Aside from his personal interests, he was for over fifty years
active in public life. In 1838 he was elected alderman for St.
Antoine ward of Montreal but could not take his seat until
later when he became of age. For nine years he served in the
council, being elected three times by acclamation. Politically
he was a stanch liberal-conservative and three times he refused
a senatorship, but later, at the urgent request of his family
and friends, he accepted in 1888, being gazetted senator on the
17th of December, of that year, for the division of Mille Isles.
He last attended parliament the week before his death and was
last at his desk on the 24th of January, 1890. He gave careful
consideration to the grave questions which came up for settlement
and stanchly supported any movement which he considered of
vital worth. His activities also extended to other lines. He
was president of the St. Jean Baptiste Society; was warden of
Notre Dame church; and president of St. Vincent de Paul Society.
He was also lieutenant colonel of the Sixty-fourth Beauharnois
Battalion at the time of its formation and he was ever a generous
contributor to religious, educational and charitable institutions.
Senator Rodier was united in marriage in 1848 to Miss Angelique
Lapierre, a daughter of Andre Lapierre. The death of Mr. Rodier
occurred January 26, 1890, when he had reached the age of
seventy-two years, while his wife survived until March 24, 1907.
They were the parents of four sons and four daughters.
ALEXANDER C. HENRY.
In business circles of Montreal the name of Alexander C. Henry
was well known, for from 1899 until his death, three years later,
he was purchasing agent for the entire system of the Canadian
Pacific Railway, the magnitude and importance of his duties
making his position a most difficult and responsible one. He was
born at Beamsville, Canada, in 1849, and after mastering the
branches of learning taught in the public schools he attended
the Upper Canada College, at Toronto. Subsequently he removed
to Montreal, and gradually working his way upward in business
connections became, in 1884, assistant purchasing agent for
the Canadian Pacific Railway, and in 1899 was made general
purchasing agent for the entire system. His ability, fidelity,
indefatigable energy and enterprise brought him to the prominent
position which he occupied. At the time of his death Sir Thomas
Shaughnessy, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, paid high
tribute to his memory and bore testimony to his honesty, which
was manifest in his careful accounting for every penny, although
in his capacity of purchasing agent he expended over one hundred
and two million dollars.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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