John Brown (builder)
Encyclopedia
John Brown was a Canadian
builder
of Scottish
origin. He is best remembered today for building Ontario
's Imperial Towers
.
Brown began his career as a stonemason's apprentice in Glasgow
. At 23 he emigrated to the United States
, to upstate New York
. By 1838 he had moved again, this time to Thorold
, Ontario
, where he was to spend the remainder of his career.
Brown's first government project was the construction of the Mohawk Island Light in Lake Erie
between 1846 and 1848. By 1850, his reputation had grown a great deal, which enabled him to branch out into various other concerns. He operated plaster
mills and beds, cement
mills, lime kilns and a steam sawmill
, working with various partners. He also ran a shipyard
at Allanburg
and Port Robinson, Ontario
, at which he built scow
s, dredge
s, and tugboat
s. In 1855 and 1862 various of his cement and plaster products won medals at the World's Fair
in Paris
. Brown's work, known for its high quality, eventually came to consist of nothing but government canal
, rail
, and harbor
contracts.
The construction of the Imperial Towers nearly bankrupted Brown; by the spring of 1857 he had lost £1,500 on each tower, and relief appeared nowhere in sight. Consequently, he petitioned the provincial government for assistance. It would seem to have worked, for Brown managed to remain in business until his death.
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...
builder
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
of Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
origin. He is best remembered today for building 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....
's Imperial Towers
Imperial Towers
The Imperial Towers were six of the earliest lighthouses built on Lake Huron by the Canadian government. The designation Imperial is not certain, but historians speculate that because the towers were public construction built under United Kingdom authority, the name would assure funding from the...
.
Brown began his career as a stonemason's apprentice in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. At 23 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...
, to upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
. By 1838 he had moved again, this time to Thorold
Thorold
Thorold may refer to:Places* Thorold, Ontario* Thorold Tunnel, OntarioSport* Thorold Blackhawks, Canadian junior ice hockey teamAnimals*Thorold's deerPeople...
, 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....
, where he was to spend the remainder of his career.
Brown's first government project was the construction of the Mohawk Island Light in Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
between 1846 and 1848. By 1850, his reputation had grown a great deal, which enabled him to branch out into various other concerns. He operated plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
mills and beds, cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
mills, lime kilns and a steam sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
, working with various partners. He also ran a shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
at Allanburg
Allanburg, Ontario
Allanburg is a community within the City of Thorold, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Welland Canal and Highway 20, both important transportation routes through the Niagara Peninsula. The two cross at a 1932-built vertical-lift bridge, numbered as Bridge 11 by the Saint Lawrence Seaway...
and Port Robinson, Ontario
Port Robinson, Ontario
Port Robinson is a small community in the southernmost part of Thorold, Ontario, Canada. The community is divided in half by the Welland Canal, as there is no bridge in the immediate vicinity to connect the two halves of the community. In the summer, a passenger ferry runs across the canal...
, at which he built scow
Scow
A scow, in the original sense, is a flat-bottomed boat with a blunt bow, often used to haul bulk freight; cf. barge. The etymology of the word is from the Dutch schouwe, meaning such a boat.-Sailing scows:...
s, dredge
Dredge
Dredging is an excavation activity or operation usually carried out at least partly underwater, in shallow seas or fresh water areas with the purpose of gathering up bottom sediments and disposing of them at a different location...
s, and tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
s. In 1855 and 1862 various of his cement and plaster products won medals at the World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Brown's work, known for its high quality, eventually came to consist of nothing but government canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
, rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
, and harbor
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
contracts.
The construction of the Imperial Towers nearly bankrupted Brown; by the spring of 1857 he had lost £1,500 on each tower, and relief appeared nowhere in sight. Consequently, he petitioned the provincial government for assistance. It would seem to have worked, for Brown managed to remain in business until his death.