G EORGE N. MATHESON, Collector of Customs, Sarnia, Ont., was born in 1835, at Embro, Oxford county, Ont. He is the eldest son of Donald and Janet (Nairu) Matheson. Donald Matheson was a native of Scotland, born in 1805. He came to Canada in 1831, and settled at the village, which he afterwards named Embro. He was clerk of the Court of Commissioners, and on the establishment of Division Courts, was appointed clerk. clerk. He was also postmaster, both of which positions he held until his death, a period of nearly fifty years. He, for many years, represented Zorra in the county council, and after the incorporation of Embro, was elected reeve by acclamation for sixteen successive years, five of which he occupied the warden's chair. When Oxford was divided into two Ridings in 1854, he was elected member for the North Riding by acclamation. He died in 1883, in his 78th year. The subject of this sketch was educated at the public school and at Woodstock Grammar School. On the opening of the G.W.R. in 1853, he was appointed ticket and freight agent at Woodstock, and so continued until January, 1856, when he was appointed to a position in the Customs at the Port of Paris, and afterwards at Woodstock. In 1859, he was transferred to Sandwich, and then to Port Maitland, Welland Canal, as collector of tolls, and finally to Sarnia. On the opening of the old G. T. R. to Detroit, he took charge of the Customs Office at Pt. Edward, where he remained until 1874, when he was appointed collector of the Port of Sarnia. Mr. Matheson is a Presbyterian. He has also taken taken a lively interest in masonic affairs; was secretary of King Solomon's Lodge, Woodstock, and is now a member of Victoria Lodge, Sarnia. He is also a member of the Wawanosh Royal Arch Chapter. He is an enthusiastic lover of the "Roarin Game," for several years president of the Pt. Edward and Sarnia Clubs, for a number of at years secretary of both, and now first vice-president of the Ontario branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. F REDERICK ARDELL FITZGERALD, president and manager of the Imperial Oil Co., London, Ont., was born in London township, October October 16th, 1840. He is the only surviving son of the late John and Rebecca Fitzgerald, who emigrated from Ireland in 1820, and settled in that township. Mr. Fitzgerald received a good English education, and began life in the wholesale and retail grocery business in 1860, in London. By industry and ability, he built up a large trade, which is now conducted by Messrs. Fitzgerald, Scandrett & Co., upon his own property on Dundas street, known as the Fitzgerald block. For the past twenty years, his attention has been largely directed to the Petroleum Oil Industry of Canada. He is the president and managing director of the Imperial Oil Co., a large corporation composed of leading oil men, with a paid up capital of $500,000. He is also senior member of the firm of F. A. Fitzgerald & Co., who are largely interested in the production of crude petroleum oil, and own extensive oil producing property in Lambton county. This firm were the builders of the London Water Works, in 1878, and were the purchasers of the London Water Works debentures. Mr. Fitzgerald is also president of the London Furniture Manufacturing Company, one of the most substantial industries of the city, giving employment to a large number of men, with a paid up capital of $150,000. He is also a partner of the firm of A. E. Pavey & Co., one of the most successful wholesale firms in woolens and gents' furnishings in Ontario, besides being interested in several other manufacturing, commercial and financial concerns. He is a man of unbending honor and in every walk of life, his career has been above criticism or reproach. He was married to Mary Edith, eldest daughter of Major Chas. Jones, of London township. His family consists of three sons and one daughter. He is an adherent of the Methodist Church; a member of the Masonic order; a Conservative in politics, and a Justice of the Peace. WIN INFIELD SCOTT WOOL- is also president of the Chatham, Dover IVER, of Shaw & Wooliver, and Sombra Union Agricultural Sohardware merchants, Wallaceburg, ciety, and warden of the Wallaceburg Ont., was born May 17th, 1862, at Fire Brigade. In 1883, he married Ridgeway, Ont. His parents are Philip Miss Foley, of Kamoka, Ont., who died and Martha Ann (Hershey) Wooliver, in 1884; in 1888, Mr. Wooliver was whose ancestry were pioneers of Wel- married to Miss Clara B. Ayres, daughland county, Ont. Mr. Wooliver's farm ter of Wm. N. Ayres, of that place. was the battleground of Ridgeway, Their family consists of one daughter. and Mrs. Wooliver herself heroically Mr. Wooliver is an excellent business staunched the wounds of our volunteers, man, and very popular among his felwho fell on that exciting day. Her low townsmen, as was shown in the family, the Hersheys who were of municipal elections of 1892 and 1893, Hessian descent, were intimate friends on both of which occasions he received of the American General Winfield the largest vote ever polled by any man Scott. Mrs. Wooliver, was in girlhood, in Wallaceburg. intimate with the famous Jenny Lind, with whom she often sang. Mr. and Mrs. Wooliver removed to the "Gore" of Chatham township, where they still reside. The subject of our sketch, after having received a common school education, engaged in railroading for a short time, and then entered mercantile life, as a clerk, in Dresden, Ont. After an interval of farming at home, he entered the employ of his present partner, and soon after bought an interest in the business. In religion, Mr. Wooliver is a Methodist, and in politics, a staunch Reformer, a strong believer in Free Trade and in British connection, he is a member of the A.F. and A.M., commander in the K.O.T.M., chancellor commander and master of the Exchecquer of the Knights of Pythias; past grand in the I.O.F., and a member of the Encampment in the latter order. Mr. Wooliver H. SMART, banker, merchant, J. and postmaster, Kingsville, Ont., was born in Pickering township, Ont., February 7th, 1845. His parents, Andrew and Rachel (Haley) Smart, natives of New Brunswick, were highly respected pioneers of this province. Mr. Andrew Smart, who still resides at Culloden, Ont., where he is postmaster, took an active part in the formation of Dereham township into a municipality, and was its collector for years. Mr. Smart, their eldest son, at sixteen years of age entered mercantile life as clerk, in a general store, at Culloden. At nineteen, went "on the road," In and for seven years travelled for differ- Peace. On December 21st, T HE LATE GEORGE THOMAS SLATER, was born in Montreal, Que., December 11th, 1829, and died there December 27th, 1887. He was left an orphan at the early age of seven years. He attended school until he was fourteen, when he learned the trade of carpenter and pattern maker, and for several years followed this trade with McDougall & Sons, large iron founders, Montreal. With ambition to do business on his own account, he commenced fitting boot and shoe uppers, and in 1867, he established a boot and shoe manufactory, which during his lifetime developed into large proportions. This business is continued by his sons, and it is one of the largest concerns in the Dominion. In politics, he was a Conservative, but did not take an active part in political matters. He occupied many important positions during his lifetime, and among others, he was director of the C. W. Williams Sewing Machine Co. He was also a member of the Board of Trade, and member of the American Presbyterian Church. He laid aside a certain amount for charities, but never wished his name to appear in public. A widow and five children. survive him. |