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

scanty education in the schools of his native village, and when only nineteen years of age left his native land for Canada. He arrived in New York in the latter end of June, 1858, and while there he engaged with the captain of a whaling ship to go to the Arctic regions on a whaling expedition, but in consequence of the ship not being ready to put to sea at the time agreed upon, he broke off the engagement and started for Canada. Arriving in Tossoronto, Simcoe county, he found employment in a saw mill. Six months after the mill was placed in his charge, and the entire business was conducted by him for the next three years. In 1860 he left the mill, and took charge of a school in the adjoining township of Essa, where he remained for another three years. Leaving Essa, he took up his abode in Tecumseth, where he taught for another three years, and during this time secured the highest grade of a first-class teacher from the County Board of Education. In 1864 he entered the Military School at Toronto, and received a cadet’s commission. He raised a company of volunteers at Markdale during the Fenian raid, and was chosen captain, but the minister of militia having declined to increase the strength of the 31st battalion, the company disbanded. Subsequently, however, on his removal to Meaford, he accepted a lieutenant’s commission in No. 2 company Grey battalion, and remained in the service until he was appointed registrar of Grey, when he resigned. Bidding good-bye to school teaching, he opened a general store in the village of Markdale, Grey county, where he remained for two years and then sold out. He next took up his abode in Cookstown, Simcoe county, and here began business anew, adding drugs to his general business. Next year a fire broke out in the village, and, among other buildings, swept away Mr. McKnight’s store and dwelling. Nothing disheartened by this calamity, although a great loser by the destruction of the contents of both store and dwelling, he went to work and paid up every dollar of his indebtedness. He then removed to the then rising village of Meaford, and went into the drug and grocery business, and through close attention to business he soon overcame his losses at Cookstown, and it was not long before he became one of the leading citizens, taking an active part in everything pertaining to the advancement of the village. As a politician he was ever active, having first taken a part in the contest between the late Hon. William McMaster and John W. Gamble, in the old home district, for a seat in the Legislative Council of Canada. At this time Mr. McKnight sided with Mr. McMaster and the Reformers, and has ever since worked in the same ranks. In 1872 he was chosen by the Reformers to contest East Grey against W. R. Fletcher, the Conservative candidate, for a seat in the House of Commons, but he failed to secure his election. Again, in 1874, he took the field against his old opponent, but at the close of the poll it was found that Mr. Fletcher still held the seat, although only by a majority of three hundred, on the previous occasion he having carried his election by six hundred majority. In 1875 Mr. McKnight was once more chosen to carry the Liberal standard, and this time in North Grey. His opponent was David Creighton, the sitting member, and editor and proprietor of the Owen Sound _Times_, a gentleman well known throughout the riding, while Mr. McKnight was practically an outsider. The battle was a fierce one, but at the end of it Mr. Creighton held his old seat in the Ontario legislature, only, however, by a majority of fifty-nine. In 1874 Mr. McKnight was made a justice of the peace, and the same year a commissioner _per dedimus potestatem_. He was appointed registrar for the county of Grey in 1875, and to this office he now devotes the principal part of his time. His removal from the arena of politics has given the subject of our sketch some leisure to practise his favorite pursuits—notably, floriculture and horticulture—and his home in Owen Sound testifies to his skill and taste in both. But fortunately for his neighbors he does not confine himself to his own private pursuits. He is at present president of the Mechanics’ Institute; a member of the Board of Education, and of the Board of Health; and an active member of the Masonic fraternity. He is well known as an enthusiastic apiarist. He is one of the leading spirits of the Ontario Bee-keepers’ Association, having been present at the convention held in Toronto, when it was first organized, and presided over the deliberations of that meeting in the city hall for three evenings. He was elected the secretary-treasurer of the newly-organized association, and on him devolved the perfecting of the organization, which he did thoroughly and well. For two years he held this position, and during that time edited the bee department of the _Canadian Farmer_. The following year he was elected president, and he has been on the executive committee ever since. He was appointed one of the delegates to represent Ontario’s display in the Colonial exhibition, held in London, England, in 1886. The magnificent display of honey was due in a very great measure to his efforts, as after a fair trial it was found that he possessed the art of staging the goods to the best possible advantage, and we think we may say, without fear of contradiction, that he has no superior, if an equal, in this line. To him alone was left the entire arrangement of the display, and the bee-keepers of Ontario feel very grateful for his untiring efforts in watching and carefully keeping the display up, changing it from day to day and from week to week, and making it always look fresh, as if just placed in position. He not only worked in the honey-building, but frequently spent hours after midnight with the pen to maintain the honor and reputation of the bee-keepers of his adopted country. He is an adherent of the Presbyterian church. In 1865 he was married to Miss McLean, daughter of Duncan McLean, of Elm Grove, and has a family of three children. * * * * * =Torrance, Hon. Frederick William=, B.C.L., Judge of the Superior Court of the Province of Quebec.—The late Judge Torrance was born in Montreal on the 16th July, 1823, and died in the same city on the 2nd January,