John Mather

1827 - 1907  (79 years)

• Name	John Mather
  Birth	29 Oct 1827	Craig Parish near Montrose, Angus (Forfar), Scotland
  Gender	Male
  Location	Lake of the Woods, Rainy River District, Ontario, Canada
  	in Northern Ontario
  	see info from 2022 trip east, museum stop
  Occupation	Carleton County, Ottawa Municipality, Ontario, Canada
  	from Sandy Hill History
  	https://www.ash-acs.ca/history/john-mather/ Mather worked primarily in the lumber industry. Starting his working life in Scotland as a millwright and machinist before immigrating to Canada in 1857 to manage Gilmour's lumber operations on the Gatineau and Ottawa rivers. Later, he became a central figure in the development of northwest Ontario, being involved in almost every industry of importance in the region. He was also a director of the Bank of Ottawa[1] and owner of the Manitoba Free Press. Mather built "Munross" at 453 Laurier Ave. E. where he lived for 30 years between 1877 and his death in 1907. The house was likely built by his brother James, a leading Ottawa architect and sat on a beautiful property which won the Governor General's garden competition several times. Mather loved flowers, giving flowers to charitable organizations and instituting the John Mather prize in local floral competitions. The house was renovated in 1928 by the architectural firm of Noffke, Morin and Sylvester for businessman J. Ambrose O'Brien in the style of a Tudor Revival mansion, as seen today. In the 1870s, Mather was a business partner of Donald Smith (later Lord Strathcona) and George Stephens[2] in the Lake of the Woods Milling Company. Although he never entered public life, the Ottawa Journal described him as a valued friend of Sir John A. Macdonald and an intimate friend of Alexander Mackenzie, Canada's second prime minister. He was married for 66 years and had four children[3]. Munross's mirror-image twin is Laurier House that James Mather is also believed to have designed. The two houses were built within two years of one another. [1] The bank existed from 1874 to 1919 when it was taken over by the Bank of Nova Scotia.have designed.  The two houses were built within two years of one another. [2] Smith and Stephens were the main sponsors of the Canadian Pacific Railway. [3] Ottawa Journal, 11 June 1907, p 8.
  Residence	1900	Carleton County, Ottawa Municipality, Ontario, Canada
  	453 Laurier Ave. E.
  	John Mather lived at 453 Laurier Ave. E. and at the turn of the 20th Century was heavily involved in the development of northwest Ontario and Manitoba, including lumber, grain and newspapers. He became a director of the Bank of Ottawa in 1879.
  _UID	89CB56836F9841C7AD788C962307B687EA8F
  Death	10 Jun 1907	Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada
  Person ID	I68525	Lanark County Origins
  Last Modified	1 May 2024

  
  

  Father	Living
  Family ID	F23703	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Living
  Children	1. Living   2. Living   3. Living   4. Living   5. Living
  Family ID	F23735	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	1 May 2024

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 29 Oct 1827 - Craig Parish near Montrose, Angus (Forfar), Scotland Location - in Northern Ontario - - Lake of the Woods, Rainy River District, Ontario, Canada Occupation - from Sandy Hill History - - Carleton County, Ottawa Municipality, Ontario, Canada Residence - 453 Laurier Ave. E. - 1900 - Carleton County, Ottawa Municipality, Ontario, Canada Death - 10 Jun 1907 - Ottawa and Gatineau, Canada  = Link to Google Earth