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John Rudolphus Booth (1827-1925)
Born:
Shefford County
Early Life:
Worked as a carpenter building bridges for the Central Vermont railway
 Married:
Rosalinda Cooke in 1853 in Quebec; moved to Bytown in 1854.
Known for:
Founding member of the Ottawa Board of Trade in 1857 and remained there
for 68 years. He owned a sawmill and supplied all the lumber and deals
for the construction of the Parliament Buildings. Although sawmills were
destroyed by fire several times, he managed to maintain respect from his
men, admiration from the public, and an impeccable credit with the
community. One of Booth’s last public appearances was attending a
Stanley Cup hockey match between the local team and the Seattle
Puckchasers of the Pacific Coast League. Booth was escorted to centre
ice by his grandson, where he threw the puck for the opening face-off.
He received an ovation from 7,000 fans.
Speaking at the time of his death, former Prime Minister, the Right
Honourable Arthur Meighen said:
“For nigh unto a century, Mr. Booth has watched and in many ways
directed the progress of his province and his country. The Canada of his
old age was a much-changed country from the Canada of his youth. A
pioneer in lumbering, in railroad construction, and many other
activities, he has given to this Dominion services of a nation-building
character and had done much towards alleviating the difficulties of
human life. His vision, his unerring judgement, his quiet generosity and
his sincerity made him an outstanding gentleman among his fellows. The
words of admiration and good will one hears from all those who worked
for and with him are tributes as well to his character as to the
eminence of his place among Canadians.” |
