{{POV|date=December 2007}}{{pagenumbers}}{{POV|date=December 2007}}{{pagenumbers}}
John Molson (December 28, 1763 – January 11, 1836) was an
Anglo-Quebecer{{POV|date=December 2007}}{{pagenumbers}}{{POV|date=December 2007}}{{pagenumbers}}{{Ethnic group||group=English-speaking Quebecker|image=
|caption = James McGill {{·}} Sir John Abbott {{·}} Dr...
who was a major brewer and entrepreneur in
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, starting the
MolsonMolson is the Canadian division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Molson Coors Brewing Company. It is the second oldest company in Canada after the Hudson's Bay Company. Molson's first brewery was located on the St...
Brewing Company.
Birth and early Life
In 1763, John Molson was born in the village of Moulton near
Spalding-In Australia:*Spalding, South Australia, a town north of the Clare Valley*Spalding, Western Australia, a suburb of Geraldton-In England:*Spalding, Lincolnshire*Spalding Rural District, a rural district in Holland, Lincolnshire, England from 1894 to 1974...
,
LincolnshireLincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. It also borders Northamptonshire for just 19 metres, England's shortest county boundary...
, England. His mother was Mary Elsdale, eldest daughter of Samuel Elsdale of Surfleet. She married John Molson Sr. in 1760. Her brother, Robinson Elsdale, was a celebrated privateer, whose unpublished exploits formed the basis of Frederick Marryat's novel
The Privateersman (1846). About two weeks before the marriage, John Molson Sr. inherited a property known as Snake Hall, which consisted of a home and various outbuildings associated with {{convert|38|acre|ha}} of land.
John Molson Sr. died on June 4, 1770. His will promised various properties to his wife and five surviving children. Under their marriage settlement, Snake Hall went to Mary, and was to then pass on to his eldest son, John, upon her death. Mary Molson died on September 21, 1772. John Sr. had named four guardians and trustees for the estate, and initially, the young John Molson's financial affairs were overseen by his paternal uncle, Thomas Molson. But in September 1771 Thomas turned over the duties of trustee and guardian to Samuel Elsdale, possibly due to poor health, as he died the following spring. Under Samuel Elsdale's oversight, all of the Molson children were removed from Snake Hall while it was rented out for income, ultimately to the benefit of their trusts. John went to live with a man named William Robinson, and at age 12 in 1776 was consigned to the care of a Mr. Whitehead, who was paid for his board and education until 1780, when he turned 16. Writers have criticized Samuel Elsdale for his oversight and stinginess, but he seems to have performed his duties prudently, although John Molson plainly chafed under his guardianship.
Immigration to Canada and the start of brewing
While Molson was doubtless chafing under the guardianship of his maternal grandfather, his decision to emigrate was most certainly inspired by, and linked to, the example of three Lincolnshire men, all known personally to his uncle Robinson Elsdale, who traveled to the American colonies for a visit in the spring of 1781. They carried a letter of introduction to a New York storekeeper written by a man named William May, recommending "three other Friends—equally interesting to me as [Robinson Elsdale]," who seems to have made a previous journey investigating settlement possibilities. One was Thomas Loid (or Loyd), another was James Pell, an alias for James Gibbins, father of Robinson Elsdale's wife, Anne. The reason for the alias is unknown, but it may have been meant to avoid impressment by the British navy. Both Loid and Pell figured prominently in John Molson's early brewing career.
On May 2, 1782, John Molson, then 18, left Portsmouth, England in a convoy under escort of HMS
Assistance and HMS
Surprize. He was aboard the merchant vessel
Dispatch with Gibbins, who had returned to England while Loid remained in America. When the
Dispatch almost sank from under them, the two Lincolnshire men transferred to the
Assistance, and arrived at Quebec on June 26, after which they traveled upriver to Montreal. Loid was busy building a brewery malting house in the Montreal suburb of St. Mary's Current, while Gibbins was going into the butcher business. It's possible that Molson was bringing necessary equipment to Loid, such as the brewery kettle. The young Molson became involved in the brewery operation and plainly wished to invest in it, but until he reached the age of majority in 1784, he had to persuade his grandfather, Samuel Elsdale, to grant him funds, which was a cause for friction. He attempted, through his Surfleet attorney, Philip Ashley, who maintained a sterling account for him at a London bank, to have his grandfather removed as his overseer. Molson was involved in the brewery as a partner no later than September 1783. Loid meanwhile secured land for growing barley on northern Lake Champlain, just across the border in Vermont, and Molson seems to have acquired an interest in the property as part of the brewery venture.
The second brewing season, of 1783-84, was a disaster, caused by a serious barley shortage. In June 1784 Molson sued Loid in the Court of Common Pleas in the District of Montreal for a stated debt of 150 pounds. The suit was likely a legal contrivance to have the ownership of the brewery steered into Molson's hands and away from creditors, in particular an employee, John Waite, who was suing them for unpaid wages. The Sulpician order of Montreal, seigneurs of the island, were also owed
lods et vents on the brewery property. A sheriff's auction of the brewery assets to settle Molson's claim against Loid conveniently landed the brewery in Molson's hands on January 7, 1785. While it has been suggested that Molson swapped the land on Lake Champlain with Loid for the brewery, by March 1785, John Molson unequivocally considered that property, consisting of two lots of {{convert|200|acre|ha}} each, to be his.
Career as brewer
It was during that year that Molson picked up the book "Theoretic Hints on an Improved Practice in Brewing" by John Richardson. Molson returned to Canada with more money and a new mindset. Many British Loyalists from the United States were immigrating to Canada. This new influx increased the demand for beer. Molson worked harder than ever, staying up long into the night. He hired an apprentice, Christopher Cook, and a loyalist housemaid, Sarah Insley Vaughan, whom he was to marry.
Sarah (1751-1829) was the daughter of Thomas Vaughan of Harnham Hall, Moorpeth,
YorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the British Isles. Because of its great size, functions were increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have been subject to periodic reform. Throughout these changes, Yorkshire has continued to be recognised as...
. She was the niece of
Wilmot Vaughan, 1st Earl of LisburneWilmot Vaughan, 1st Earl of Lisburne , of Trawsgoed, Cardiganshire, known as Viscount Lisburne from 1766 to 1776, was a Welsh peer and politician.Lisburne was the son of Wilmot Vaughan, 3rd Viscount Lisburne...
and through her mother's family, the Aynsleys, a cousin of the
Duke of AthollThe title Duke of Atholl, named after Atholl in Scotland, was created only one time in British history by Queen Anne in 1703, for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl with a special remainder failing his heirs male to those of his father the 1st Marquess....
. She emigrated to the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her first husband, David Tetchley, but ten years later left him, and reverting to her maiden name she made her way to
MontrealMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
, penniless, until taken in by Molson.
Soon Molson’s beer was in such demand that according to one of his diary entries "Cannot serve half my customers and they are increasing every day." One of the major reasons for this was the wide appeal of his beer to different classes of Montreal society. High British officers had been drinking imported London porters and the city merchants preferred Bristol. Yet Molson’s beer was special as it was ‘universally liked’ (a quote from Molson’s diary). Molson soon began attending church. It was here that he met many influential and wealthy businessmen like fur trader
James McGillJames McGill was a Scottish-Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He was also a prominent member of the Château Clique.- Biography :...
,
Joseph FrobisherJoseph Frobisher was a fur trader and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Halifax, England in 1740 and came to Quebec with his brother Benjamin around 1763; their brother Thomas joined them around 1769...
, founder of the North West Company, and
Alexander MackenzieAlexander Mackenzie, PC , a building contractor and newspaper editor, was the second Prime Minister of Canada from November 7, 1873 to October 9, 1878.-Biography:...
.
Career success
Between 1788 and 1800, Molson’s business grew quickly into one of the larger ones in Lower Canada. During these years Molson and his wife had four children, John Junior, Thomas (who died shortly after birth), another Thomas, and William.
By the start of the 19th Century, Molson’s small brewery had grown tenfold. Molson now had the money to improve his business by buying new technology. He toyed with the idea of buying a steamship after seeing Fulton’s 'Vermont' go down the Hudson. Molson’s steamship would be the first in Canada. Molson teamed up with John Jackson and John Bruce who would build a ship for Molson in return for putting up the money and part ownership. Built in
MontréalMontreal is the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. Originally called Ville-Marie , the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the...
(with engines produced at Forges Saint-Maurice in
Trois-RivièresTrois-Rivières may refer to:*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec*Trois-Rivières, Guadeloupe, a commune of Guadeloupe...
) in 1809,
AccommodationThe Canadian paddlewheeler Accommodation was the first successful steamboat built entirely in North America.Financed by brewer John Molson, she was constructed by John Jackson and John Bruce in Montréal in 1809, using engines built in Forges Saint-Maurice, Trois-Rivières...
became the first steamship to ride on the waters of the St. Lawrence. This was a great feat for Molson but, from a business viewpoint, it was a net loss, costing ₤4000 by 1810. Molson was determined to make money on his ships so he dismantled
Accommodation and purchased two steamship engines from England. He combined the two engines and the remains of
Accommodation to create
Swiftsure, a magnificent ship that was seen as a vision of elegance. During this time Molson’s business continued to grow and the War of 1812 pushed sales even higher.
Swiftsure was leased to the British army and brought in a supplemental income. In 1815, Molson was elected to represent Montreal East in the
legislative assemblyThe Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
on the platform of building a wharf.
As Molson became more occupied by his multiple businesses and his seat in the assembly, his three sons began to take a much larger role in the companies. John Junior managed the steamships, Thomas was married in England and would frequently travel sending back tips and advice to his father, and William was in charge of the brewery. In 1816, Molson built Mansion House Hotel which coincided with the Assembly’s acceptance of the wharf. Molson’s hotel was only for those who could afford luxury. The hotel offered Montreal’s first library, boats rides on the river, well-furnished rooms and six-course dinners, famous throughout all of Montreal. In 1817, John Richardson, George Moffatt joined together to create the "Montreal Bank." The three offered Molson partnership in it but Molson refused for the backers of this project had just come off of multiple failed banks in the United States and he felt it was a risky investment. Molson changed his mind not long after and the bank became fully Canadian-owned when the U.S partners sold their shares after the U.S financial crisis in the fall of 1818. By 1822, the Montreal Bank had received a charter from Britain and chose to change their name to ‘The Bank of Montreal.’
In 1819, Molson had a short bout of sickness. It was during this time that he noticed the only hospital in the city, Hôtel Dieu, only held 30 beds. Molson proposed to the assembly that a new hospital be established that would contain 200 beds. Although the assembly denied his request there was much private support and soon donations came pouring in. By May the new hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, was opened on Craig Street (now St. Antoine).
A crisis almost struck the Molsons in 1821 when the Mansion House Hotel caught fire. Luckily the books from the library were saved but not much more was salvageable. Molson was undaunted by this and had ideas to build an even grander hotel, a true testament to his character. While John Jr. and William took care of the businesses within Canada, Thomas was busy working in England. Thomas brought over 237 gallons of beer to London, England. The response was encouraging and Thomas brought another 1385 gallons on his next trip. Molson's had its first international market.
By 1825, Molson’s hotel was completely rebuilt and renamed the British American Hotel. After the hotel was completed Molson built a theatre adjacent to it. By November, Molson’s Theatre Royal was completed, the first theatre in Montreal.
Never resting, Molson continued to build his empire by purchasing multiple steamships and creating the St. Lawrence Steamboat Company. This fleet of ships was so big that it outnumbered all of those operating in the United States. In 1826 Molson decided to run against a young Louis-Joseph Papineau but resigned quickly after discovering the amount of support Papineau had from the French and the Irish.
On March 18, 1829 Sarah Vaughn, John Molson’s wife, died after acquiring
rheumatismRheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
and using the only known cure,
laudanumLaudanum , also known as opium tincture or thebaic tincture is an alcoholic herbal preparation containing approximately 10% opium and 1% morphine . It is made by combining ethanol with opium latex or powder...
. Sarah became addicted to this opium-based painkiller and died from the effects. Molson sold the house they lived together in and moved on with his life. His four-year term as President of the Bank of Montreal ended and Molson did not run for a second. Even at the age of 67 Molson did not contemplate retirement: one of his biggest projects still lay ahead.
Since 1825, Molson had followed reports of the first railways being built in England. Molson had told the head of this project, Jason Pierce, that he was interested. Pierce did not forget about Molson’s interest and in 1832 Molson’s request for a railroad was accepted by the Assembly. The railway connected the St. Lawrence to the Hudson River, making the trip from Montreal to New York much quicker. This was the first railway ever constructed in Canada.
After his multiple successful proposals, John Molson was appointed to the
Legislative Council of Lower CanadaThe Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was...
. He was considered part of the ‘
Chateau CliqueThe Clique du Château or Château Clique was a group of wealthy families in Lower Canada in the early 19th century. They were the Lower Canadian equivalent of the Family Compact in Upper Canada...
’ as he was a rich English businessmen. The people were losing their faith in the English businessmen like Molson and were turning to men like Papineau and Robert Nelson, both members of the Patriotes. Unfortunately a
choleraCholera, sometimes known as Asiatic or epidemic cholera, is an infectious gastroenteritis caused by enterotoxin-producing strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Transmission to humans occurs through eating food or drinking water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae from other cholera patients...
epidemic struck Canada in 1832 and 1834 causing the railroad project to lose much of its momentum. Many businesses closed in Montreal but the Molsons continued work as usual. In 1833 Molson’s hotel burned down again. This time though, Molson decided not to rebuild it.
After the second cholera epidemic, when things returned to normal, John Molson’s railroad project began to gain speed. Unfortunately, Molson never lived long enough to see his last dream realized. Molson caught a high fever in December 1835. He wrote his will on January 10, 1836 and died later that day. In his will, Molson named John Molson Jr., Thomas Molson, William Molson, George Moffatt and
Peter McGillPeter McGill was a Scots-Quebecer businessman who served as mayor of Montreal, Canada East from 1840 to 1842....
executors.
External links
{{s-start}}
{{s-bus}}
{{succession box
| before =
Horatio GatesHoratio Gates was a Canadian businessman, office holder, justice of the peace, and politician. He was the third president of the Bank of Montreal.-References:...
| title = President of the
Bank of MontrealThe Bank of Montreal is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded in 1817, making it Canada's oldest bank....
| years = 1826-1834
| after =
Peter McGillPeter McGill was a Scots-Quebecer businessman who served as mayor of Montreal, Canada East from 1840 to 1842....
}}
{{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Molson, John}}