David Ross McCord
Encyclopedia
David Ross McCord was a Canadian
lawyer
and philanthropic
founder of the McCord Museum
in Montreal
, Canada
.
McCord was born in Montreal to a family of lawyers and businessmen of Irish
origin who had emigrated to Canada around the year 1760. He was the fourth child of John Samuel McCord (1801-1865), Judge of the Supreme Court, and Anne Ross, a daughter of David Ross (1770-1837) Q.C., of Montreal, Seigneur
of St. Gilles de Beaurivage. His parents, in an upper class, bilingual marriage, inculcated in McCord a love of art (his father was a connoisseur and his mother was an accomplished watercolour artist) and science from an early age. When he grew up, he decided to continue the family tradition and study law at McGill University
, eventually becoming a magistrate who gained fame by intervening on behalf of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada
.
In 1878 David Ross McCord proposed the establishment of a national museum for Canadian history in his maternal city. His collection was first housed in his home and in 1919 his “collection was moved to Jesse Joseph House on the McGill University campus. On October 13, 1921 the McCord Museum opened its doors with a collection of 15,000 artifacts from McCord's personal collections. Nine years later, McCord died in Guelph
, Ontario
. Upon his death, the university took charge of the museum, which today has more than 1.2 million objects.
David Ross McCord married Letitia Caroline Chambers (1841-1928). They lived at the old McCord family home, Temple Grove, on the Cote des Neiges, Montreal
. They are buried together in the Mount Royal Cemetery
.
----
In 2005, the Government of Canada
Historic Sites and Monuments Board, placed a plaque outside the McCord Museum in Montreal that reads:
David McCord created one of the earliest and most important collections of objects, images and manuscripts associated with the history of Canada. Convinced that an understanding of the past strengthens national identity, he devoted most of his life and personal fortune to gathering and documenting some 15,000 items related to Aboriginal, French and British history in North America. This man of vision bequeathed his outstanding collection to McGill University, which fulfilled his dream of founding a museum for the benefit of all Canadians.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and philanthropic
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
founder of the McCord Museum
McCord Museum
The McCord Museum is a public research and teaching museum dedicated to the preservation, study, diffusion, and appreciation of Canadian history...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
McCord was born in Montreal to a family of lawyers and businessmen of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
origin who had emigrated to Canada around the year 1760. He was the fourth child of John Samuel McCord (1801-1865), Judge of the Supreme Court, and Anne Ross, a daughter of David Ross (1770-1837) Q.C., of Montreal, Seigneur
Seigneur
Seigneur may refer to:* The possessor of a seigneurie in medieval feudal or manorial systems.* The Seigneurial system of New France* The hereditary feudal ruler of the island of Sark, see also List of Seigneurs of Sark...
of St. Gilles de Beaurivage. His parents, in an upper class, bilingual marriage, inculcated in McCord a love of art (his father was a connoisseur and his mother was an accomplished watercolour artist) and science from an early age. When he grew up, he decided to continue the family tradition and study law at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, eventually becoming a magistrate who gained fame by intervening on behalf of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada
Aboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
.
In 1878 David Ross McCord proposed the establishment of a national museum for Canadian history in his maternal city. His collection was first housed in his home and in 1919 his “collection was moved to Jesse Joseph House on the McGill University campus. On October 13, 1921 the McCord Museum opened its doors with a collection of 15,000 artifacts from McCord's personal collections. Nine years later, McCord died in Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Upon his death, the university took charge of the museum, which today has more than 1.2 million objects.
David Ross McCord married Letitia Caroline Chambers (1841-1928). They lived at the old McCord family home, Temple Grove, on the Cote des Neiges, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. They are buried together in the Mount Royal Cemetery
Mount Royal Cemetery
Opened in 1852, Mount Royal Cemetery is a 165-acre terraced cemetery on the north slope of Mount Royal in the borough of Outremont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The burial ground shares the mountain with the much larger adjacent Roman Catholic cemetery -- Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges...
.
----
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
Historic Sites and Monuments Board, placed a plaque outside the McCord Museum in Montreal that reads:
David McCord created one of the earliest and most important collections of objects, images and manuscripts associated with the history of Canada. Convinced that an understanding of the past strengthens national identity, he devoted most of his life and personal fortune to gathering and documenting some 15,000 items related to Aboriginal, French and British history in North America. This man of vision bequeathed his outstanding collection to McGill University, which fulfilled his dream of founding a museum for the benefit of all Canadians.