Part 65

On the 18th of June, 1896, at Christ church, Montreal, was celebrated the marriage of F. Orr-Lewis and Maude Mary Helen Booth, daughter of William Booth of London, Ontario. They now have three children, a son and two daughters, John Duncan, Helen Merryday and Mary-Graham. The religious faith of the family is that of the Presbyterian church, Mr. and Mrs. Orr-Lewis holding membership therein.

He is widely and popularly known in club circles, holding membership in the leading organizations of that character in Montreal, including the St. James, Canada, Forest and Stream, Montreal Hunt, Montreal Jockey, Mount Royal, Montreal Royal Golf and Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Clubs. He is likewise a member of the Rideau Club of Ottawa, Ontario; and the Canada, the Wellington and Junior Carlton Clubs of London, England.

EUGENE-REAL ANGERS.

Eugène-Réal Angers, a well known barrister and solicitor in Montreal, was born in that city, October 1, 1883, a son of Réal and Joséphine (Trudel) Angers, and a grandson of François-Réal Angers, K. C., one of the leaders of the Quebec bar. The father, Réal Angers, was born in Quebec and for many years was a member of the wholesale hardware firm of Frothingham & Workman in Montreal. He died December 22, 1901, and his widow passed away in 1908. They were the parents of two sons and a daughter: Eugène-R.; Charles, who is with Frothingham & Workman, Limited, of Montreal; and Joséphine, the wife of Robert La Roque de Roquebrune, of Beloeil, Quebec.

Eugène-Réal Angers was educated in Montreal, winning the Bachelor of Arts degree upon the completion of a classical course in St. Mary’s College. He was graduated from Laval University with the degree of LL. L. in June, 1907. In July of that year he was admitted to the bar at Quebec and soon after formed a partnership for the practice of law in Montreal with Ernest Guimont under the firm name of Guimont & Angers. A year later the senior partner removed to St. Hyacinthe and Mr. Angers entered into other partnership relations, leading to the adoption of the firm style of Brosseau, Brosseau, Tansey & Angers. In September, 1913, he joined with Howard Salter Ross, K. C., in forming the law firm of Ross & Angers. They now have offices in the Transportation building, where they care for the interests of a growing clientele. Broad reading and study have constantly augmented Mr. Angers’ ability to handle complex and intricate problems of law, and he is becoming recognized as one of the ablest of the younger representatives of the Montreal bar.

On the 15th of September, 1909, Mr. Angers was married to Germaine Tousignant and they have one son, Pierre.

REV. THOMAS F. HEFFERNAN.

Rev. Thomas F. Heffernan is now in the sixth year of his able service as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas’ church in Montreal, a parish which he has built up through his energy, zeal and well directed enterprise into one of the most popular and well managed in the city. He was born December 22, 1869, on Colborne Street, in St. Anne’s parish, Montreal, a son of the late Thomas and Ellen (Murray) Heffernan. In his infancy the parents moved to the east end of the city, where the father purchased several properties, some of these on Craig, Lagauchetiere and Dorion Streets.

As a child Father Heffernan attended St. Bridget’s school, taught by the Christian Brothers, and when he was twelve years of age he entered St. Mary’s College. After one year and a half he enrolled in St. Lawrence College, conducted by the Fathers of the Holy Cross. Here success attended his efforts and in due time he became professor. He afterward took a four years’ course in the Grand Seminary and was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood December 22, 1894, when he was twenty-five years of age. His first appointment was with the Rev. William O’Meara, pastor of St. Gabriel’s, with whom he remained for three years. At the end of that time, at the request of His Grace Archbishop Bruchesi he was appointed in September, 1898, professor extreme at Montreal College and did excellent work in this field for two years. Resigning at the end of that time, he was appointed assistant to Rev. J. E. Donnelly, pastor of St. Anthony’s, and he retained this connection for eight years, severing it in order to accept the appointment to the newly-founded parish of St. Thomas Aquinas. This was established for the English-speaking people of the west end who were living within the district bounded on the east by Atwater Avenue, on the west by the middle of Cote St. Paul Road, on the south by the canal and on the north by the Canadian Pacific Railroad track. There were about three hundred families; about one hundred residing between Atwater and Rose de Lima Streets, who belonged to St. Anthony’s parish; and two hundred attached to St. Henry’s. For a number of years previous there had been dissatisfaction among the St. Henry’s portion inasmuch as it was difficult for the Rev. Canon Decary to meet their needs satisfactorily. Accordingly a new parish was formed and placed in charge of Father Heffernan, who has since made St. Thomas Aquinas one of the most important Catholic congregations in the diocese. He has accomplished during the period of his incumbency a great deal of remarkable work. He had no money and he required fifteen thousand dollars to pay for the ground. He secured thirty thousand dollars from the Travelers Insurance Company and fifteen thousand dollars from Molson’s Bank and erected a thirty-five thousand dollar building now used as a church. The structure is two stories in height and so constructed that an additional two stories may be added if necessary. Father Heffernan also erected an attractive residence and has now a property valued at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars and a debt of only thirty thousand dollars. During the year of 1914 he is to build a new church of Florentine style of architecture, on Convent Street. When asked to explain how this work was accomplished Father Heffernan said: “God has visited his people and this people received him. My people work from conviction, illumined by the light of faith. I have no sick, no infirm, no needy. Health, wealth and blessings are ours. But you must leave here. Never, until they sing my Mass of Requiem. I attribute the whole success to the prayers of the children and to the good work of my Reverend assistant, Father Polan.”

Father Heffernan gives all of his time and attention to the affairs of his parish, working zealously and conscientiously in the promotion of the spiritual and material interests of his congregation. He has indeed accomplished a wonderful work at St. Thomas Aquinas and has the love of his people in large measure as well as the high regard and warm confidence of people of all denominations.

THOMAS BUSBY.

Thomas Busby, an old time Montreal merchant and in his day well known in connection with the retail hardware trade, was born in Montreal, a grandson of Thomas Busby, who was the founder of the family in Canada.

This first Thomas Busby came from Ireland and had charge of landscape gardening for the Baroness of Longueuil. He became a man of considerable property for those days. His daughter married Dr. Digby of Brantford, Ontario, and their daughter became the wife of Dr. Henwood of Brantford. Thomas Busby had a son Thomas, who married Mary Lacasse, and they were the parents of Thomas Busby of this review.

Thomas Busby, the third, was educated in the schools of Montreal and when a young man began to learn the hardware business in this city. He later lived for a few years in what was then called Upper Canada but in 1857 returned to Montreal and established himself in the hardware business, which he successfully conducted until his death, which occurred April 20, 1862.

Mr. Busby was married in Montreal in June, 1853, to Miss E. C. Greene, a daughter of Thomas J. Greene, who came to this city in early life from Saratoga, New York. He was a furrier and was for years at the head of the firm of Thomas Greene & Son, while later the sons continued the business under the style of Greene & Sons. Mr. and Mrs. Busby became the parents of four children, but the only one now living is Fred Busby, a resident of Denver, Colorado. Mrs. Busby still makes her home in Montreal, where she has now resided for more than six decades, witnessing therefore much of the development and modern progress of the city, and she is one of the highly esteemed of Montreal’s older residents.

GEORGES MAYRAND.

Through individual effort and ability Georges Mayrand has attained to a position of prominence as a representative of the notarial profession in Montreal, being now senior partner in the firm of Mayrand, Loranger, Ecrement & Melancon. A native of Port Neuf county, he was born at Grondines, on the 21st of August, 1876, and was educated under Jesuit instruction, attending St. Mary’s College of Montreal and afterward Laval University, in which he pursued the study of law, winning his B. L. degree on the completion of his law course in 1900. Having determined to concentrate his energies upon practice as a notary public, he opened an office in Montreal in September following his graduation and has created and developed an important business at No. 99 St. James Street. He has been joined by others as his clientage has grown until he is now head of the firm of Mayrand, Loranger, Ecrement & Melancon. He has also taken an active and helpful part in promoting the growth and progress of the city and is associated with several land companies, including the Greater Montreal Land Company, the Summerlea Realty Company and the Sault au Recollet Island Company. He has become thoroughly conversant with property values, readily recognizes a possible rise or diminution in realty prices and accordingly makes his investments so that he has secured good returns from his property holdings.

Mr. Mayrand’s public service has also included prompt and faithful discharge of the duties of alderman, he being elected to that position from the Delorimier ward and his efficiency was rewarded by reelection in April, 1914. He has likewise filled the office of school commissioner and coming prominently before the public in these positions has made an excellent record, creditable to himself and satisfactory to his supporters. In politics he is a liberal and in addition to the local offices he has filled he is representing Dorion county in the provincial legislature. He is now vice president and secretary of the Club Delorimier, is a member of the National Amateur Athletic Association and takes an exceedingly active interest in outdoor sports. He is a typical man of the times, alert and energetic in action, progressive in purpose and thoroughly alive to the opportunities which are presented for business advancement and public improvement.

REV. GERALD FRANCIS JOSEPH MCSHANE.

The Roman Catholic church numbers among its most distinguished representatives in Canada Rev. Gerald Francis Joseph McShane, pastor of St. Patrick’s church in Montreal and one of the best known lecturers and preachers in this province. He has been identified with religious activity in this city since 1900 and has since that time accomplished a great deal of constructive work here, his lectures, his eloquent preaching, his organizing and administrative activities constituting forces in the later development in Montreal of the doctrines in which he believes.

He was born in this city, December 5, 1872, and is a son of Michael and Margaret (Loftus) McShane, of Irish origin. In the acquirement of an education he attended Belmont school, the Archbishop’s Academy and Montreal College and later the Grand Seminary in that city, supplementing this by a four years’ course of study in Paris and Rome, receiving in the latter city degrees in philosophy and divinity. In 1896 he joined the Sulpician Order of this city and the same year left to complete his studies at St. Sulpice in Paris. In 1897 he was ordained priest, and three years later, in 1900, returned to Canada as curate of St. Patrick’s church, Montreal. For three years he did able work in that capacity and was then transferred to Notre Dame church in this city, where his sermons delivered in both French and English attracted much attention, they first bringing him into prominence as an orator. He has since that time become one of the most eloquent and widely known speakers in the city and is in great demand for lectures, sermons or orations of any kind. Since December, 1907, he has been pastor of St. Patrick’s church in Montreal and his address at his inaugural was regarded as more than an ordinary piece of tact and eloquence. Since that time he has carried forward a great deal of earnest and consecrated work in the management of his parish, which, being an important one, requires at its head a man of wide attainments, broad knowledge and discriminating business ability--qualities which Father McShane possesses in an unusual degree. He has been one of the greatest individual forces in the development of Catholic institutions in Montreal, having founded the Columbian Club, a social organization for Catholic students of McGill University. He is also a director and trustee of St. Patrick’s Orphanage. His congregation is one of the largest and most important in Montreal and its prestige is continually increasing as Father McShane’s ability as a pastor, a business man, an organizer and an orator becomes more widely recognized.

One of the city’s most brilliant, sincere and earnest Christian gentlemen, he occupies an enviable place in the regard of his parishioners and, indeed, of all who know him. The late Judge Curran, speaking of him, called him “a man of scholarly attainments, of fine tastes, of patriotic impulses and of considerable gifts as a speaker,” and this opinion is almost uniformly held throughout Montreal, where Father McShane has always made his home.

THIBAUDEAU RINFRET, K. C.

Thibaudeau Rinfret, a prominent and successful advocate of Montreal, brought to the outset of his career certain rare gifts, a strong individuality, laudable ambition and the indefatigable energy without which success and honors are seldom won by representatives of the bar. His advancement has been continuous and his energies have been largely concentrated upon his professional duties.

He was born in Montreal June 22, 1879, a son of F. O. R. and Alvina R. (Pominville) Rinfret, the former an advocate of Montreal, while the latter was a daughter of the late F. P. Pominville, Q. C., and a law partner of the late Sir G. E. Cartier, baronet. Having attended St. Mary’s (Jesuit) College, from which he was graduated on completion of the arts course with the B. A. degree in 1897, Mr. Rinfret afterward entered McGill University and won his B. C. L. degree in 1900. He was created king’s counsel in 1912, a fact indicative of the success which he has achieved in his law practice. He entered upon the active work of the profession in 1901 and successfully followed law practice at St. Jerome in partnership with Hon. Jean Prevost until 1910. Upon the appointment of Charles Archer, K. C., to the bench he joined the firm headed by J. L. Perron, K. C. The firm is now Perron, Taschereau, Rinfret, Genest, Billette & Plimsoll, and Mr. Rinfret has been connected with it since 1910. He carefully prepares his cases and is seldom at fault in the application of a legal principle, while his analytical ability enables him to readily understand the relation of cause and effect. Since 1902 he has been attorney for County Terrebonne for the inland revenue department, and he contested Terrebonne in the liberal interests at the federal general election of 1908 against the Hon. W. B. Nantel, now minister of inland revenue. Though his party was in the minority, he failed to secure the seat by only seventy-nine votes. Mr. Rinfret has rendered valuable service to the liberal party of whose principles he is a strong supporter.

The zeal with which he has devoted his energies to his profession, the careful regard evinced for the interests of his clients and an unrelaxing attention to all the details of his cases, have won him an enviable and well merited reputation. His acquaintance is wide, and he has a host of friends whose high regard he has gained through his professional ability, his deference to the opinions of others, his genial manner and unfailing courtesy.

Mr. Rinfret was married to Miss Georgine Rolland, a daughter of J. B. Rolland, of Montreal, where they make their home. Mr. Rinfret holds membership in the Catholic church.

CLARENCE I. DE SOLA.