The Torrances are a “Border” family. The late Mr. John Torrance was born at Gatehouse, in the Shire of Galloway, Scotland, June 8th, 1786. Early in the century he came to Canada, and before long established a wholesale business in Montreal and founded the eminent firm of John Torrance & Co. His elder brother Thomas had preceded him in Montreal, and was at the head of a large and lucrative business, residing at Belmont Hall, which he built, and which was at that time considered a palatial mansion. On his removal to Quebec this fine property was acquired by a member of the Molson family. Mr. David Torrance, a nephew of Mr. John Torrance, was born in New York in 1805. He came to reside in Montreal about the year 1821, and became a partner in his uncle’s firm. He was a man of exceptional business capacity, energy and enterprise, and did much to advance the commercial interests of Montreal and Canada. In 1826 this firm purchased the steamboat _Hercules_ and placed her on the Montreal and Quebec route, in the double capacity of a tow-boat and passenger steamer—this being the first step towards the vigorous opposition to the Molson line of steamers that ensued. They were also the first in Canada to branch out into direct trade with the East Indies and China. Mr. David Torrance died in Montreal, January 29th, 1876. His son, Mr. John Torrance, now the senior member of the firm of David Torrance & Co., was born in Montreal in August, 1835. He has had the Montreal agency of the Dominion Line of steamships for many years, and is otherwise extensively occupied in the shipping business. It may be added that after the death of Mr. John Torrance, _primus_, in 1870, the name of the firm was changed to David Torrance & Co., which it still retains. Mr. Brush was a native of Vermont, born at Vergennes, in 1793. After some time spent in mercantile pursuits, he engaged in boat-building and navigation on Lake Champlain, and became captain of a steamer plying between St. John’s and Whitehall. He afterwards had command of some of Mr. Torrance’s steamers on the St. Lawrence. In 1834 he became manager of the Ottawa and Rideau Forwarding Company, and resided in Kingston until 1838, when he joined the Wards in the Eagle Foundry, Montreal, of which he became the sole proprietor in 1840. Mr. Brush died in Montreal, at the advanced age of ninety years and two months. The following extracts from memoranda left by him are interesting and valuable: