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Alberta, Past and Present, Historical and Biographical
Vol 3
A. Y. Blain, K.C.


A. Y. Blain, K. C., who since 1913 has been master in chambers of the supreme court of Alberta at Edmonton, is a native of Peterboro, Ontario, and a son of William and Mary Dougal (Young) Blain, both of Canadian birth, the former of Irish descent, the latter of Scotch lineage. Mr. Blain's father was a minister of the Presbyterian church, a graduate of Knox College, Toronto, Ontario, to which province his father, William Blain, a native of Ireland, had removed at an early period. The latter was one of the pioneer farmers and his old homestead near Streetsyule, Ontario, is still in possession of his descendants. The Rev. William Blain, however, left the farm to enter the ministry and devoted his entire life to the work of preaching the gospel. He married Mary Dougal Young, a daughter of Archibald Young, who was born in Scotland and for many years carried on the business of a merchant at Sarnia, Ontario, where he took an active part in the development of commercial and other interests. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Blain four children were born.

A. Y. Blain, who was the second in order of birth in the family, supplemented his public school education by study in the grammar school at Streetsville, the Collegiate Institute at Collingwood, and at Osgoode Hall, Toronto, from which he graduated in law, with the class of 1893. Following his graduation he was admitted to the bar in Ontario and for many years has held positions of public honor and trust. He came to Edmonton in January, 1908, as inspector of legal offices, for the province of Alberta, which position he filled for some four years. For a year of that time he was also acting deputy attorney-general for the province. lie was registrar of the land titles office at Edmonton for a year and in 1913, on the creation of the office, he was appointed master in chambers for the province, which position he has most acceptably filled. As inspector of legal offices he had to do with the establishment of offices, the unification of the practice therein and the administration thereof. It was while he was inspector that sheriffs were placed on salary instead of being paid by fees.

In 1896 Mr. Blain was united in marriage to Miss Lily Kerr, who was born and educated in Toronto. They became parents of three children: The eldest, Lysle Kellogg, after graduating from the University of Alberta in Arts and Law, and passing the examinations of the Law Society of Alberta, accepted a position with the Ford Motor Company at Ford, Ontario. He was in the military service of the country for three years, going to the front with the Thirty-third Battery. He participated in some of the leading engagements on the western front, which eventually brought to a successful close the great World war; Lily Adele, the second of the family, who is a graduate of the MacDonald hail Agricultural College of Gueiph, Ontario, in home economics, is now Mrs. Edmund George A. Smart of Calgary, Alberta; Margaret, who also graduated from MacDonald Hall as a teacher and dietitian, is with the Soldiers' Civil Reestablishment Hospital as dietitian.

The religious faith of the family is that of the Presbyterian church, in the work of which Mr. Blain takes a very active part. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity, and is a member of Zetland, the largest lodge in Toronto. He was brought up a Liberal, but has never been active in party politics. In club circles he is well known, having membership in the Edmonton Club and also in the Country and Golf Club, finding in golf his principal source of recreation and amusement. Along professional lines he has made steady progress and his record as master in chambers well entitles him to the uniform regard which is accorded him.



 


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