John Manuel, Heir of Allan Gilmour

Other Events and Attributes:

• Community Work: $1000 to fund to preserve the Plains of Abraham
• Community Work: Founder, St. Luke's Hospital, gave large annual contributions
• Community Work: President, Metropolitan Rifle Association
• Community Work: President, Ottawa Curling Club
• FindaGrave Memorial ID: 200970611
• Occupation: on death of Allan Gilmour became head of the Gilmour and Company Ltd
• Religion: Presbyterian
• _UID: 0628A63676764B8EBBB37A7DEEDD4995DD90
• Immigration: 1854, Ottawa, Carleton County, Ontario, Canada; from Scotland
• Immigration: 1854, Ottawa, Carleton County, Ontario, Canada; later, became chief executive officer of Gilmour and Company
• Census: 1901, Ottawa, Carleton County, Ontario, Canada; Canada

Notes:

FindaGrave Memorial ID:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/200970611

Died:
?b?Obituary Ottawa Journal, Sep12, 1914, pg 7.
Mr. John Manuel, Philanthropist, Passed Away Today
?/b?-Owner of a Large Fortune He Was Constantly Engaged in Beneficient Work.
-Was a Prominent Curler
-Was President of the Metropolitan Rifle Association For Many Years

Mr. John Manuel, one of Ottawa's leading capitalists, philanthropist, and an ardent sportsman, died this morning at seven o'clock at his residence, 34 Victoria Street. Mr. Manual, who was eighty-four years of age, had been ill but a few weeks; but for the past few days his death was not unexpected.

Mr. Manuel's name was known not only through the Ottawa District but throughout Canada for his philandthropic efforts. He was the owner of a large fortune and was constant in his efforts to aid and promote institutions and organizations designed to benefit those less fortunately situated than himself. Mr. Manuel was of Scottish ancestry and was a son of James Manuel and Janet Dalziel. He was born March seventh, 1830, at Muirhead, Shotts, Scotland and received his education in the schools there. For a time he was engaged in commercial ppursuits in his native land; but when twenty-four years of age he came to Canada, where he became the chief financial representative to Gilmour and Co. Ltd., lumber merchants, Ottawa, Trenton and Quebec.
At the death of Lieut. Col. Alan Gilmour, Mr. Manuel was named his heir and residuary legatee, and he, therfore, became head of the large lumber furm in which he had formerly been an employee. His ventures in the realm of commerce were all crowned with success.

Mr. Manuel was a keen sportsman. For many years he was president of the Metropolitan Rifle Association, succeeding Colonel Gilmour in that office. He had been for years not only one of the most active members of the Ottawa Curlling Club, but was a pioneer in his own game in Ottawa. For many years during the winter months he was on hand to 'soop her up" and as president of the Otttawa Curling Club, with Charlie Scott, the late Dr. Hutchison, "Bill" Stuart, and others, he did much to win the trophies the club house is now adorned with. Mr. Manuel was also a lover of all kinds of amateur sport. In 1907 he presented the Ottawa Curling Club with his portrait in oils.

He was the founder of St. Luke's Hospital, to which institution he gave large annual contributions, but always declined civic and political preferment. He was the largest individual shareholder of the Canadian Bank of Commerce and also director of the Bank of Ottawa.

That he was a patriotic citizen was evidenced from time to time by his subscriptions. In 1908 he gave $1000 towards a fund to preserve the Plains of Abraham from desecration. In religion he was Presbyterian.

The funeral will take place on Tuesday afternoon, at half past two o'clock from his late residence to Beechwood Cemetery.

?b?From FAG?/b?
John Manuel was the son of James Manuel and Janet Dalziel of Scotland. At the age of 24, he immigrated to Canada and was employed as the chief financial officer of the lumber firm Gilmour and Co.
When the owner of Gilmour and Co., Lieutenant-Colonel Allan Gilmour died in 1895, John Manual, who was named as his heir and residual legatee, became the head of Gilmour and Co. An article in the Canadian Dictionary of Bibliography in an entry about Allan Gilmour, stated: "The bulk of his estate, including his investments, house, and collection, was gifted to a close friend and his living companion during his last months, John Manuel, who had been a senior officer in Gilmour's company and was possibly a stepson of his sister Marion."

John Manual was at one time the President of the Ottawa Curling Club, President of the Metropolitan Rifle Association and a founder of St. Luke's Hospital. He was also the largest individual shareholder of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.