| 2. | Daniel Galbraith, M. P. was born on 1 Feb 1813 in Glasgow Parish, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland (son of Alexander Galbraith and Marrion Lochead); died on 17 Dec 1879 in Almonte, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; was buried on 20 Dec 1879 in Auld Kirk Cemetery, Ramsay, Mississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. Other Events and Attributes:
- _FGLINK: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/191522535
- _FGRAVE: 191522535
Notes:
Died:
1879, Friday December 17, The Almonte Gazette page 2
?b?DEATHS?/b?
At his residence, in the village of Almonte, on Wednesday, 17th December, 1879. Daniel Galbraith, M.P., in the sixth-seventh year of his age. The funeral will take place on Saturday, 20th, inst., at 2 o'clock p.m. to the Presbyterian Church Cemetery
1879, Friday December 19, The Almonte Gazette page 2
?b?Death of Mr Galbraith?/b?
We are this week under the painful necessity of announcing the death of Daniel Galbraith, Esq., M.P., which took place on Wednesday morning last at five o'clock. Though not altogether unexpected ? for Mr Galbraith had been ailing for several weeks ? so soon as the first announcement of the melancholy event was made, a deep a lively sense of sorrow pervaded the whole community. In Mr Galbraith, Almonte has lost one of its most estimable and popular citizens ? North Lanark an honest, a trusted and an ever faithful representative ? the Canadian Commons an attentive and respected member. Indeed, to know Mr Galbraith was to esteem him. He was certainly one of the few of whom it may be truthfully said that the bitterness of political warfare never diminished his personal popularity. In our country, unfortunately, few men come through the turmoil of political conflicts retaining the respected alike of friend and opponent. Mr Galbraith was, however, one of those who retained the esteem of all with whom he came in contact, even in the exciting time of fierce political battles. His honesty, his candour, his fairminded appeals to the electoral body, his well-known aversion for anything like injustice and his horror of corruption in any form won for him universal esteem. His death creates a void in this community which cannot soon be filled. He shall, indeed, long be missed; but his example will be pointed to by all who respected consistency and admire honest and unobtrusive worth. The deceased gentleman was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1813, and consequently, at the time of his death, reached the ripe age of sixty-six years. He came to Canada with his parents in 1821, and settled in the township of Ramsay, Canada, and more especially the portion of it wherein the late Mr Galbraith in the earliest age of boyhood found his lot cast, was then no inviting place. From the few settlements which skirted the St Lawrence to the head waters of the Ottawa, all this section of country may be said to have been then an unbroken wilderness. But with the indomitable courage characteristic of his race, he did his share even in those early years of boyhood towards assisting to clear the forest. In the same cheerless but remunerative toil, his manhood years were also spent. He had the consolation before his death of seeing that vast wilderness which confronted him on his arrival in the country largely reduced in dimensions, and thriving settlements established throughout this section, in which civilization had not then cast its beneficent rays. The growth and advancement of the country since that time has been truly wonderful, but it is owing in a large measure to the devotedness and public spirit of the late Mr Galbraith, and such men, that such happy results have been achieved. In every movement of progress and material advancement, Mr Galbraith took an active part. From an early date he took a deep interest in railway connection with the St Lawrence. For several years he was Vice-President of the Brockville & Ottawa Valley Railway Co., and for a lengthened period held a place in the directorate of the same road. The interest of this corporation, which he rightly considered identical with the interest of this section of country, he lost no opportunity to promote. Before his death he had what must have been to him great satisfaction to know, that the road in which he took so lively an interest had advanced from a mere Provincial railway to be about to enter on the new, brighter and more extensive career of usefulness, that of a great national highway ? a connecting link in the great chain of railroads destined to connected the vast cereal bearing regions of the North West with the Atlantic sea board. Mr Galbraith's public career was one of uninterrupted success The deceased gentleman was a man of fine mental capacity, and amid all the pre-occupations of his early life found time to lay up a store of valuable information, which served him in good stead in the many public positions he was called upon during his lifetime to fill. When the first organizations of Ramsay into a municipality took place, Mr Galbraith was elected to serve as councillor. This position he held for several years, discharging its duties in such a manner as to merit promotion at the hands of his constituents. In 1856 he was chosen Deputy Reeve ? to which post he was again elected in 1857. In 1858 he was raised to the Reeveship, which he held for five years in succession, a proof of the unlimited public confidence reposed in him by those who knew him best ? his own immediate friends and neighbours. His actions in the municipal council were characterized by the same sense of duty, the same honesty of purpose, which marked his whole career, private and public. Much of the improvements operated in the township is due to his foresight and to his careful husbanding of its resources. In 1860 Mr Galbraith was chosen Warden of the united counties of Lanark and Renfrew. In the municipal council of the united counties he had already made his mark. He had won the esteem of the members of that important representative body by his moderation, good sense and sound judgement. He was re-elected Warden in 1861 and 1862 In the two years following Mr Galbraith did not hold a seat either in the township or county council. In 1865 he was re-elected Reeve of Ramsay, and on his reappearance in the county council in that year was for the fourth time raised to the dignity of Warden. In 1866 and 1867 he was re-elected to same position. Old county councillors can well remember the tact, impartiality and good judgement which were Mr Galbraith's leading characteristics in the highest municipal position in the united counties. Higher honours now awaited him. The general election of 1867 had come on. Mr Galbraith, with the great body of Upper Canadian Reformers, was a strong supporters of Confederation, and took a lively interest in its successful inception and operation. By the British North American Act, the electors of North Lanark were invested with the right of electing a member as well to the Ontario Assembly as to the House of Commons. Not a few of his friends urged on him the acceptance of candidature for the latter Chamber, for which he would probably have been without difficulty elected. But with that same feeling of moderation and fair play which he ever manifested Mr Galbraith declined to embarrass the Government by opposing one of its Ministers. He was elected by acclamation to the House of Assembly, while Hon Wm Macdougall was chosen for the House of Commons. The Government of Mr Sanfield Macdonald had just taken the seals of office in Ontario. Mr Galbraith, like a great majority of Reformers, disliked coalitions, and looked with a certain amount of suspicion on the rather sudden alliance established in 1867 between lifelong opponents such as Sir John A. Macdonald and Hon John Sandfield Macdonald. He nevertheless resolved to give, and did actually give, the Sanfield Macdonald Government every opportunity to develop its policy, and extended it a measure of support which could hardly be expected from so pronounced a Reformer. Its railway policy did not commend itself to his support, and when the general election of 1871 came around, Mr Galbraith sought and obtained the verdict of North Lanark against the Government, being returned by acclamation for the second time. When Parliament met, Mr Galbraith, with a majority of the House, supported Mr Blake's amendments to the address, and Mr Mackenzie's subsequent direct motion of want of confidence. During the session of 1871-2, he saw with evident pleasure many of the leading measures for which he had voted on opposition placed, under the able leadership of Mr Blake on the Provincial statute book. At the Dominion election of 1872 Mr Galbraith received the Reform nomination. The campaign was opened by Mr Mackenzie in an able speech at Clayton. Mr Galbraith's opponents in that election were the Hon Wm Macdougall and our townsman, Mr Bennett Rosamond. Mr Galbraith was elected by a considerable majority over both gentlemen. In the election of 1874, he was returned by acclamation; and in 1878 was one of the few Upper Canadian Reformers who succeeded in holding his seat against the powerful influences of the party advocating protection to native industries. During the last session of Parliament, he was in constant attendance on his duties. In turning over the Journals of the House, we find that he recorded his vote on the two great questions ? the dismissal of Lieut. Governor Letellier and the "National Policy," in each case against the Government. During his recent illness, he had the sympathy of all classes of our community and the deepest interest was evinced by his constituents of all shades of politics in his hoped for recovery. That recovery did not come. His spirit sought a more peaceful abode, and amid the universal sorrow of our citizens we have to-day to announce his demise. His example will live on ? an incentive to the rising generation to adhere honestly to principle, and to do that always which conscience tell them they should do. His life will thus extend its usefulness far beyond the sphere allotted to the majority of men. The deceased gentleman's family have our heartiest sympathy in their great affliction
Daniel married Janet McFarlane. Janet (daughter of Robert McFarlane and Catherine McMillan) was born on 4 Apr 1821 in Neilston, East Renfrewshire, Scotland; was christened on 8 Apr 1821 in Neilston, East Renfrewshire, Scotland; died on 16 Jul 1895 in Ramsay Township, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada; was buried on 18 Jul 1895 in Auld Kirk Cemetery, Ramsay, Mississippi Mills, Lanark County, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]
|
1864 - 1911 (47 years)
