The name of Hon. J. O. Villeneuve is inseparably interwoven with the history of Montreal and its progress. Modesty at all times characterized his bearing and simplicity his habits, yet the sterling worth of his character and the high order of his ability brought him to a position of leadership in connection with municipal and provincial affairs. He labored untiringly for the best interests of Montreal while acting as chief executive of the city and was equally faithful in his support of matters relating to the provincial welfare when serving as senator. A native of the county of Terrebonne, he was born at Ste. Anne des Plaines, on the 4th of March, 1837, and his life record covered the intervening period to the 27th of June, 1901, when he passed away at the age of sixty-four years. He was but a young lad at the time of the removal of his father, Octave Villeneuve, and the family to Montreal, so that he was indebted to the school system of this city for his educational opportunities. He started in the business world as clerk in a dry-goods store in 1853, when a youth of sixteen years, and his traits of loyalty and faithfulness were manifest from the beginning, as is evidenced by the fact that he remained with one establishment until 1865. Ambitious to engage in business on his own account, he carefully saved his earnings until his industry and economy had brought him sufficient capital to enable him to open a grocery store at Mile End. There he conducted business for some time and subsequently founded the wholesale grocery house of J. O. Villeneuve & Company, which rapidly gained patronage and a high and well merited reputation in commercial circles. He was a farsighted man and one who on recognizing a public need at once sought to meet it. Realizing the lack of communication between the extreme northern section of Montreal and the outlying parishes, he established an omnibus route in 1860 between Mile End, Terrebonne, Sault au Récollet and New Glasgow, which he later sold to the Montreal Street Railway when it seemed feasible to extend the railway lines into that section.