Browse "Business & Economics"

Sir Frederic Nicholls, capitalist, business lobbyist (b in England 23 Nov 1856; d at Battle Creek, Mich 25 Oct 1921). Nicholls played a crucial role in promoting early manufacturing in Canada. Educated as an electrical engineer in Germany, he came to Canada in 1874.

Sir Harry Oakes, prospector, mine owner (b at Sangerville, Maine 23 Dec 1874; d near Nassau, Bahamas 8 July 1943). A graduate of Bowdoin College, Oakes abandoned medical school in 1898 to prospect in the Klondike.

Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, capitalist (born at Kingston, Canada West 16 Jan 1859; died at Toronto 8 Mar 1939). Pellatt was educated at Upper Canada College and had a distinguished athletic career before joining his father's

Sir Herbert Brown Ames, businessman, civic reformer, politician (b at Montréal 27 June 1863; d there 31 Mar 1954). Ames was the son of American parents who inherited a share in and became a director of the family firm Ames-Holden Limited, a successful boot and shoe company.

By the 1870s, Allan's company, the Montreal Ocean Steamship Co (popularly known as the ALLAN LINE), also obtained government contracts to carry passage-assisted immigrants. Taking advantage of the Québec government's subsidies for colonization railways, Allan expanded into railway building.

Sir Hugh Andrew Montagu Allan, banker, shipowner, sportsman (b at Montréal 13 Oct 1860; d there 26 Sept 1951), second son of Sir Hugh ALLAN. To avoid confusion with his cousin Hugh Andrew Allan (1857-1938), he changed his name to Hugh Montagu in 1878.

Sir James Hamet Dunn, financier, industrialist (b at Bathurst, NB 29 Oct 1874; d at St Andrews, NB 1 Jan 1956). Dunn attended Dalhousie Law School 1895-98 and, after stints as a lawyer in Edmonton and Montréal, turned to investment banking.

Sir James Spearman Winter, politician, prime minister of Newfoundland 1897-1900 (b at Lamaline, Nfld 1 Jan 1845; d at Toronto 6 Oct 1911). Winter began his political career in 1873 and entered Sir William WHITEWAY's Cabinet as solicitor general in 1882.

Sir John Aird, banker (b at Longueuil, Canada E 15 Nov 1855; d at Toronto 30 Nov 1938). Aird, the president of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, is best known for his role as chairman of the Royal Commission on Radio Broadcasting that reported in 1929.

Sir John Christian Schultz, businessman, medical practitioner, politician (born 1 January 1840 in Amherstburg, Upper Canada; died 13 April 1896 in Monterey, Mexico). Schultz settled at the Red River Colony in 1861. He practiced medicine but increasingly occupied himself with furs, retail tradeand real estate. A figure of controversy, he played a key role in the troubles of 1869-70 and left a legacy of bitterness. Schultz later became a wealthy businessman. He was an MP 1871-82, a senator 1882-88 and lieutenant-governor of Manitoba 1888-95.

Sir John Craig Eaton, merchant, philanthropist (b at Toronto 28 Apr 1876; d there 30 Mar 1922). Third son of Timothy EATON, he worked in numerous capacities within the T. EATON CO LTD before becoming president 1907.

Sir John Morison Gibson, businessman, lawyer, politician, lieutenant-governor of Ontario (b at Toronto 1 Jan 1842; d at Hamilton, Ont 3 June 1929).

Sir Joseph Wesley Flavelle, meat packer, financier, philanthropist (b at Peterborough, Canada W 15 Feb 1858; d at Palm Beach, Fla 7 Mar 1939).

Sir Joseph-Adolphe Chapleau, lawyer, journalist, businessman, politician, premier of Québec 1879-82 (b at St-Thérèse-de-Blainville, Lower Canada 7 Nov 1840; d at Montréal 13 June 1898). He was admitted to the bar in 1861 and taught criminal law at Université Laval in Montréal from 1878 to 1885.

Sir Joseph-David-Rodolphe Forget, stockbroker, politician (b at Terrebonne, Canada E 10 Dec 1861; d at Montréal 19 Feb 1919).

Sir Richard Ernest William Turner, KCMG, VC, DSO, businessman and soldier (b at Québec 25 July 1871; d there 19 June 1961). In 1891 he entered his family's wholesale grocery and lumber business.

Sir Robert Gillespie Reid, bridge and railway builder, financier (b at Coupar Angus, Scot 1842; d at Montréal 3 June 1908). He worked briefly in Australia as a contractor and then came to Canada (1871).

Sir Samuel Cunard, merchant, shipowner (b at Halifax 21 Nov 1787; d at London, Eng 28 Apr 1865).

Sir William Christopher Macdonald, manufacturer, philanthropist (b at Glenaladale, PEI 1831; d at Montréal 9 June 1917), son of Donald Macdonald, president of the Legislative Council of PEI. Educated at Central Academy, Charlottetown, Macdonald began his career as a Montréal commission merchant.

Van Horne succeeded George STEPHEN as president of the CPR in 1888. He regarded the Canadian Pacific as a transportation and communications system. At his insistence, the company developed a telegraph service and entered the express business.