John Roaf Barber
Encyclopedia
John Roaf Barber was a Canadian
enterprising and utilitarian businessman and represented Halton
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1898 to 1904.
He was born in Georgetown, Ontario
in 1841. His father came to Canada from County Antrim
in Northern Ireland
in 1822. His father and uncles had established a paper mill
in the area after being involved in woollen milling since 1837. Barber became the manager in 1861. In 1876, with his brother James and John Fitzallen Ellis, he established Barber and Ellis, which would become one of the largest stationery manufacturers and suppliers in Canada. He took over operation of the mills in 1880. In 1881, he helped establish Toronto Paper Manufacturing Company Limited and set up a mill at Cornwall, Ontario
. By 1883 this mill was producing newsprint and high quality paper. He visited Europe in 1886 to find alternatives to wood pulp from Quebec, and afterward in 1887 he set up a sulfite
mill in Cornwall to supply high quality wood pulp
to his plant and others.
The only other paper product supplier in Canada in the 1870s was Alexander Buntin, which Barber saw as an opportunity to expand.
In 1888, he upgraded the original paper mill on the Credit River
to use hydroelectric power, believed to be the first industrial application of this technology in Canada.
Besides his paper mills, he held high ranking positions in a number of other companies. He was president of many small companies such as Leadville Mining Company in Leadville, Colorado
, Canadian Brass and Tube works in Toronto
, and the Inter-Ocean Mining and Prospecting Company, also in Toronto.
He also served in the militia and was reeve of Georgetown from 1867 to 1876 and in 1882. He saw active duty in 1866. He was elected as a Liberal
to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1898.
He lived in a grand mansion, Berwick Hall, which was designed by the architect E. J. Lennox
He retired from business in 1912 following a heart attack
the year before. He died in Georgetown in 1917.
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...
enterprising and utilitarian businessman and represented Halton
Halton (electoral district)
Halton is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1988 and again since 1997. Its population in 2001 was 100,055.-Geography:...
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1898 to 1904.
He was born in Georgetown, Ontario
Georgetown, Ontario
Georgetown is a community in the town of Halton Hills, Ontario, Canada and is part of the Regional Municipality of Halton. It is situated on the Credit River, located approximately 60 km west of Toronto making it part of the Greater Toronto Area...
in 1841. His father came to Canada from County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in 1822. His father and uncles had established a paper mill
Paper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
in the area after being involved in woollen milling since 1837. Barber became the manager in 1861. In 1876, with his brother James and John Fitzallen Ellis, he established Barber and Ellis, which would become one of the largest stationery manufacturers and suppliers in Canada. He took over operation of the mills in 1880. In 1881, he helped establish Toronto Paper Manufacturing Company Limited and set up a mill at Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall, Ontario
Cornwall is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada and the seat of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario. Cornwall is Ontario's easternmost city, located on the St...
. By 1883 this mill was producing newsprint and high quality paper. He visited Europe in 1886 to find alternatives to wood pulp from Quebec, and afterward in 1887 he set up a sulfite
Sulfite
Sulfites are compounds that contain the sulfite ion SO. The sulfite ion is the conjugate base of bisulfite. Although the acid itself is elusive, its salts are widely used.-Structure:...
mill in Cornwall to supply high quality wood pulp
Wood pulp
Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper. Wood pulp is the most common raw material in papermaking.-History:...
to his plant and others.
The only other paper product supplier in Canada in the 1870s was Alexander Buntin, which Barber saw as an opportunity to expand.
In 1888, he upgraded the original paper mill on the Credit River
Credit River
The Credit River is a river in southern Ontario which flows from headwaters above the Niagara Escarpment to empty into Lake Ontario at Port Credit, Mississauga. It drains an area of approximately 1,000 km²...
to use hydroelectric power, believed to be the first industrial application of this technology in Canada.
Besides his paper mills, he held high ranking positions in a number of other companies. He was president of many small companies such as Leadville Mining Company in Leadville, Colorado
Leadville, Colorado
Leadville is a Statutory City that is the county seat of, and the only municipality in, Lake County, Colorado, United States. Situated at an elevation of , Leadville is the highest incorporated city and the second highest incorporated municipality in the United States...
, Canadian Brass and Tube works in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and the Inter-Ocean Mining and Prospecting Company, also in Toronto.
He also served in the militia and was reeve of Georgetown from 1867 to 1876 and in 1882. He saw active duty in 1866. He was elected as a Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1898.
He lived in a grand mansion, Berwick Hall, which was designed by the architect E. J. Lennox
E. J. Lennox
Edward James Lennox was a Toronto-based architect who designed several of the city's most notable landmarks in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries including Old City Hall and Casa Loma...
He retired from business in 1912 following a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
the year before. He died in Georgetown in 1917.