Mortimer Davis
Encyclopedia
Sir Mortimer Barnett Davis (February 6, 1866 – March 22, 1928) was a Canadian
businessman and philanthropist.
Born in Montreal
, Quebec
, to Samuel Davis and Minnie Falk Davis, he graduated from High School of Montreal and then joined his elder brothers Eugene Harmon and Maurice Edward in the family's cigar business, S. Davis and Sons. In 1888 S. Davis and Sons purchased another Montreal firm, D. Ritchie and Company. In 1895, the American Tobacco Company purchased D. Ritchie and Company, as well as the American Cigarette Company, another Montreal cigarette manufacturer. Samuel Davis retired from S. Davis and Sons, Mortimer Barnett Davis left the family firm, which remained in the hands of two of his brothers, to become president of the American Tobacco Company of Canada.
In 1902, The British-American Tobacco Company Limited, jointly owned by the American Tobacco Company and the Imperial Tobacco Company of England. It later purchased the American Tobacco Company of Canada, which became the Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada Limited, and Mortimer Barnett Davis was its first president. The financial power of the empire over which he presided, earned him the title of "Tobacco King," which he shares with his great rival, Sir William Christopher Macdonald.
Mortimer Barnett Davis was a member of the Montreal Board of Trade and the Montreal Stock Exchange as well as a director of many companies, including the Union Bank, Royal Bank of Canada
, Henry Corby distillery (He served as president from 1907 to 1922), Crown Trust Company, Empire Tobacco and part of the senior management of the Nova Scotia Silver Cobalt Mining Company and the Consolidated Asbestos Mining Company.
On June 12, 1898, in San Francisco, he married Henriette Marie Meyer, daughter of Charles Meyer, a banker and philanthropist.
In 1916, he was knighted by King George V
, becoming the first Canadian-born Jew to receive such an honour.
He was a member of Temple Emanu-El (see Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom (Westmount, Quebec)
), which his father had helped to establish. He underwrote the entire $420,000 of a new YMHA (see Federation CJA
) building, which opened at Mount Royal, near Park Avenue, shortly after his death. He was a key force in building the Mount Sinai Sanatarium, in Préfontaine.
Sir Mortimer Davis spent much of the last years of his life at Les Glaïeuls, his villa in Cannes
. where he died.
He left 75% of his estate to be used for the construction of a Jewish public hospital that would bear his name. In 1978, long after he died, $10 million from his estate was donated to the existing Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. It was renamed the Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital
.
His Montreal residence (formerly Sir Mortimer B. Davis House) is now Purvis Hall, on the grounds of McGill University
.
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...
businessman and philanthropist.
Born 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...
, 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....
, to Samuel Davis and Minnie Falk Davis, he graduated from High School of Montreal and then joined his elder brothers Eugene Harmon and Maurice Edward in the family's cigar business, S. Davis and Sons. In 1888 S. Davis and Sons purchased another Montreal firm, D. Ritchie and Company. In 1895, the American Tobacco Company purchased D. Ritchie and Company, as well as the American Cigarette Company, another Montreal cigarette manufacturer. Samuel Davis retired from S. Davis and Sons, Mortimer Barnett Davis left the family firm, which remained in the hands of two of his brothers, to become president of the American Tobacco Company of Canada.
In 1902, The British-American Tobacco Company Limited, jointly owned by the American Tobacco Company and the Imperial Tobacco Company of England. It later purchased the American Tobacco Company of Canada, which became the Imperial Tobacco Company of Canada Limited, and Mortimer Barnett Davis was its first president. The financial power of the empire over which he presided, earned him the title of "Tobacco King," which he shares with his great rival, Sir William Christopher Macdonald.
Royal Bank of Canada
The Royal Bank of Canada or RBC Financial Group is the largest financial institution in Canada, as measured by deposits, revenues, and market capitalization. The bank serves seventeen million clients and has 80,100 employees worldwide. The company corporate headquarters are located in Toronto,...
, Henry Corby distillery (He served as president from 1907 to 1922), Crown Trust Company, Empire Tobacco and part of the senior management of the Nova Scotia Silver Cobalt Mining Company and the Consolidated Asbestos Mining Company.
On June 12, 1898, in San Francisco, he married Henriette Marie Meyer, daughter of Charles Meyer, a banker and philanthropist.
In 1916, he was knighted by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, becoming the first Canadian-born Jew to receive such an honour.
He was a member of Temple Emanu-El (see Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom (Westmount, Quebec)
Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom (Westmount, Quebec)
Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, Westmount is a Reform synagogue in Westmount, Quebec. It is the oldest “Liberal” or“Reform” synagogue in Canada, incorporated on March 30, 1883 Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom, Westmount is a Reform synagogue in Westmount, Quebec. It is the oldest “Liberal” or“Reform”...
), which his father had helped to establish. He underwrote the entire $420,000 of a new YMHA (see Federation CJA
Federation CJA
Federation CJA aims to be the driving force in a vibrant and caring Montreal Jewish Community. In partnership with an effective network of organizations, builds and sustains the community by providing principled leadership, by raising and distributing funds, and by facilitating, incubating and...
) building, which opened at Mount Royal, near Park Avenue, shortly after his death. He was a key force in building the Mount Sinai Sanatarium, in Préfontaine.
Sir Mortimer Davis spent much of the last years of his life at Les Glaïeuls, his villa in Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
. where he died.
He left 75% of his estate to be used for the construction of a Jewish public hospital that would bear his name. In 1978, long after he died, $10 million from his estate was donated to the existing Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. It was renamed the Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital
Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital
The Jewish General Hospital is an acute-care McGill University teaching hospital with 637 beds, serving patients from Montreal, from across the province of Quebec and around the world.The Jewish General...
.
His Montreal residence (formerly Sir Mortimer B. Davis House) is now Purvis Hall, on the grounds of 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...
.