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Of Oakville, was born 8th September, 1844,
at Oakville, Ontario. His father's name was John Alexander, and his
mother's maiden name was Sarah Pettit Bigger, who came from U.E. Loyalist
stock, the family originally moving here from Pennsylvania. Our subject's
great grandfather, George Chisholm, was born near Inverness, Scotland,
1745, and his father (subject's great great grandfather), was James
Sutherland Chisholm (or in Gaelic, Chisalick), of Strathnass, the head of
the clan. George Chisholm, on coming to Canada, settled in Nova Scotia. He
died in 1843, aged 101 years. His son, afterwards Col. William, was lieut.
of No.1 Flank Company Lincoln Militia, which company stormed block Fort
Detroit during the war of 1812, and he was also present at Queenston
Heights. When the war was over, in 1816, he settled in Nelson, Calton
county. He traded in general merchandise, and was at this time appointed
postmaster, which position he held till 1834, when he settled in Oakville.
He represented Calton county for sixteen years in the Liberal Conservative
interest, and was appointed collector of Customs for Oakville in 1834. He
was one of the commissioners of the Burlington Bay and Welland canals, and
built and owned the first vessel that came through this waterway. He also
built at Oakville the steamers Constitution, Oakville and Burlington, and
several sailing vessels. He married in 1812, and had six sons and four
daughters, and he died on May 4th, 1842. Our subject was educated at the
Oakville Grammar School, taking the ordinary course. On leaving school,
which he did suddenly, and without apparent reason, as it was presumed he
would have finished his course, then probably have studied for some
profession, he went on the farm for some years. He later commenced fruit
growing and packing, etc, he introduced the present improved mode of
handling fruit for market, and is now running the largest fruit package
and basket factories in Canada. He has taken an exceedingly active part in
the volunteer movement, having entered as private and worked himself up to
captain. He was connected for fourteen or fifteen years with the
volunteers, and put in all the drills, and he retired with rank of
captain. He has been a member of the Town Council since 1872, and reeve of
Oakville since 1878. He is a Freemason of Oakville Lodge, No. 400, and an
Oddfellow of Oakville Lodge, No.132, and belonged to the Orange Order for
some time. Mr Chisholm has travelled through the United States and Canada.
In religion, he professes the faith of the Church of England. In politics,
he is an uncompromising Conservative, and has been so from the beginning,
and intends to die such. He married, on the 27th November, 1872, mary
Rebecca Howse, daughter of William Howse, who carried on business on
Toronto. By this lady he has had four boys, only two of whom are living.
Mr. Chisholm was one of the first candidates to pass at the first Military
School of Toronto. |
