Thomas Molson
Encyclopedia
Thomas Molson was a Canadian
entrepreneur and philanthropist, co-founder of Molson Distillery and member of the industrious Molson family
.
Born September 1st, 1791, son of John Molson
(1763–1836) and Sarah Insley Vaughan, at Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada. Thomas Molson was educated in private schools and apprenticed to the brewery
trade. On becoming a partner in John Molson & Sons in 1816, he took over the management of the family's brewery operations. After an unprofitable venture into distilling
in 1822, he withdrew from the partnership and settled in Kingston, Upper Canada
, where he engaged in extensive brewing and distilling operations from 1824 to 1835. In 1836 he returned to Montreal to resume management of the family business. Under the firm-name of Thomas & William Molson it became one of the leading distilleries in North America. When William Molson
retired in 1852 to establish Molson Bank
, Thomas acquired sole ownership of the distilling interests and his son, John Henry Robinson Molson, became owner of the brewery. Thomas Molson was a benefactor of McGill University
and the Montreal General Hospital
. He also built a private church, St. Thomas, and a theological college.
In 1816 he wed Martha Molson (1795–1848), daughter of Thomas Molson (1768–1803) and Anne Atkinson (1765–1813). Thomas and Martha had at least eleven children before her death in 1848. In 1859 Thomas remarried to Sophia Stevenson, daughter of John Frederick Stevenson & Mary Catherine Coyne. Sophia died at Port Hope in 1909; they had no children.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
entrepreneur and philanthropist, co-founder of Molson Distillery and member of the industrious Molson family
Molson family
The Molson family of Montreal, Quebec, Canada was founded by John Molson who emigrated to Canada in 1782 from his home in Lincolnshire, England....
.
Born September 1st, 1791, son of John Molson
John Molson
John Molson was an English-speaking Quebecer who was a major brewer and entrepreneur in Canada, starting the Molson Brewing Company.-Birth and early life:...
(1763–1836) and Sarah Insley Vaughan, at 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...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada. Thomas Molson was educated in private schools and apprenticed to the brewery
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
trade. On becoming a partner in John Molson & Sons in 1816, he took over the management of the family's brewery operations. After an unprofitable venture into distilling
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
in 1822, he withdrew from the partnership and settled in Kingston, Upper Canada
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...
, where he engaged in extensive brewing and distilling operations from 1824 to 1835. In 1836 he returned to Montreal to resume management of the family business. Under the firm-name of Thomas & William Molson it became one of the leading distilleries in North America. When William Molson
William Molson
William Molson was a Canadian politician, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was the founder and President of Molson Bank, which was later absorbed by the Bank of Montreal....
retired in 1852 to establish Molson Bank
Molson Bank
The Molson Bank was a Canadian bank founded in Montreal, Quebec, by brothers William and John Molson, Jr...
, Thomas acquired sole ownership of the distilling interests and his son, John Henry Robinson Molson, became owner of the brewery. Thomas Molson was a benefactor of McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
and the Montreal General Hospital
Montreal General Hospital
The Montreal General Hospital is a hospital in Montreal, Canada, established on May 1, 1819 and an early teaching hospital. First located on the corner of Craig and St-Lawrence Streets with only 24 beds, it moved in 1822 to a new 72-bed building on Dorchester Street. It is currently situated on...
. He also built a private church, St. Thomas, and a theological college.
In 1816 he wed Martha Molson (1795–1848), daughter of Thomas Molson (1768–1803) and Anne Atkinson (1765–1813). Thomas and Martha had at least eleven children before her death in 1848. In 1859 Thomas remarried to Sophia Stevenson, daughter of John Frederick Stevenson & Mary Catherine Coyne. Sophia died at Port Hope in 1909; they had no children.