THE HON. SIR JOHN JOSEPH CALDWELL ABBOTT

The Honourable Sir John Joseph Caldwell iVbbott, the third Premier of Canada, was twice elected to be mayor of the Cit}^ of Montréal. He was first elected mayor in 1887, by a majority of two thousand votes over his opponeut, Mr. H. B. Rainville, and, the following year, his admistration having met with the gênerai approval of his constituents, he was returned by acclamation.

Sir John Abbott was boni on the i2th day of ]\Iarch 182 1, at St. Andrews, in the County of Argenteuil, P. Q., his father being an Anglican Clerg3anen, the late Révérend Joseph Abbott, M. A., first Incumbent of St. Andrews, who emigrated to Canada from Westmoreland, England, about the year 1818. This Révérend gentleman's writings added considerably to the advancement of littérature in Canada. Soon after his arrivai hère, the Révérend Joseph Abbott was married to Miss Harriett Bradford, daughter of the first Rector of Chatham, in the County of Argenteuil. The first issue of this union was the subject of this sketch. John Joseph Caldwell Abbott was educated with very careful attention, as his parents looked forward to a professional career for their son. After completing his studies, at the âge of seventeen,

SIR JOHN J. ABBOTT,

19ème Maire, 1887-8.

3/oiing Abbott came to Montréal and entered a mercantile establishment, but, owing to ill liealth he was compelled to abandon bis position. He then followed tlie classes of the McGill Collège and, five years later graduated with the degree of B. C. L.

In 1847, ^^ ^^^s called to the Bar of Lower Canada. His légal réputation incidentally brought him before the electors of Argenteuil who in 1859 called him to the Législative Assembly. He remained in this Assembly until 1874, when he was elected to the représentation of the same constituency in the House of Commons, where he was twice retumed in 1872 and 1874. During this last named year, Mr Abbott was unseated by Dr. Christie, and it was not until 1880 that he was reelected to his former seat. He again left the House of Commons in 1888 and two years later was called to the Senate by the Governor General. Upon the death of Sir John A. Macdonald, Senator Abbott was chosen to succeed him, his appointment being officially announced on the i6th June 1891. During the following year, he was knighted by Queen Victoria. On the third day of October, 1893, he died after a short illness. In 1862, prior to his acceptance of office as Solicitor General in the Stanfield Macdonald-Sicotte administration, Sir John, then Mr. Abbott was created a Q. C. Two years later he introduced the Insolvent Act and the Jury Law Consolidation Act for Lower Canada, into the Honse. He also introduced the Bill for collecting judicial and registration fées by stamps.

In 1879, Mr. Abbott went to England, as the associate of the Hon. H. L. Langevin, on the mission that resulted in the dismissal of Lieutenant Governor Letellier de St. Just of Québec. In 1888, Mr. Abbott was appointed a commissioner to negotiate with Australia for doser trade relations and

20ème Maire, 1889-90.

cable communications. The late Sir John Abbott was married in 1849 ^o Miss May Bethune, daughter of the Very Révérend J. Bethune, D. D., dean of Montréal. He was at one time dean of the Law Faculty of the McGill University, président of the Fraser Institute, and snperintendent of the Royal Victoria Hospital. He was also the leading légal adviser of the Canadian Pacific Railway at the time of its incorporation.

TACOUES GRENIER.

Il naquit le 20 janvier 1823 ^ Berthier, du mariage de Antoine Grenier, navigateur, et de Josette Boulard.

Il fit ses études commerciales à Berthier qu'il quitta en 1840, pour entrer comme commis dans l'établissement de François Leclerc, commerçant, rue St. Paul.

En 1845, i^ s^ lança dans les affaires pour son propre compte jusqu'en 1857, ^^^ ^^ s'associa avec M. P. P. Martin. Il fit un voyage en Angleterre en 1860, dans l'intérêt de la maison Grenier & Martin. A la dissolution de cette société en 1865, M. Grenier s'associa à un de ses neveux, M. Hercule Giroux. Durant tout le temps où il fut dans les affaires, M. Grenier réussit par son énergie et son habileté financière à se placer au premier rang des hommes d'affaires de notre ville, tout en s 'acquérant l'estime de ceux qui venaient en contact avec lui. En 1881, M. Grenier décida de se retirer du commerce pour céder sa place à son fils, M. Adolphe Grenier. Mais par suite du décès de M. Giroux en 1885, ^^ rentra de nouveau à la tête de son établissement de commerce, connu sous la raison sociale de Jacques Grenier & Compagnie. Ses talents administratifs universellement reconnus et la confiance dont il jouissait dans le public l'appelèrent à siéger comme représentant du quartier Est

au conseil municipal en 1857. En 1866, M. Grenier, se voyant forcé de s'absenter fréquemment pour aller en Europe dans l'intérêt de son commerce, abandonna son mandat d'écbevin pour ne s'occuper que de ses affaires personnelles. Quatre ans plus tard, cédant aux instances de ses électeurs, il consentit à briguer de nouveau leurs suffrages et siégea comme échevin du quartier St. Jacques au Conseil de ville jusqu'en 1882.

Cette même année, il retourna au conseil comme représentant de son ancier quartier, le quartier Est, qu'il représenta jusqu'en 1889, où la confiance des citoyens sans distinction de partis et de races, l'appela à la position si honorifique et si importante de premier magistrat de Montréal. M. Grenier fut maire de notre ville pendant les années 1889 et 1890.

C'est un fait universellement connu que M. Grenier a exercé une grande influence à l'hôtel de ville, tant comme échevin que comme maire et qu'il a rendu de nombreux services à la cité. M. Grenier a occupé un bon nombre de positions importantes. Il fut président de la société St. Jean Baptiste, de la société St. Vincent de Paul ; directeur de la Dominion Cotton Mills Co., ainsi que de la Montréal Cotton Mills Co. Il est gouverneur à vie de l'Université Laval, fut longtemps directeur de la Banque du Peuple dont il était le président, lors de sa mise en liquidation, il y a quelques années. Il fut juge de paix sous le gouvernement Dorion. En 1882, il fut élu marguiller de la fabrique de la paroisse de Notre-Dame. En 1845, i^ épousa Marie-Louise Frenette.

En 1894, il célébra ses noces d'or comme membre de la congrégation Ville-Marie, dont il avait été élu préfet en 1852. En janvier 1902, le cinquantenaire de son élection comme préfet fut célébré par la congrégation. M. Grenier est maintenant ^sorti des affaires et vit dans une retraite honorable, qu'une vie de travail lui a méritée.

HON. JAMES McSHANE.

The Honourable James McSliane who to-day occupies the position of Harbour Master of Montréal, was for man}^ years a concillor, tlien an aldennan and in 1891 was elected Mayor of Montréal. He also represented Montréal electors in the fédéral parliament at Ottawa and in the Législative Assembly, at Qnebec. For several years, he was Commissioner of Pnblic Works in the Mercier Cabinet.

Mr. James McShane was boni in Montréal, in 1834, of Irish parentage. He was edncated at the Seminary of St. Sulpice, which, in those days, stood on Collège Street. A business career attracted him and he set ont as cattle dealer, packer and exporter. In 1870, however, having made a fair fortune he retired to begin opérations on the Stock Exchange.

Two years previous, in 1868, he w^as elected councillor for St. Ann's Ward, and for over twenty years he sat at the council board and on the varions committees. In 1877 he was returned for Montréal Centre to the Québec Législature and on the advent of Honoré Mercier, he accepted the portfolio of Public Works.

Mr. McShane being elected Mayor of Montréal in 1891 occupied that position for two years. In 1895 he was elected to the House of Commons, defeating Sir William Kingston. He was a member of the Board of Trade, and the Harbour Board. He is also director of St. Bridget's Orphan As3dum^ and a governor of the Montréal General Hospital. He is a staunch libéral, and an ardent Irishman. Mr. McShane, in 1863, niarried Miss E. Jane Darragh and in 1868, Miss Joséphine K. Miron. Mrs. ]McShane is a woman of remarkable character who lias assisted lier husband in mau}' ways tow^ards success.

HON. JAMES McSHANE, 21ème Maire, 1891-2.