James Moir Ferres
Encyclopedia
James Moir Ferres was a journalist and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Aberdeen
, Scotland
in 1813 and studied at Marischal College
in Aberdeen. Ferres came to Montreal
in 1833 and taught at Edward Black
's school there. He then became director of the academy at Frelighsburg in the Eastern Townships
. In 1835, he was a co-founder of the Missiskoui Standard, a weekly newspaper. In 1836, he returned to Montreal to work with the Montreal Herald; he became editor in 1839. As a Tory supporter, Ferres received a number of political appointments. He served as secretary of the Montreal Turnpike Trust from 1840 to 1842 and, from 1844 to 1848, he was a revenue inspector at Montreal. In 1848, Ferres became editor and chief owner of the Montreal Gazette
; he remained editor until the paper was sold in 1854. He opposed the Rebellion Losses Bill
of 1849 and was arrested but never prosecuted following the burning of the parliament buildings at Montreal. In 1854, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
in East Missisquoi as a Conservative. He was elected in Brome
in 1858.
He was named to the Board of Inspectors of Asylums and Prisons in 1861 and became chairman of the Board in 1868. In 1869, Ferres was named warden for Kingston Penitentiary
; Ferres died in Kingston
in 1870 and was buried at Lachine, Quebec
.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1813 and studied at Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
in Aberdeen. Ferres came to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1833 and taught at Edward Black
Edward Black (minister)
Edward Black was a minister and teacher in Canada associated with the Church of Scotland.Edward was born in Penninghame, Scotland and received his education at local schools and, latterly, at the University of Edinburgh. He began to preach as an assistant to his father in 1815 and moved to Canada...
's school there. He then became director of the academy at Frelighsburg in the Eastern Townships
Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
. In 1835, he was a co-founder of the Missiskoui Standard, a weekly newspaper. In 1836, he returned to Montreal to work with the Montreal Herald; he became editor in 1839. As a Tory supporter, Ferres received a number of political appointments. He served as secretary of the Montreal Turnpike Trust from 1840 to 1842 and, from 1844 to 1848, he was a revenue inspector at Montreal. In 1848, Ferres became editor and chief owner of the Montreal Gazette
The Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
; he remained editor until the paper was sold in 1854. He opposed the Rebellion Losses Bill
Rebellion Losses Bill
The Rebellion Losses Bill was a controversial law enacted by the legislature of the Province of Canada in 1849...
of 1849 and was arrested but never prosecuted following the burning of the parliament buildings at Montreal. In 1854, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
in East Missisquoi as a Conservative. He was elected in Brome
Brome (electoral district)
Brome was a federal electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1925....
in 1858.
He was named to the Board of Inspectors of Asylums and Prisons in 1861 and became chairman of the Board in 1868. In 1869, Ferres was named warden for Kingston Penitentiary
Kingston Penitentiary
Kingston Penitentiary is a maximum security prison located in Kingston, Ontario between King Street West and Lake Ontario....
; Ferres died in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
in 1870 and was buried at Lachine, Quebec
Lachine, Quebec
Lachine was a city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is now a borough within the city of Montreal.-History:...
.