A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time by Rose

government formed in 1865. He was also a member of the government of 1866-7. This year he was a delegate to the conference held in London, England, to discuss matters relating to confederation. On the 1st of July, 1867, he was called by royal proclamation to a seat in the Senate of the Dominion of Canada. Upon the formation of Sir John A. Macdonald’s government, in 1878, he was sworn in a member of the Privy Council without portfolio, and shortly afterwards was appointed speaker of the Senate, as successor to the Hon. David Christie. This office he held until the time of the death of Lieutenant-Governor C. B. Chandler, when he resigned the speakership, and on the 11th February, 1880, was appointed lieutenant-governor of his native province. In this position he faithfully served his country until the 11th November, 1885, when he was succeeded by Sir Leonard Tilley. In 1851 the Hon. Mr. Wilmot left the city of St. John to reside in Sunbury county, on a farm known as “Belmont,” owned by his grandfather and father, and on the expiration of his term of office at Fredericton, he again selected Belmont as his home, and here he now resides. In politics, he is a Conservative, and for many years was a leader of this party in New Brunswick. In religion, he is a member of the Church of England. Few men are more respected than the Hon. Mr. Wilmot, and all hope he may be long spared to enjoy the honors he has earned, and of which he is most deserving. * * * * * =Rogers, Lieutenant-Col. Robert Zacheus=, Grafton, Ontario, is a younger brother of Henry C. Rogers, who is referred to at length on page 147. He was born at Grafton, Northumberland county, Ontario, 29th March, 1842. His education was completed at Upper Canada College in 1859, and soon afterwards he was entrusted with the management of the farm and business of his father, whom he succeeded. He was among the first to take advantage of the military training offered by the School of Instruction established by the government at Toronto in 1864, and subsequently took an active part in the volunteer movement of 1866, serving as a lieutenant during the Fenian raids of that year. After nineteen years’ service as a captain in the 40th Northumberland battalion V.M., he assumed the command of the same in compliance with the request of his brother officers, some of whom were senior to him. In politics, he has always taken an active part on behalf of the Conservative party, and for eight years was the chosen leader of the county organization in support of the government of Sir John A. Macdonald. In the spring of 1880 he organized an expedition to colonize and develop the valley of the Souris river, in the Canadian Northwest, which had been partly surveyed the previous season and most favorably reported on. The point selected as the business centre was called Millford, near the mouth of the Souris—at which place he started a saw mill in June of that year, and erected the first frame building west of the old province line, range 13 west of Winnipeg, and south of the present main line of the C. P. Railway. The following year he added the pioneer flour mill of the district to his establishment, and for five years carried on an extensive business, and in many ways took an important part in promoting the advancement of that very promising agricultural district. This enterprise, however, did not prove a financial success, and Mr. Rogers was forced reluctantly to abandon the idea of making that his future home. In September, 1867, he married Isabella, eldest daughter of the late Sheriff Waddell, of Chatham, Ontario, and granddaughter of the late Captain William Waddell, of the 1st Royal Dragoons, a veteran of Waterloo fame. * * * * * =Bourgeois, George A.=, M.D., C.M., Three Rivers, was born at St. Grégoire, county of Nicolet, P.Q., on the 1st of October, 1822. His father was Jacques Bourgeois, a farmer, and his mother Magdeleine Bourke. He took a classical course at the Seminary of Nicolet. He adopted the medical profession, received his license to practise on the 1st of March, 1844, and began his professional career in his native parish, where he practised from that year till 1867, inclusively. He then entered the civil service and was deputy commissioner of crown lands for the province of Quebec from the 2nd of November, 1867, to the 2nd of October, 1869, during which period he resided in the city of Quebec. He was director of the cadastral operations in the district of Three Rivers, from the 1st of August, 1870, to the 1st of September,