James Kewley Ward
Encyclopedia
James Kewley Ward was a Canadian
lumber merchant and politician.
Born in Peel, Isle of Man, the third son of John Ward, Ward was educated at May's Academy in Douglas, Isle of Man
. He emigrated to the United States
in 1842 and worked as a clerk in Albany, New York
. He then worked as a clerk in a lumber mill in Troy, New York
and was put in charge of the mill. In 1853, he moved to the province of Quebec
where he purchased a lumber establishment on the Maskinonge River. In 1863, he moved to Trois-Rivières
and purchased a mill on the St. Maurice River. In 1873, he moved to Montreal
and opened the Mona sawmills on the Lachine Canal
. He retired from active business in 1900.
He was a member of the council of the municipality of Côte-Saint-Antoine (renamed to Westmount, Quebec
in 1895) and was mayor for nine years. A member of the Montreal Board of Trade, he was also a member of the Westmount School Commissioners for over thirty years and was chairman of that body for twenty years.
He unsuccessfully ran as the Liberal
candidate for the Canadian House of Commons
for the electoral district of Montreal West
in the 1882
and 1887 federal election
.
He was appointed to the Legislative Council of Quebec
for the division of Victoria in June 1888 and served until his death. He was also a member of the Council of Public Instruction and was a Justice of the Peace
for the District of Montreal.
He donated $10,000 to build a public library, the Ward Public Library, opened in 1907 on Peel, Isle of Man. The Isle of Man issued two postage stamp
s (a 6p and 13p) in his honor in 1978.
A Methodist, he was married twice. In 1848, he married Eliza King of London
, England
, who died in 1854. In 1859, he married Lydia Trenholme, of Kingsey, Quebec, who died in the year 1900. He had three sons and seven daughters.
He died in Westmount in 1910 aged 91 and was buried in Montreal at the Mount Royal Cemetery
.
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...
lumber merchant and politician.
Born in Peel, Isle of Man, the third son of John Ward, Ward was educated at May's Academy in Douglas, Isle of Man
Douglas, Isle of Man
right|thumb|250px|Douglas Promenade, which runs nearly the entire length of beachfront in Douglasright|thumb|250px|Sea terminal in DouglasDouglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,218 people . It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping...
. He emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1842 and worked as a clerk in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. He then worked as a clerk in a lumber mill in Troy, New York
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
and was put in charge of the mill. In 1853, he moved to the province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
where he purchased a lumber establishment on the Maskinonge River. In 1863, he moved to Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
and purchased a mill on the St. Maurice River. In 1873, he moved to 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...
and opened the Mona sawmills on the Lachine Canal
Lachine Canal
The Lachine Canal is a canal passing through the southwestern part of the Island of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, running 14.5 kilometres from the Old Port of Montreal to Lake Saint-Louis, through the boroughs of Lachine, Lasalle and Sud-Ouest.The canal gets its name from the French word for China...
. He retired from active business in 1900.
He was a member of the council of the municipality of Côte-Saint-Antoine (renamed to Westmount, Quebec
Westmount, Quebec
Westmount is a city on the Island of Montreal, an enclave of the city of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada; pop. 20,494; area 4.02 km²; population density of 5,092.56 inhabitants/km²....
in 1895) and was mayor for nine years. A member of the Montreal Board of Trade, he was also a member of the Westmount School Commissioners for over thirty years and was chairman of that body for twenty years.
He unsuccessfully ran as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
candidate for the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
for the electoral district of Montreal West
Montreal West (electoral district)
Montreal West was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commonsfrom 1867 to 1892.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867. It consisted initially of St. Anne Ward, St. Antoine Ward and St. Lawrence Ward. In 1872, St. Anne Ward...
in the 1882
Canadian federal election, 1882
The Canadian federal election of 1882 was held on June 20, 1882 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 5th Parliament of Canada.Prime Minister Sir John A...
and 1887 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1887
The Canadian federal election of 1887 was held on February 22, 1887 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 6th Parliament of Canada.The Conservative Party of Prime Minister Sir John A...
.
He was appointed to the Legislative Council of Quebec
Legislative Council of Quebec
From 1867 until 1968, the Legislative Council of Quebec was the unelected upper house of the bicameral legislature in the Canadian province of Quebec...
for the division of Victoria in June 1888 and served until his death. He was also a member of the Council of Public Instruction and was a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for the District of Montreal.
He donated $10,000 to build a public library, the Ward Public Library, opened in 1907 on Peel, Isle of Man. The Isle of Man issued two postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s (a 6p and 13p) in his honor in 1978.
A Methodist, he was married twice. In 1848, he married Eliza King of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, who died in 1854. In 1859, he married Lydia Trenholme, of Kingsey, Quebec, who died in the year 1900. He had three sons and seven daughters.
He died in Westmount in 1910 aged 91 and was buried in Montreal at 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...
.