James Ferrier (politician)

James Ferrier ( born October 22, 1800, Fife, Scotland, † May 30, 1888 in Montreal ) was a Canadian politician and businessman. From 1844 to 1846 he was mayor of Montreal. He was then twenty years a member of parliament of the province of Canada. From 1867 until his death he served as a Canadian Senator.

Biography

After working for several years in a trading house in Perth, Scotland, emigrated to Canada in 1821 Ferrier and settled in Montreal. Two years later he opened his own store on Rue Notre -Dame and earned as a result a large fortune. In 1836 he retired from trading and began to act as a financier. In 1837 he was a Director of the Bank of British North America, 1855, he was among the founders of the Molson Bank. Along with Hugh Allan, he founded in 1871, the Montreal Credit Company, he was also director of three insurance companies.

From 1847 to 1851 headed the Ferrier Saint- Maurice ironworks at Trois- Rivières. He was financially instrumental in the construction of the Montreal opened in 1847 and Lachine Railroad, which eventually went up in 1857 the Grand Trunk Railway, after several mergers. Ferrier belonged to his death on the Board of Directors of the Grand Trunk. There were also substantial holdings in other transport projects: International Bridge Company, Canadian and West Indian Royal Mail Steamship Company and Waterloo, Magog and Stanstead Railway.

From 1841 Ferrier was a member of the City Council of Montreal, 1844 to 1846, he served as mayor of the city. He was also justice of the peace and lieutenant colonel in the urban militia. In 1847 he was elected a member of the Legislative Council, the lower house of the Province of Canada, appointed, of which he was on the side of conservatives for twenty years. After the establishment of the Canadian Confederation was followed on October 23, 1867 by royal proclamation appointing a senator. The Canadian House of Lords he was more than two decades until his death. At the same time he was also appointed member of the Legislative Council of Quebec.

Ferrier was very religious and supported the Methodist Church financially, as well as numerous charitable organizations. From 1845 to 1852 he was Chairman of the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning, which developed into the entrepreneurial management from McGill University in later years. The restoration of financial stability of the University after several difficult years is mainly attributed to his efforts. In 1884 he was appointed Chancellor of the University.