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
proposed to him the taking up of wild land and going into farming. The
novelty of this proposal appeared to have some charm and was really
entered upon. Writing to his father informing him of his resolution, he
handed the letter to the captain of his uncle’s brig, bade him farewell,
and left for Canada. Arrived in the township of McKillop, in the Huron
Tract, he endeavoured to learn what was required in order to become a
successful farmer, and soon ascertained that for a young man standing
alone without relations or friends and without any knowledge of farming,
it would be unwise to take up land and “roughing it in the bush;”
however he stayed about two months, during which time he acquired
considerable proficiency in the use of the axe, helping to chop and put
up log houses in the neighbourhood. He left McKillop in October, 1837,
and went to Preston, which place was then all alive with new settlers
from Germany. He engaged for some time as clerk in a store, and thinking
he saw a good opportunity, he started in business on his own account in
February, 1838, using his father’s letter of credit in the purchase of
his first stock of goods. In 1839, he married the daughter of a farmer
of the township of Wilmot. This marriage proved to be a happy one, his
good wife being an excellent helpmate, a good housewife, a dutiful
mother and an exemplary spouse. Shortly after young Klotz had settled in
Preston, he became acquainted with an old English gentleman, William
Scollick, who was a surveyor, conveyancer and a commissioner of the
Court of Request, and who took a particular fancy to him and his
penmanship. He advised him to learn conveyancing, and promised to
instruct him therein. This kind offer was readily accepted; the pupil
employed his spare moments in studying to perfect himself, became an apt
scholar, and after the death of old Mr. Scollick, became his successor
as conveyancer, a business which proved no mean help for improving his
pecuniary circumstances. Mr. Klotz was made a naturalized British
subject in 1844, was appointed a notary public in 1846, a commissioner
for taking affidavits in 1848, a clerk of the Division Court in 1848,
and a justice of the peace in 1853. For a long term of years, he was
director of the County Agricultural Society, and once its president. Of
the Preston Mechanics’ Institute and Horticultural Society he has been
president from the establishment of the same. Of the Executive Committee
of the Association of Mechanics’ Institutes for Ontario, he was a member
for twelve years, during six of which its vice-president and for two
years its president, and by virtue of these offices a member of the
Agricultural Council of Ontario. But the office which he has occupied
longest and in which he has worked with greater energy than in any
other, is that of School Trustee. When in 1841, the Public Schools Act
became law, he was elected one of the School Commissioners in the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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