Sketches of celebrated Canadians, and persons connected with Canada : from the earliest period in the history of the province down to the present time

Front matter

Mk r t^idi?r6l27 the estate of

J. Stuart Fleming

SKETCHES

Preface

The present work has been written during short intervals, which we have been enabled to snatch from office hours, and in the short space of a few months.

We do not presume to advance any claims to originality with respect to a great portion of its contents, derived as they have necessarily been from various home and local publications, a list of which is subjoined; nor do we claim for it anything like perfection. We are sensible that it is imperfect, not only in its details, but in the exclusion from its pages of numerous names which ought to have figured in and graced the work ; nor has justice, we fear, been done to many whose biographies do appear. These circumstances must not be ascribed to any intentional defect on our part ; but we must plead in excuse the inexperience and incapacity of youth in matters with which we have, perhaps, prematurely grappled, the difficulty of obtaining accurate information, and the long period of time which the work covers.

In a work of the kind where so much has to be inquired into, studied and examined, in a short space of time, we have laid ourselves under many and deep obligations to numerous persons — noblemen and gentlemen who have kindly responded to our enquiries, and occasionally come to our assistance, aiding us in our adventurous undertaking ; and we cannot overlook the material assistance rendered to us by Professor Andrew, M.A., of Quebec. To these parties we return our most sincere and hearty thanks. It is our hope vi

PREFACE.

that a second edition will shortly appear, when any errors which may have crept into this will be rectified. Lastly, as to these and all such errors, we pray the kind indulgence of our readers for the reasons assigned in another portion of this preface ; these imperfections must not be ascribed to the heart, but rather to the head and judgment.

Quebec, January , 1862.

Introduction

When we first conceived tlie design of compiling a work of this description, we were not aware that any previous work had been written on the subject, and were quite surprised when M. Bibaud’s u Pantheon Canadien ” was placed in our hands. Upon examination, however, of this little book, we found that many of our greatest men had been excluded from notice, and many obsolete characters flourished therein who had hardly any claim to be mentioned at all ; and above all that it was devoted nearly altogether, or in a great measure, to one portion of the community. Observing this, we determined to pursue our undertaking, with what success, we must leave the candid, discriminating and indulgent reader to say.

The great object which has actuated us in writing these series of biographical notices or sketches, has been to place on record, in as simple and unostentatious a manner as possible, the services of those men who have fought, bled, and served in this province, and with whose names history has made us familiar, but with regard to whose private career it is silent ; we trust that hereby some worthy names and memories may not be allowed to pass into oblivion. From these annals it will appear that we have had and do possess men as truly great, talented and devotedly loyal as any other kingdom, not excepting the mother country herself. We may also be able to convince the youth of this rising nation, that their sires, grandsires, and great-grandsires, had names associated with great deeds and glorious efforts in the cause of freedom and loyalty. We have endeavored, perhaps, viii

INTRODUCTION.

without success, to render this work as complete as possible, so as to satisfy both portions of the communities in which we live, and to be as unprejudiced and dispassionate in our opinions as we could. What we have written has been written in no cringing or servile spirit, but in honest sincerity, and comes impartially from the heart. A just pride, an intense love of our native country, and an ardent hope and desire for its future greatness, have alone enabled and prevailed on us to go through a task of great mental labor, yet to us one of love. Our only regret is, that the work is not sufficiently perfect ; and that we have not done sufficient justice to those characters whose portraits and careers we have endeavored to pourtray.

BOOKS CONSULTED

BY THE AUTHOR IN WRITING THIS WORK, AND TO WHICH HE IS INDEBTED FOR INFORMATION.

Cote’s Political Appointments ; Bibaud’s Pantheon Canadien ; Smith, Garneau, Christie, Rogers and McMullen’s Histories of Canada ; Buchanan’s National Unthrift ; Gor ton’s Biographical Dictionary ; Appleton’s Cyclopcedia of Biography ; Norton’s Life of Bishop Stewart ; Cannon’s Historical Records of the British Army ; Burke, Dodd, Debrett, and Playfair’s Peerages ; Penny Cyclopcedia ; Canadian News , (London) ; Colonial Magazine ; Mountain’s Sermons; Van Cortland’s Records of Ottawa City ; Hayden’s Booh of Dignities ; Journals of Education , C. E. and C. W. ; Bonnycastle’s Canada; Anglo-American Magazine ; American Law Journal ; Gourlay’s Canada ; Kaye’s Life of Metcalfe ; Tupper’s Life of Brock ; Scrope’s Life of Sydenham ; Head’s Narrative ; Harrison’s Upper Canada Law Journal ; Smith’s History of New York; Grentleman’s Magazine ; Illustrated News of the World; O’Byrne and Marshall’s Naval Dictionaries ; Hawkins’ Picture of Quebec ; Shea’s Discovery of the Mississippi ; Canadian Review ; Ure’s Handbook of Toronto ; Canadian Magazine ; Hart"’ s Annual Army List; Appleton’s New American Cyclopcedia ; Langevin’s L’Histoire du Canada en Tableaux ; Sabine’s American Loyalists , &c.