A Cyclopaedia of Canadian Biography: Being Chiefly Men of the Time. Various
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boys and three girls.
Mowatt, Rev. Andrew Joseph, Pastor of St. Paul’s (Presbyterian) Church, Fredericton, New Brunswick, is a native-born Canadian, having first seen the light on the 11th of February, 1838, in the town of Woodstock, Carleton county, N.B. His father, Thomas Mowatt, and mother, Elizabeth Scott Moffatt, emigrated from Great Britain to New Brunswick, and settled in Woodstock in 1837, where they remained for about two years, and then moved to Harvey, York county, where Andrew, the subject of our sketch, was brought up, and whose early recollections of the place is a little log hut in the forest, and a small log school-house where he received a common school education. After leaving this school, he went for two winters to the Collegiate school in Fredericton, then in charge of Dr. George Roberts, and afterwards he spent three terms at the Presbyterian college at Truro, Nova Scotia, taking the regular arts course there. He then studied theology under Rev. Dr. King, at Gerrish Theological Hall, Halifax, N.S., and completed his studies in 1866. On the 2nd of May of the same year, he received a license to preach the gospel from the Presbytery of Pictou, was called to the new congregation of Sharon church, Albion Mines, now Stellarton, and was ordained pastor on the 5th of June following. The Rev. Mr. Mowatt retained the charge of this church for seven years, and then left on receiving a call from St. John’s church, Windsor, N.S., and was inducted its pastor by the Presbytery of Halifax on the 8th of July, 1873. Here he laboured in the Lord’s vineyard for six and a half years. He then was called to the pastorate of St. Paul’s church in Fredericton, and was inducted into this charge on the 8th of January, 1880, by the Presbytery of St. John; and here he has laboured ever since. This church has greatly prospered under Mr. Mowatt’s able ministration, and, on the 10th of January, 1886, the congregation abandoned their old church edifice and moved into a fine stone building, which is an ornament to the town. Rev. Mr. Mowatt was brought up in the faith as taught by the Presbyterian church, and has so far seen no reason to change his opinion with regard to it. He has spent his life in his Master’s service, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that he has done something to advance His kingdom in this world, and, under God’s grace, fitted many a poor soul to enter the Father’s home of many mansions. He was married to Louisa Jane Annand, of Gay’s River, Colchester county, N.S., on the 30th of June, 1868. Her brother, the Rev. Joseph Annand, is a missionary on the island of Espiritu Santo, in the New Hebrides. Rev. Mr. Mowatt has a family of nine children.
Mitchell, Hon. James, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, was born at the Scottish Settlement, York county, N.B., on the 16th March, 1843. His father, William Mitchell, was a native of Inverkip, Renfrewshire, Scotland, and came to America in 1827, settling in York county, N.B. His mother, Ann Dobie, was a native of Dumfries, in Scotland. James Mitchell received his education first in the public school, then in the Collegiate Institute, and latterly in the University of New Brunswick, at Fredericton, where, in 1867, he graduated with the degrees of B.A., and M.A. He afterwards studied law, and was called to the bar in October, 1870, and has since practised his profession at St. Stephen, Charlotte county, where he now resides. Mr. Mitchell was inspector of schools for Charlotte county from 1872 to 1875, and from 1877 to 1879, and during these years exercised a very material influence on the educational affairs of his town and county. He occupied the position of Census commissioner in 1881. He is at present a member of the Senate of the University of New Brunswick, and a member of the Alumni Society; also a member of the Lunatic Asylum Commission and of the Board of Education of the province of New Brunswick. At the general election in 1882 his fellow-citizens of Charlotte county chose him to represent them in the New Brunswick parliament; and, on the 3rd of March, 1883, he was appointed a member of the Executive Council, and surveyor-general of the province. On his presenting himself for re-election, he was returned by acclamation. He was again elected at the general election in 1886. Hon. Mr. Mitchell is a Liberal-Conservative in politics, having always identified himself with the party of progress in the country, and is an active promoter of railways, manufactures, and other public works. As a barrister he stands high at the bar of his native province. He is a past-master of the Free and Accepted Masons, and past-principal Z of the Royal Arch Chapter. He has followed in the footsteps of his parents, and is a consistent adherent of the Presbyterian church. On the 17th December, 1873, he was married to Miss Ryder, of St. Stephen.
MacFarlane, Foster, M.D., Fairville, St. John, New Brunswick, was born in the parish of Studholm, Kings county, N.B., on the 12th December, 1834. His father, Matthew MacFarlane, was born in the parish of Dramore, county of Tyrone, Ireland, and was a descendant of a family of that name, who, with others, sought refuge from the persecution then prevailing in the Highlands of Scotland. The record of the family dates back to the beginning of the thirteenth century. The family name of “MacFarlane” took its origin from a grandson of the Earl of Lennox, named Bartholomew, the Gaelic of which is “Pharlan,” whose son was named MacFarlane (or son of Bartholomew). The seat of the Earl of Lennox was Dumbarton castle, which was held by his descendants the MacFarlanes, at intervals, and for six centuries they held possession of their original lands, the principal seat of which was Arrochar, at the head of Lochlong. The MacFarlane clan fought, and distinguished themselves, in the battle of Langside, May 13th, 1565, their valour mainly contributing to decide the fortunes of the day, and the defeat of Mary, Queen of Scots. For their bravery they received from the Regent their crest and motto which has ever since been inscribed on their family escutcheon, “This I’ll defend.” Chief among the descendants of this ancient family may be mentioned Walter MacFarlane, of MacFarlane, who is justly celebrated as the indefatigable collector of the ancient records of his country, and whose historical writings, according to Mr. Skeen, “form the best monuments to his memory; and as long as the existence of the ancient records of the country, or a knowledge of its ancient history remains an object of interest to any Scotchman, the name of MacFarlane will be handed down as one of its benefactors, which monument will be found more enduring than the barbaric splendour of his warlike countrymen, which has long since faded away, thus showing that it is not the destroyer but the benefactor of his fellow-creatures who is secure of immortality.” In 1815, when but a lad of twelve years of age, Matthew MacFarlane, accompanied his father, James MacFarlane, and other members of the family, to America, and on their arrival settled at Rockland, in Kingston, Kings county, N.B. Some years afterwards, and when the family had grown up, Mr. MacFarlane, sr., left his eldest son, Charles, on the homestead, and removed, with Matthew and his other sons and daughters, to Studholm, in the same county. About the year 1827, being amongst the pioneer settlers of that part of the country, Matthew MacFarlane married Sarah Foster, whose father, Ezekiel Foster, came from New England during the American war. One of his brothers fought at the battle of Lexington, and died in defending what he considered his rights, having espoused the cause of the colonists. Foster MacFarlane, the subject of our sketch, was the fifth child of this marriage, and first saw the light in a log cabin, the common abode of the pioneer farmers of those days. His earliest education was received in the parish school, and was limited to the rudiments of an ordinary English education. At the age of twenty, having passed the required examination before the local board then existing, he received a license to teach in the public school. After teaching for a time, he entered upon a course of study at the Baptist Seminary, Fredericton, and afterwards took a special course for a time at the University of New Brunswick. After leaving the university, he pursued a course in medicine at Harvard University, Cambridge, United States, and was privileged to sit at the feet of such men as Professor Agassiz, Jeffries Wyman, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and E. Brown-Sequard, of Paris, graduating in 1868. He first practised medicine in his native parish for two years and a half. During this time he was appointed by the government a coroner for Kings county. He then removed to Fairville, St. John, N.B., where he has ever since practised his profession. He has been a member of the Senate of the University of New Brunswick since the spring of 1883, and a director of the Union Baptist Education Society since its incorporation. He was one of the promoters of the Dominion Safety Fund Life Association, filling for a number of years the position of director, and is now its medical superintendent. He united about thirty years ago with the Sons of Temperance, and has since belonged to other temperance organizations, being now a member of the Independent Order of Good Templars. He was brought up in connection with the Methodists, but in the year 1858 his views underwent a change, and he united with the Baptists, and is at present a member of the Fairville Baptist church. On July 20, 1868, he was married to Elizabeth A. Babbitt, daughter of Samuel Perry and Phœbe Babbitt, of St. John, N.B. He has five children—one