906 Mr. DeCew came to Montreal and established himself as a consulting chemical engineer. In 1913 he organized the Process Engineers Company, of which he is the president. He is the leading member of the chemical engineering profession in Canada and one of its most eminent representatives on the American continent. He is the inventor of a number of important chemical processes, and his name has become widely known as the author of articles relating to the manufacture of paper, which have appeared from time to time in technical journals. Mr. DeCew has delivered lectures on the manufacture of paper and has been appointed on advisory committees for technical researches. He has been a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers since 1908 and an associate member of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineers since 1906. He is also a member of the American Society of Testing Materials, the American Chemical Society, the Society of Chemical Industry, and the American Wood Preservers Association. Mr. DeCew is a member of the Chemists Club, New York, and the Outremont Golf Club and the University Club of Montreal.

FISCHEL SHIP.

A position of leadership is accorded Fischel Ship in Jewish circles in Montreal because of his active and prominent identification with commercial, educational and benevolent projects. He was for many years a very successful business man, and as he has prospered he has given generously in support of measures tending to the intellectual progress of his people, and generous aid to those in need of assistance. He was born January 6, 1853, in Paranshoff, Poland, a son of Abraham Jacob and Pearl (Leah) Ship. The father engaged in the tailoring business in Poland, and it was in that country that Fischel Ship pursued his education. He was a young man of nineteen years when he crossed the Atlantic, making his way to Montreal in 1872. He had received business training under his father and had become thoroughly acquainted with the tailoring trade. Following his arrival in this city he established a merchant tailoring business and as the years went on won a liberal patronage, bringing him a gratifying competence. At the time that he entered trade circles of Montreal there were only five merchants in his line of business in the city. Throughout the succeeding period up to the time of his retirement he always managed to keep in the front rank among the merchant tailors of Montreal, receiving a liberal patronage from the best class of citizens, because of excellent style and workmanship, which were features of his shop, and his thoroughly reliable business methods. He always carried on business on St. Lawrence Main Street, but about eleven years ago retired from active connection with commercial interests to enjoy a well earned and well merited rest.