He was educated at Howden & Taggart’s Academy and entered
commercial circles as junior clerk in the mercantile house of J.
G. Mackenzie & Company of Montreal in 1853. In that establishment
he gradually worked his way upward until admitted to partnership
in 1864, after which he had largely control of the business,
which was extensive in proportion and which ranked with the
oldest mercantile houses of the city. Mr. Cleghorn, however,
did not confine his efforts entirely to one line. In fact he
became recognized as a power in other business connections, both
commercial and financial, and was elected to the directorate of
the Intercolonial Coal Company, the Sun Life Assurance Company
of Canada, the Merchants & Manufacturers Association, the Canada
Accident Company and Molson’s Bank. He served as president of
the Board of Trade and it was during his incumbency of the
office that the site for the present building was selected. He
was also a trustee of the Mount Royal Cemetery Association and
the president of the Intercolonial Coal Company. His cooperation
was likewise sought in behalf of those institutions where
humanitarian principles must combine with executive ability in
successful management. He was made a governor of the Montreal
General Hospital, of the Montreal Hospital for the Insane and the
Montreal Dispensary. An active member in the Church of England,
he served as a delegate to the synod and cooperated in its work
along many helpful lines. In politics he was a conservative and
he stood ever for the welfare of the people.
On the 14th of February, 1865, Mr. Cleghorn was married to Miss
Anna Spalding, of Port Hope, Ontario, who was born in Peterboro,
Ontario. Five children were born to them: George S., connected
with the W. R. Brock Company, Limited; C. Power, a general
insurance broker, who married Florence Fechheimer, of New York,
and to whom have been born two children, James Power and Helen
Power; Emily C.; Helen G., who died at the age of thirteen years;
and James Herbert, whose death occurred when he was eighteen
years of age.
The family residence is at No. 256 Bishop Street, and their
summer home, “Blinkbonny” is situated at Como in the province of
Quebec. The death of Mr. Cleghorn left a gap in those circles
where he had moved as a central figure. In business and social
relations and in his connection with humanitarian interests he
had established himself in an enviable position by reason of
personal worth and capability, and his name is inscribed high on
the list of Montreal’s valued citizens.
GEORGE WASHINGTON STEPHENS.
If one would seek a fitting poetical phrase to express the life
work of the Hon. George Washington Stephens these lines might
well be chosen:
“He leaves a patriot’s name to after times
Linked with a thousand virtues and no crimes.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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