Part 77

Albert E. de Lorimier is a successful and distinguished lawyer of Montreal. He belongs to an old French family, one member of which, Count de Chamilly, was marshal of France, and another, Count d’Estoges de Lorimier, was executed with Louis XVI for his loyalty and devotedness to his king.

His direct ancestor in Canada, Guillaume de Lorimier, sieur des Bordes en Gatinais, came to Montreal in the seventeenth century with Governor Marquis de Denonville. His great-grandfather, Claude Guillaume de Lorimier, knight of the Royal and Military Order of St. Louis of France, distinguished himself at Fort George and at the siege of Corlar. His grandfather, Major Guillaume de Lorimier, author of “My Services During the War of the American Invasion,” served with his brother Chamilly under General Sir Guy Carleton, Lord Dorchester, on Lake Champlain in 1775. One of his uncles, Captain William de Lorimier of the Fencibles, was killed at Chrysler’s Farm in 1813.

A. E. de Lorimier was born at Sault St. Louis, in the province of Quebec, and is the son of Georges Antoine de Lorimier and Mrs. Marie L. McComber. He acquired his early education at the Huntingdon Academy, Huntingdon, completed his classics at St. Mary’s College, Montreal, and was admitted to the practice of law in July, 1885, after having graduated LL. B. from Laval University. He speaks the French and English languages fluently and equally well.

In October, 1886, he married Miss Mina de Lorimier, daughter of Mr. Justice Charles Chamilly de Lorimier of Montreal, and both are well known in social circles of this city.

Mr. de Lorimier first formed partnership with the Hon. F. X. Trudel, late Senator; N. Charbonneau, now Mr. Justice Charbonneau, and Gustave Lamothe, K. C., and later with Charles Chamilly de Lorimier, now Mr. Justice de Lorimier, and finally with D. Girouard, late justice of the supreme court of Canada. In 1896 he took the Hon. Sir Auguste R. Angers in his firm known as Angers, de Lorimier & Godin. He was created king’s counsel in 1903 and was on several occasions elected member of the council of the bar. He declined the honor to represent his native county in the Dominion parliament and to stand as an alderman in the Centre ward of Montreal, preferring to devote all his time and knowledge to his clientage. He was in his earlier days twice president of L’Union Catholique of Montreal and is a life governor of Notre Dame Hospital and of L’Ecole Sociale Populaire. He enjoys the reputation of being one of the prominent and most respected barristers in Montreal. The future, undoubtedly, holds for him still greater distinction and honor in his chosen field.

HON. JOHN YOUNG.

For twenty-five years Hon. John Young was one of the harbor commissioners of Montreal and no one did more for the development and protection of the shipping industry at this point. Indeed his whole life was largely devoted to the public service and there are few men who have the insight and the prescience to recognize possibilities and opportunities for the general good as he did and the perseverance and determination to use such opportunities for the benefit of the many. His country will ever remember him with gratitude and his friends with deep affection, for aside from his public career there were in him traits of character that endeared him closely to those with whom he came in contact through other relations. He bound his friends to him with hoops of steel when their adoption had been tried, and at all times he held friendship as something sacred and inviolable.

Born in Ayr, Scotland, March 11, 1811, Hon. John Young attended the parish school, and his aptitude in his studies was manifest in the fact that when but fourteen years of age he obtained the appointment of master of the parish school at Coylton, near Ayr, where he taught for eighteen months. He early developed the habits of industry and cheerful perseverance which characterized his after life and in 1826, when a youth of fifteen, he completed his arrangements to become a resident of Canada, attracted by favorable reports concerning the great opportunities of the new world. His initial business experience here came to him as a clerk in the employ of John Torrance and the development of his powers and capacity is shown in the fact that in 1835, when but twenty-four years of age, he became a partner of David Torrance in the firm of Torrance & Young, which for five years continued in business at Quebec.

From early manhood he was a student of the signs of the times and business never claimed his undivided attention. He carefully and systematically managed his interests, but he also found time to perform the duties of citizenship wisely and well and he became a leader of public thought and action. At an early day he urged upon Lord Gosford the forming of volunteer corps but the governor general felt there was little reason to comply with this request. It was not long, however, before events proved the soundness of his advice and when the rebellion came Mr. Young volunteered for service in a regiment of light infantry which was raised in twenty-four hours and in which he became a captain.

When his aid was no longer needed Mr. Young returned to Montreal and became a partner of Harrison Stephens in the firm of Stephens, Young & Company which occupied a prominent position in business circles of Montreal for many years. His personal interests took him largely over the west and in his travels and his study of business conditions he saw how valuable was the St. Lawrence system as a factor in the commercial history of the American continent, furnishing the course of the natural routes to the seaboard. It seemed that he never lost sight of any point bearing upon the subject which came so close to his heart--the development of the shipping industries of Montreal--and eventually he became recognized as the greatest canal authority in America.

Another important public enterprise with which he was associated at about that period was the organization and establishment of the Mercantile Library Association. Public feeling was not in sympathy with such a movement at that time and only four people were present when the system was formed. Writing of this period, a contemporary biographer has said: “The change in public feeling as to educational advantages then and now is well instanced by the fact that, besides Mr. Young, only four persons were present at the meeting when this society was commenced. In 1844 party spirit ran high and serious trouble was expected at the general election. Secret societies were in existence, and political associations formed everywhere for the purpose, as was avowed, of gaining by force what could not be secured otherwise. At such a time the post of returning officer was difficult and dangerous, and though the selection of a man to fill it might be esteemed a high compliment to his personal character, it involved also a personal risk which required the utmost coolness, determination, tact and courage in the recipient. Lord Metcalfe’s advisers selected John Young as the man for the emergency. The result soon showed that their confidence had been well placed. Mr. Young seems to have realized to the utmost the necessities and perils of the office. Fearlessly, openly and with the utmost judgment, he laid his plans so well and used the powers of his position to such effect that, contrary to all expectation, the election passed off without any breach of the peace. He seized arms and other illegal weapons wherever they could be found, and without regard to threats. When the secret societies became openly defiant he called out the troops, who were ably managed by him, and overawed the disorderly and turbulent so effectually that no rioting took place. Mr. Young’s services were so highly appreciated by Lord Metcalfe that they were mentioned in the despatches sent to the Colonial office and were the subject of special acknowledgment by the secretary of state for the colonies. They were also warmly testified to by Sir James Hope, who was then commander in chief at Montreal.”

Another important phase in Canadian life that called forth the attention and the cooperation of Mr. Young was the principle of free trade. He was one of its most stalwart champions, and upon the organization of the Free Trade Association in this city he became its president. He was a frequent contributor of articles upon the subject to the Economist and to other papers and also wrote pamphlets which had an important effect upon public thought and action. He believed that the adoption of free trade measures would constitute the most effective force in making Canada a great commercial and business center. At times in his life his ideas were ridiculed as those of a dreamer, but the years proved the soundness of his vision and men came to rely upon his opinion.

His connection with the harbor work and the improvement of the channel between Montreal and Quebec began in 1846 and later occupied much of his time and attention. He was active, too, with those who were foremost in furthering the railroad built, and he was one of the organizers of the Montreal & Portland Railway Company and also active in promoting the line from Montreal to Toronto, as president of the company having that in charge. The work was of a most difficult nature, for the promoters had to solve at least in part the great engineering problems of railroad building and not merely finance the project. It was Mr. Young who proposed the building of a bridge across the St. Lawrence. Again well known business men scoffed at the plan but the Victoria bridge stands as a monument to his public spirit and his enterprise, and has converted Montreal from a fifth rate harbor into a first class port at a distance from the seaboard without a parallel in the world. Mr. Young’s keen appreciation of the capabilities of engineering as a profession and his confidence in the application of education and trained reason to the overcoming of all natural and mechanical difficulties which always was noticeable in his intercourse with the professional men with whom his life brought him into contact, was beyond doubt one of the most effective means of securing consideration for this work and of urging on the genius of Stephenson to an achievement then supposed to be impossible. Men believed Mr. Young to be visionary when he attempted the task of sounding the river that he might point out the exact situation where the bridge should be built and which it actually occupies. It was at about the same period that he devised a plan for the Caughnawaga canal whereby to connect the St. Lawrence river and Lake Champlain and thus secure another outlet to the sea. His efforts were a notable force in making Montreal a grain shipping center and when the St. Lawrence canals were opened in 1849 he sent the first cargo of merchandise from Montreal to Chicago and brought back the first cargo of American grain. The rapid growth of shipping at this point and certain trouble that arose concerning the unloading of vessels impressed upon Mr. Young the need of a harbor police and he presented the matter so forcefully to the government that a water police force was created.

In 1851 Mr. Young by popular suffrage was made the representative of his district in parliament and in October of that year became chief commissioner of public works and a member of the board of railway commissioners in the Hincks-Tache administration. He advocated the building of a railroad from Halifax to Quebec and Montreal and thence westward. His plans were not adopted at that time and only came to fruition in 1877. In the same year he strongly urged the establishment of a fortnightly mail service between Montreal and Liverpool in the summer and between Portland and Liverpool in the winter. In 1854 he was again made the Montreal representative in parliament, where he entered earnestly upon the work of chairman of the committee on public accounts. In 1857 he declined to again stand for parliament, but it was impossible for one of his nature to retire from public life so conscientious was he regarding the duties of citizenship. In 1860 he retired from business with a handsome fortune and the same year was chosen chairman of the committee of arrangements for the most gigantic and successful series of entertainments ever held in Montreal up to that time on the occasion of the visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, afterward King Edward. About that time Mr. Young went to Scotland for the further education of his family, returning in 1862. In 1863 he was the nominee of the liberal party for Montreal West, but was defeated. In that year, however, he was made a commissioner to Washington to consider the reciprocity treaty.

All of these activities, although important, were less so than his life work in making Montreal a seaport and improving the navigation of the St. Lawrence. No other single project has so greatly benefited the city and this section of the country. The name of the Hon. John Young will always be connected with its successful accomplishment and he is entitled to the grateful remembrance of the citizens of Montreal for all time. He had the opportunity of furthering his projects and plans of this kind through his membership on the harbor board. As the result of his efforts Montreal ceased to be a mere landing place for boatmen and became a great shipping port. He had the greatest faith in the possibilities of the growth of Montreal and with it the progress of the Dominion and urged that this would be brought about through the development of the St. Lawrence, which he claimed to be the natural outlet for the western part of the United States as well as for the products of western Canada. As the result of his untiring labors in 1843 the government determined to deepen Lake St. Peter but very little was done until 1851. In 1854 Mr. Young entered upon active measures to promote the work and by persistent efforts the channel was deepened to sixteen feet in 1857 and still further the work was continued until the channel depth became twenty-two feet. Statistics could be cited showing how year by year the shipping was increased after the work of river and harbor improvements was begun. No other man did as much as Mr. Young in urging these great improvements of the water communications connecting Montreal with the sea. In all of his public service he looked beyond the exigencies of the moment to the possibilities and opportunities of the future, beyond the needs of his city and immediate district to the questions affecting the entire Dominion. In 1875 he served as chairman of the Baie Verte canal commission and returned a most exhaustive and valuable report. He was also the promoter of dock extension and secured the services of the most eminent engineers of Europe and America to carry forward the work.

Mr. Young’s prominence as a business man and public-spirited citizen is further indicated in the fact that he was many times elected president of the Montreal Board of Trade and was the first president of the Dominion Board of Trade. After he had long retired from parliament the members induced him to once more stand for election, and he was returned by a most flattering majority. In 1873 he would not consent to again become a candidate and on the reorganization of the harbor board he was reelected its chairman. His entire service on the board covered a quarter of a century and during fourteen years of that time he was chairman. His last public service was as commissioner for Canada to the exposition in Sydney, Australia, whereby trade relations between Canada and Australia were largely promoted as the result of the reports which he made concerning the latter country.

Time gives the perspective which places each individual in his proper relation to his age. It is a well known fact that investigation will but serve to heighten the fame of John Young, for history has proven how valuable were his efforts, how far reaching his activities, how clear his insight and how sound his judgment. Today his name is inscribed high on the roll of Montreal’s honored dead, while his memory is enshrined in the hearts of many who knew him.

JOHN GORDON.

John Gordon, founder of the wholesale dry-goods commission house of John Gordon & Son, of Montreal, was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, December 12, 1833. He was a young man of twenty years when in 1853 he came to Montreal to enter the employ of the old and well known firm of William Stephen & Company. He was afterward a member of the firm of James Roy & Company and from December, 1891, until his death, which occurred on the 12th of October, 1895, he was at the head of the wholesale house of John Gordon & Son. His advancement was continuous, and the steps in his orderly progression are easily discernible. His career was one of constantly broadening activity, and his developing powers contributed to the importance and extent of his achievements. Few men have gained higher esteem and respect, and he left to his family the rich heritage of an untarnished name, won through business integrity and kindly courtesy, constituting an example that others might profitably emulate.

Mr. Gordon was a member of the Board of Trade and was interested in municipal affairs to the extent of giving hearty cooperation to various plans and projects for the public good. His life was actuated in its purposes by his Christian faith, which found expression in his membership in the Erskine Presbyterian church.

Mr. Gordon married Miss Jane Roy, a daughter of James Roy, and they became parents of three sons, Charles B., James R. and William G. R. The second named, who was his father’s partner in the firm of John Gordon & Son and is now head of the business, was born in Montreal, January 7, 1870, and pursued his education in this city. Making his initial step in the business world, he was for four years with the house of George D. Ross & Company, manufacturers’ agents, and in 1891 he joined his father in organizing the firm and instituting the business of John Gordon & Son. The establishment remains today as one of the foremost wholesale dry-goods commission houses of Montreal, with trade connections that lead to all provinces of the Dominion.

James R. Gordon was married to Miss Catherine McIntyre, and they have three children, J. Archibald, J. Kenneth and Bruce McIntyre. Mr. Gordon’s deep interest in the material development of the city is indicated in his membership in the Board of Trade and the Chambre de Commerce. He is also a member of St. James and other clubs.

DAVID ROSS MCCORD.

The unusual gifts of ready wit and great culture of David Ross McCord have made him a man of influence not only in the legal profession but in connection with various important public events and questions. Montreal numbers him among her native sons, his birth having occurred in this city March 18, 1844. The ancestry of the family in Canada is traced back to John McCord, who came from Antrim, Ireland, during the early settlement of the province of Quebec. The father of David R. McCord was the late Lieutenant Colonel Hon. John Samuel McCord, who became a judge of the superior court of Lower Canada and was recognized as one of the distinguished jurists of his day. He married Anne, a daughter of David Ross, an advocate of Montreal.

In the acquirement of his education David R. McCord attended successively the Montreal high school, McGill University, which conferred upon him the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1862 and the degrees of Master of Arts and Bachelor of Civil Law in 1867; and Bishop’s Collegiate University of Lennoxville, which conferred upon him the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1864. In 1868 he was called to the bar and entered at once upon active practice. In 1895 he was created king’s counselor by the Earl of Aberdeen. From the outset of his professional career his advancement has been continuous and long since he has reached a foremost position among the advocates of Montreal. He finds ready and correct solution for intricate and involved legal problems and possesses rare analytical and inductive powers.

The question of public policy as set forth by the political parties of the day are of deep interest to him and at one time he was secretary of the Liberal-Conservative Association. For many years he served as one of the aldermen of Montreal and exercised his official prerogatives in support of various measures and movements for the benefit and improvement of the city. In 1901 he advocated the appointment of a Canadian as governor general of the Dominion. Aside from his interest in his profession and the public questions of the day he has been a close student of natural history and has formed at his residence the nucleus of a natural museum. His religious faith is that of the Anglican church. Today his opinions are accepted as authority upon all matters relating to the annals of the country and of him the Montreal Herald said: “He probably has a more intimate knowledge of early Canadian history than any other man living.” His studious habits have brought him familiarity with a wide range of subjects, and his scholarly attainments have gained him place among the respected and honored residents of Montreal.

INDEX

Adami, J. G., 301