A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time: A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers
History
A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time: A Collection of Persons Distinguished in Professional and Political Life, Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of Canada, and Successful Pioneers
=Leach, The Ven. Archdeacon.=—The late William Turnbull Leach, D.C.L.,
LL.D., Archdeacon of Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, was born in
Berwick-on-Tweed, Scotland, on the 1st of March, 1805, and died at
Montreal, on the 13th of October, 1886. He was of English descent, his
grandfather having removed to Berwick from the previous home of the
family in Lincolnshire, England. Archdeacon Leach was educated in
Edinburgh, and took the degree of M.A. in the university of that city in
1827. In 1831, he was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian church,
but shortly afterwards came to Canada, and was appointed to the charge
of St. Andrew’s Church, Toronto, and was also chaplain to the 93rd
Highlanders, stationed in that city, about the time of the rebellion in
1837-8. He subsequently entered the Church of England, to which he was
ordained by Bishop Mountain in 1841, and was appointed to the incumbency
of St. George’s Church, Montreal, which position he retained for nearly
twenty years. He took the warmest interest in educational matters, was
one of the founders of Queen’s College, Kingston, and was for many years
an honoured member of the Council of Public Institution for Lower
Canada, afterwards the province of Quebec. He was one of the little band
who brought McGill University to its present position. His connection
with McGill dates from 1845, and he may be said to have been the last
survivor of the original staff. From the earliest years of the college,
he was one of the professors of the Faculty of Arts, and as the work of
the university extended, he relinquished his ministerial duties to
devote himself exclusively to college work. During his active connection
with the college, he held the Molson chair of English language and
literature, was professor of logic and of mental and moral philosophy,
dean of the Faculty of Arts, and vice-principal of the University. He
was created D.C.L. of McGill in 1849, and LL.D. of McGill in 1857, and
in 1867, the University of Lennoxville conferred upon him the degree of
D.C.L. The Venerable Archdeacon Leach married three times. Shortly after
his arrival in Canada, he returned for a short visit to Scotland, where
he married Miss Skirving, daughter of Mr. Skirving, of Haddington, and
granddaughter of Adam Skirving, author of “Johnnie Cope,” and other
songs very popular at the time in Scotland. Of this marriage there were
four children, two of whom are living, viz.: David S. Leach, of
Montreal, and Mrs. Howell, of London, England. He afterwards married
Miss Easton, daughter of the Rev. Robert Easton, a lady well known and
much beloved, who previous to her marriage had conducted one of the
principal establishments in Canada for the education of young ladies.
His widow (daughter of the late Francis Gwilt), with her young unmarried
daughter, reside in Montreal.
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