A.J. Boreham was born Dec. 29 1859 in Surrey, England. Boreham first came to Canada in 1885, making his home in Winnipeg. In the spring of 1888 he returned to England where he married Lucy Ellen Berridge before making his way back to Canada. Borehamd joined the passenger department of the Canadian Pacific Railway and was transferred to Fort William where he remained as city passenger agent until his retirement in 1929. While living in Winnipeg he was active in musical circles and a member of Grace Church choir. He took an active interest in the affairs of the Anglican Church in Fort William and was one of the original members of the group who worked on the construction of St. Paul's Church on Ridgeway Street. He served as both the rector's warden and the people's warden of the church with a keen interest in all branches of the church. Prior to retirement Boreham was also a member of the Board of Trade. Boreham died on June 17 1939.
William Russell Brown, was born on July 26 1881 in Collingwood, Ontario to George Wesley Brown and Georgia Elizabeth Brown (née Smith). The family relocated to Prince Arthur's Landing in 1883 spurring Brown's early interest in nautical industries through family connections to the shipping industry. After attending college Brown returned to Port Arthur to manage Gordon, Ironside and Fares Wholesale Meats, and rose to general manager before leaving to open his own retail meat business in 1908. His business expaned to encompass four locations from 1908 to 1914 before he was hired by the federal government as the Indian Agent for Port Arthur, a position he held until 1923. He started a car dealership, Durant Cars, in 1923 which he later sold in 1934 before entering into municipal politics in 1938 as an alderman and remaining in local government until 1952. From 1944 to 1949 he was a special officer aboard the S.S. Noronic. He also held lay offices in St. Paul's United Church parish, active membership in the Progressive Conservative Party, and over 60 years of membership in the Kiwanis Club (25 as an honourary member). He was Port Arthur's first Honourary Citizen in 1967 and after amalgamation became Thunder Bay's first Honourary Citizen. Brown was also a pioneer philatelist in Canada, and held the position of Vice President of the League of Canadian Philatelists from 1899 to 1901, and Exchange Superintendent of the Dominion Philatelic Association from 1900 to 1901. Brown died at St. Joseph's Heritage Nursing Home on Oct. 5 1985 at 104 years old.
Joseph Redden was an author for the Port Arhur Board of Trade.
Selena Trenks was the editor and promoter of the Lakehead Centennial and Jubilee Book. The book originated with Ethel Johnson and was put together as a Canadian centennial project by a group associated with the Senior Citizens' Day Centre of Port Arthur. Its aim was to honour the region's pioneers and to keep their memories alive. The editor tired to acquire written accounts of the lives of pioneers. Alderman Bill Morgan proof-rad submissions, and these paper probably came from his files as they have his marks on them. The book was likely never published.
Robert Stevely Piper was born on Dec. 15 1872 in Wardsville, Ontario. Piper came to Fort William, Ontario in 1885 and began working at his brother William's hardware store after completing school. He married Eva Kirkup on March 24 1897, and continued working with his brother until 1900. In 1900 he opened his own grocery and hardware store on Brown Street, in Westfort with W.F. Hogarth, and T.M. Piper as partners. Piper eventually left the grocery business to stick strictly to wholesale and retail hardware, and his former grocery department employees left open their own grocery store. Piper also owned a men's clothing store on West Frederica Street which he later sold to Clem Chapple, who opened the first Chapple's Store location. Behind Piper's clothing store he also owned a printing press which was used to publish his small format paper The Westforter only known to have circulated in 1908. Piper served as an Alderman in 1916 and 1917, and was reeve of Neebing Township. He owned a section of land in Neebing off Rosslyn Road which he subdivided into streets and a park. The park was later sold to the township of Neebing in 1915. Piper was also an elder of the 1st Presbyterian Church. He died in Fort William at the age of 76 on April 14 1946.
Kathleen Margaret Heller (née Morrison) was born in Toronto in 1956 to Kenneth Lloyd Morrison and Jean Morrison (née Case). She attended public school in Ottawa and later when the family moved to Port Arthur in 1966 attended Central Public School in its closing year. She went to Hillcrest High School where she and friends initiated causes such as Thunder Bay's first anti-pollution committee. Peggy received her BA from Lakehead University, studied piano with Doug Dahlgren, cello with Joseph Shufro, and played cello with the Thunder Bay Youth and Symphony Orchestras. Peggy met her husband Michael Heller in 1976 and the two relocated to Halifax where she received yet another BA and her MA at Dalhousie University. In 2007, she earned her PhD from Union Institute & University in Ohio. Peggy began teaching at the University of King's College in 1982 first in the Foundation Year Programme (FYP) and later in Contemporary Studies. She was made the FYP Director twice, and was considered an academic pillar at the Atlantic School of Theology and the Association of Core Texts and Courses. Peggy was a team member of the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Political Though and Conceptual Change, and frequently taught and lectured abroad in Finland. She regularly played cello with the Edward Street String Quartet and Nova Sinfonia, and at the Crousetown Festival. Peggy died at home in Halifax on June 20 2011.
Iain Francis Angus, M.P. was born on June 1 1947 in Fort William, Ontario. Angus began his career as an employee with the City of Thunder Bay in community development and parks. Angus entered electorial politics in 1975 for the provincial election as the Ontario New Democratic Party candidate in Fort William. He served until 1977 when he was defeated by Mickey Hennessy and returned to work for the city. Angus was unsuccessful in the 1979 and 1980 elections for the NDP federal candidate in the electoral district of Thunder Bay-Atikokan. However, on his third election campain in 1984 he was successful and served the M.P. for Thunder Bay-Atikokan until 1993 when he was defeated by Liberal Party candidate Stan Dromisky. Angus launched his own business as a consultant and was later elected to the Thunder Bay City Council in 2003 to 2018. However, he was unsuccessful in the 2018 mayor election. Angus also served as Vice President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association and is Executive Director of Common Voice Northwest where he is also chair of the organization's Energy Task Force. Angus is married to Marlene Sylvia Lindsay with whom he has two children.
Benson Edward Nichol Wright was born in Brantford on July 16 1936 to Dr. Edward Nichol Wright and Elizabeth Gertrude Wright (née Campbell). The family moved to Port Arthur in 1940. Wright attended Upper Canada College and later the University of Toronto with a degree in Political Science. On Aug. 20 1966 he married Sylvia Wilson in London, Ontario and had three children. He worked as an Employment Counsellor with Canada Employment Centre for 28 years and was genuinely interested in assisting others. Ben spent much of his time at the family camp at Amethyst harbour and enjoyed playing piano, hockey, badminton, and soccer. He volunteered with the Anglican Church, served on the boards of the YMCA, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Amethyst Harbour Campers' Association. He was heavily involved in the Thunder Bay community, especially the Grandview Hockey League, Fraser Girls' Pipe Bane, and MacGillivray Pipe Band. Wright died in Thunder Bay on July 8 2016.
Victor Benson Wright was born on March 14 1896 to Alfred A. Wright and Emily Alves Wright (née Nicole) in Toronto, Ontario. Wright was educated at Upper Canada College, and University of Toronto. On July 29 1915, Wright enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 75th Infantry Battalion of Mississauga which was recruiting in Toronto, Hamilton, and London. Wright received the rank of Lieutenant and after training reached the front by April of 1916. While fighting in France, Wright was wounded on duty on Aug. 22 1916 and took medical leave before returning to the front where on Nov. 18 1916, he was killed in action at the Somme.
Sir Charles Seymour Wright was born in Toronto on April 7 1887 to Alfred A. Wright and Emily Alves Wright (née Nicole). Wright attended Upper Canada College and the University of Toronto. He won a scholarship for postgraduate study in physics at Cambridge University, England. From 1908 to 1910 he worked at Cavendish Laboratory and was later accepted as physicist and glaciologist with the British Antarctic Expedition from 1910 to 1913 under Captain Robert F. Scott. During WWI he worked for the intelligence division of the British army and served in the research arm of the British Navy from 1919 to 1947, assuming the post of director of scientific research in 1934. He directed the work of a 600 member scientific team responsible for the allied radar system and was knight for his work in 1946. In 1947 retired and returned home to Canada but still remained as a naval research consultant for Canada, Britain, and the United States, even lecturing at the University of British Columbia. He returned to the Antarctic several times in the 1960s as a guest of the U.S. government.
Emily Alves Wright (née Nicole) was born in 1874 and later married Alfred A. Wright in Cookstown, Ontario on Sept. 27 1894. The couple had three children. Emily died in 1948.
Alfred A. Wright was born Dec. 25 1856 in Woodstock, Ontario to Thomas Wright and Caroline Benson Marsh. Alfred married Katherine Charlotte Kennedy on July 24 1883 and have four children before her death in 1889. He was remarried on Sept. 27 1894 to Emily Alves Nicole in Cookstown, Ontario and had a further four children. Wright lived in Toronto for approximated 30 years and died on April 18 1938 at the age of 81.
Minnie Julia Beatrice Campbell (née Buck) was born in Palermo, Ontario on June 18 1862 to Dr. Anson Buck and Keturah Adelaide Howell. She was educated at Oakville Collegiate Institute, M.E.L. Class (1880) and the Wesleyan Female College in Hamilton. Minnie made her debut at Government House in Toronto in 1878 and later taught at the Ottawa Ladies' Presbyterian College from 1881 to 1882 prior to her marriage to Colin Howell Campbell on July 16 1884. The couple later had two children: Colin Howell Campbell and Elizabeth Gertrude Campbell. Minnie was active in many social activities including organizing, promoting and acting as Chairman for many war societies. She served on the Board of the YMCA; was Vice-President of the National YMCA; was Honorary President of the Woman's Auxiliary of the Anti-Tuberculosis Society; was a member of the Women's Music Club, Empire Club (England), Western Art Association; Councillor of the Winnipeg Red Cross Society; and the secretary of the First Provincial and local Red Cross Society. She was also especially active with the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) from 1908 onwards, serving as Regent of its Fort Garry Chapter, President of the Provincial Chapter, Councillor of the National IODE, and was a Life Member of the National IODE. In recognition of her community service, Minnie was inducted into the Order of the British Empire in 1935. She was the only Canadian woman to receive the Golden Cross of Merit by Poland for her war relief service. She received coronation medals of Edward VIII, George V, George VI, and the Silver Jubilee Medal of George V. She died in Port Arthur, Ontario on Nov. 3 1952 and was buried alongside her husband in St. John's Cathedral Cemetery, in Winnipeg.
Colin Howell Campbell was born Dec. 25 1859 in Burlington, Ontario to John Hook Campbell and Jane Kennedy. He was educated at public schools in Burlington and Oakville, and later attended law school in Toronto. Campbell was called to the Ontario Bar in 1881 and practised for a short period in Port Perry before relocating to Manitoba in January 1882. He joined the law firm of F. Beverley Robertson and Alfred Joseph Andrews, who both later left to pursue other interests and the firm continued on as Campbell & Crawford until 1903 when is became known as Campbell, Pitblado, Hoskin, and Grundy. He served as a Bencher for the Law Society of Manitoba in 1899. In 1893 Campbell was appointed a Queen's Counsel and called to the Bar of the North-West Territories in 1893. On July 16 1884 Campbell married Minnie Julia Beatrice Buck in Palermo, Ontario. The couple had two children. Campbell was a founding member of the St. Charles Country Club, and also a member of both the Manitoba Club and Adanac Club. He served as President of the Winnipeg Burns Club and the Winnipeg YMCA for five years. He was appointed to the University of Manitoba's Board of Governors in 1891 and later served as Chairman from 1897 to 1914. Campbell briefly served as a Winnipeg City Councillor in 1889 and was an unsuccessful candidate in the by-election of 1893 for Winnipeg. In 1899, in the Manitoba general election, Campbell won as the Conservative member for the Morris constituency and entered the cabinet of Hugh John Macdonald as a Minister Without Portfolio on Jan. 10 1900. The same year he was appointed Attorney-General which he held until 1911. In October 1911 he was appointed Minister of Education and Municipal Commissioner. He was later appointed Minister of Public Works and remained in that position until his retirement from politics in 1913. Campbell died in Winnipeg on Oct. 24 1914 and was bured at St. John's Cathedral Cemetery.
Elizabeth Gertrude Wright (née Campbell) was born in Winnipeg Manitoba on Dec. 16 1908 to Colin Howell Campbell and Minnie Julie Beatrice Campbell (née Buck). She married Dr. Edward Nichol Wright on Sept. 21 1934 in Toronto, Ontario. The couple later settled in Port Arthur, Ontario. Margaret died in Thunder Bay on Oct. 2 1978.
Dr. Edward Nichol Wright was born on Sept. 17 1899 in Toronto, Ontario to Alfred A. Wright and Emily Alves Nicole. He married Elizabeth Gertrude Campbell, daughter of a Manitoba politician, on Sept. 21 1934. The couple lived in Port Arthur
Frank Moberley was born in Barrie, Ontario on July 19 1845 and became a civil engineer and engaged in transcontinental railway surveys across North America. Moberley notably worked on the June 1871 Canadian Pacific Survey from the Red River to the Yellowhead Pas, and later Division N of the survey in 1874 near Savanne and Whitefish Lake. Moberley later served as assistant engineer in the Federal Department of Public works from 1913 to 1920. He married Georgina Agnes McIntyre, the second daughter of John McIntyre, in 1872. The couple had four children before she later died during childbirth in 1880. He later married the elder sister of his deceased wife, Mary Violet McIntyre in 1882 and the couple had another 2 children.
Dr. Thomas J. Kane was born Dec. 4 1920 in Stratford, Ontario. He enlisted in the RCAF at 19 and served overseas during WWII from June 1942 to November 1945. Following his service, he attended medical school at University of Western, Ontario and graduated in May 1950. He completed his postgraduate medical training in Internal Medicine at St. Michael's and Sunnybrook Hospitals in Toronto. At St. Michael's Kane met his wife Isabel Marie Carey to who he was married on June 28, 1952. The couple relocated to Fort William where Kane joined the Spence Clinic. The couple with there children briefly returned to Toronto for further medical studies before they once again moved back to Fort William in 1956. Kane continued his practice at the Spence Clinic until his retirement in 1987. Kane developed a busy medical practice and his family continued to grow, resulting in 8 children for the couple. Kane was involved in community service and was an active member of the Thunder Bay Rotary Club. Kane undertook a 5 year project to write a history of medicine in Northern Ontario and later donated his manuscript to the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society and the Thunder Bay/Ontario Medical Associations.
Lumber firm Graham, Horne & Co. began operations in the Thunder Bay District in 1883 under John Thomas Horne and G.A. Graham. Their Fort William sawmill, on the Kaministiquia River, was one of the first in the region. The company was later bought out by Pigeon River Lumber Co. near the end of the 1890s. Both men held extensive interests in lumbering, mining, and railways. Both were also involved in real estate in Fort William and Port Arthur and elsewhere, especially as part of the Fort William City Investment Company.
J.T. Horne (d. 1925) was a lumber dealer with Graham, Horne Ltd. (also known as Graham, Horne & Co.) which began in 1883. The company was bought out by the Pigeon River Lumber Co. at the end of the 1800s. He was president of the West Algoma Agricultural Association, secretary of the Fort William Patriotic Society (1915-1917) and was made an honourary life member of the Kaministiquia Club in 1923. He was one of Fort William's biggest boosters at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries.