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and afterwards trained as a civil engineer in
England. He worked for a while in a railway, harbour and water works before coming to the United States in 1868 to apply his talents to the rapidly expanding North American railway industry. In 1870, he was appointed engineer, then chief engineer, of the
380:, with an extension to Saint John. Ross then completed extensions of the CPR west of the Rockies to enable full access to the Pacific. At the time of his death, he was still a director of the CPR and was said to have been the company's largest
611:, had a house built for himself across the road at 3647 Peel Street, which was designed by the Maxwell brothers and completed in 1910. However, after the death of his parents, he moved back to his childhood home. He hired the firm of
627:. In December 2017, representatives of the Clan Ross Association of Canada and members of the McGill Faculty of Law unveiled a plaque commemorating Ross. The plaque is located near the main entrance of Old Chancellor Day Hall.
337:. Completing the project a year ahead of time, Van Horne commented at the opening of the line that Ross's record meant millions to the Canadian Pacific Railway. In achieving this, Ross stuck up a lifelong friendship with
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in London, England. Although fault was found on both sides, the contract was found to be legal. Ross resigned from both boards, thus allowing a later merger between the two companies.
542:. However, his influence could not resolve a long contract dispute between the two for the supply of high-grade coal at a disadvantageous price, which resulted in a case review at the
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Having completed his work at the CPR, he advised both Lord
Strathcona and William Mackenzie on railway contracts in South America, netting US$ 20 million alone for consulting work in
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446:
519:, a major contractor to the CPR for replacing wooden bridges with stronger and lower-maintenance steel replacements. Although credited to the drive of Ross, vice-president
313:, the company formed the wholly-owned North American Railway Contracting Company (NARCC). With the brief to meet up with the team driving east from the Pacific Ocean under
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128:, was a Scottish-born Canadian civil engineer, businessman and philanthropist. He established his fortune predominantly through railway construction, notably for the
692:, and first-class dining rooms. He undertook a cruise around the world in the hope that it would restore his health, but he died soon after returning to Montreal.
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Towards the end of his life, Ross devoted most of his time to sailing in
European and Canadian waters. Following his around the world trip aboard his yacht
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317:, Ross was appointed general manager and chief engineer of the NARCC, and he immediately employed the services of Mackenzie, Mann, and Holt. Starting at
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Throughout his lifetime, and in his will, Ross made numerous donations to various charitable and cultural institutions. In memory of his parents, at
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Ross had a passion for art and became a significant collector. At the time of his death, he had amassed one of the largest and finest collections of
615:, again expanding and remodeling the family mansion. After Jack Ross was declared bankrupt in 1928, the mansion was purchased in 1948 by businessman
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538:. Investing in further shares independently, Ross built up such a huge stake in Dominion Coal that he was invited to join the board of the
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and several other well-connected railway promoters, who persuaded him to come to Canada. He was appointed chief engineer of
Laidlaw's
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Ross' father had been a shipowner, and Ross too had become a keen sailor after settling in
Montreal in 1888. He was made honorary
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782:, and he made several donations of $ 25,000 during his lifetime to the Montreal Art Association and towards the building of the
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projects. Ross through investment became first president of the
Mexican Power Company, which developed a hydro electric dam at
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492:, whose holding company later acted as a holding company for all of the team's Canadian and global street car investments.
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After retiring from engineering and active investment, Ross sat on the boards of numerous companies, including the
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Advising on and constructing feeder lines north from the CPR mainline, the company completed early work on the
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In 1872, Ross had married Annie Kerr (1847–1915), the eldest daughter of John W. Kerr (1824–1904), of
429:. The partners also negotiated the incorporation of several land development companies, including the
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in 1912. In his will, he left the Art
Association a further $ 100,000 and much of his collection of
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and a Nurse's Home. During his lifetime he had donated generously to the
Alexandra Hospital and the
400:. He also formed a railway consulting and contracting company with Mackenzie, Mann and Holt, with:
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833:. They were the parents of a son and a daughter. They divorced in 1930 and the following year, in
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Mackenzie then looked for other opportunities in South
America, resulting in similar projects in
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on railway projects in
Argentina and Chile. He oversaw the electrification of street railways in
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As the partners recognised the need for clean electricity, they each became involved in local
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After marrying in 1872 (see notes below on his family), Ross became chief engineer of the
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Cup for half-raters in American waters, 1896. However, his most famous yacht was the
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on the North American continent. Through this passion, Ross became president of the
232:, Scotland. He was the eldest son of Captain John R. Ross (d. 1889), a merchant and
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Mackenzie cutting the ties and organising timber work for trestles and bridges, and
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in 1888, in partnership with William Mackenzie, he oversaw the electrification of
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445:, which bought and processed grain. In 1889, Ross became first president of the
286:, during which time he came into contact with three ambitious young men, namely
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after his previous vessel) required a staff of sixty-five and had a full
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James Ross with his son, grandson and nurse outside his home at 3644
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Ross saw the great need for steel, and formed a syndicate to buy the
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Scottish-born Canadian civil engineer, businessman and philanthropist
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282:. Ross was then appointed as acting consulting engineer for the
850:, Ross died of existing heart complications at his home in the
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204:. He funded the construction of the Ross Memorial Wing at the
638:, leaving much of his collection to the museum on his death.
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In 1886, Ross was appointed manager of construction for the
449:, which provided timber for railways and housing projects.
711:, and he was appointed honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the
1033:"A mari usque ad mare : l’héritage de James L. Ross"
200:
and became the first Canadian to be made a member of the
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in London, the Manhattan Club in New York City, and the
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Holt laying track, general finishing, and clean-up work.
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purchased in 1912 from the deceased newspaper magnate
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east from Montreal into an Atlantic Ocean terminal in
352:, filling in gaps to allow full access into the CPR's
321:, they built 623 miles (1,003 km) of railway to
301:
After slow progress was being made in connecting the
825:. In 1902, he married Ethel Matthews, daughter of
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339:Donald Smith, 1st Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal
1012:"Chancellor Day Hall (formerly James Ross House)"
208:; the Ross Memorial Hospital and Nurse's Home at
172:, the Mexican Power Company etc. He was Honorary
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481:in England, reorganising and electrifying that.
212:; and the Protestant Hospital for the Insane at
592:. Between 1897 and 1912, the Maxwell brothers (
523:led the development via joint-venture with the
270:. On Lake Ontario, Ross came into contact with
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196:. He owned several yachts including two named
87:Civil engineer, businessman and philanthropist
889:
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883:
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713:17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars
490:São Paulo Tramway, Light and Power Company
178:17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars
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1131:Scottish expatriates in the United States
1070:. Ross Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home
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821:The Rosses were the parents of one son,
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735:, Jockey, Royal Golf and Racquet Clubs.
665:, which won the coveted and prestigious
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503:to provide electricity for Mexico City.
364:. Ross then negotiated the entry of the
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837:, he married Iris de Lisser, sister of
479:City of Birmingham Tramways Company Ltd
439:George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount Stephen
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924:
864:List of Bishop's College School alumni
1181:19th-century Canadian philanthropists
959:
653:and the first Canadian member of the
759:. In his will, he directed his son,
441:and Van Horne, they established the
407:Mann preparing and grading roadbeds,
1151:Canadian Pacific Railway executives
709:Canadian Society of Civil Engineers
437:. In a later 1887 partnership with
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257:
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769:Protestant Hospital for the Insane
435:Canada Land and Investment Company
188:. He was an avid collector of the
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802:Mrs Annie (Kerr) Ross (1847–1915)
775:, of which he became a Governor.
721:Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal
443:Lake of the Woods Milling Company
431:Calgary and Edmonton Land Company
993:Dictionary of Canadian Biography
625:McGill University Faculty of Law
600:) expanded the house, adding an
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549:
540:Dominion Iron and Steel Company
507:Dominion Bridge, Coal and Steel
419:Winnipeg and Hudson Bay Railway
325:, by 7 November 1885, over the
323:Craigellachie, British Columbia
124:(1848 – 20 September 1913), of
1176:Bishop's College School alumni
1103:Obituary of James Ross in the
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1049:
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897:. Ancestry.com. Archived from
703:. He was a member of both the
680:. The yacht (which he renamed
374:International Railway of Maine
1:
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778:Ross was a generous donor to
647:Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club
447:Columbia River Lumber Company
223:
1156:Businesspeople from Montreal
1136:Scottish emigrants to Canada
1093:James Ross at Quebec History
814:and formerly the Sheriff of
784:Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
571:Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
427:Calgary and Edmonton Railway
423:Regina and Long Lake Railway
278:, and in 1879, he built the
247:Ulster and Delaware Railroad
194:Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
132:, of which he was the major
7:
998:University of Toronto Press
857:
767:in 1915. He also built the
613:Trowbridge & Livingston
477:. They later took over the
463:street railways in Montreal
453:Street cars and electricity
421:, and constructed both the
368:into the American state of
311:William Cornelius Van Horne
268:Lake Ontario Shore Railroad
10:
1202:
1121:People from the Black Isle
525:St Lawrence Bridge Company
488:and the highly profitable
350:Ontario and Quebec Railway
284:Ontario and Quebec Railway
168:. He was president of the
1146:Canadian railway pioneers
823:John Kenneth Leveson Ross
793:
649:. He was a member of the
584:mansion for Ross at 3644
362:Michigan Central Railroad
360:line, and onwards to the
264:Wisconsin Central Railway
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228:Ross was born in 1848 at
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1171:McGill University people
1141:Canadian civil engineers
1126:Scottish civil engineers
636:Montreal Art Association
619:. He then donated it to
404:Ross as general manager,
309:, in 1883 under new CEO
303:Canadian Pacific Railway
130:Canadian Pacific Railway
1098:Biography of James Ross
816:Ulster County, New York
753:Royal Victoria Hospital
717:Bishop's College School
659:Royal Thames Yacht Club
517:Dominion Bridge Company
511:In 1890, Ross replaced
242:Inverness Royal Academy
240:. Ross was educated at
186:Royal Victoria Hospital
170:Dominion Bridge Company
78:Inverness Royal Academy
1186:Royal Canadian Hussars
1056:James Ross of Montreal
1038:12 August 2021 at the
941:"Obituary, James Ross"
854:on 20 September 1913.
827:Wilmot Deloui Matthews
803:
765:Ross Memorial Pavilion
749:Ross Memorial Hospital
715:. He was a Trustee of
573:
563:
471:Toronto Street Railway
801:
667:Seawanhaka Corinthian
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557:
544:High Court of Justice
536:Dominion Coal Company
280:Credit Valley Railway
192:and president of the
655:Royal Yacht Squadron
582:French château-style
562:in Montreal, c. 1910
202:Royal Yacht Squadron
113:Captain John R. Ross
1014:. McGill University
996:(online ed.).
947:. 21 September 1913
729:Constitutional Club
701:Royal Trust Company
651:New York Yacht Club
604:among other rooms.
576:In 1892, architect
945:The New York Times
920:James Leveson Ross
901:on 3 November 2012
852:Golden Square Mile
808:Kingston, New York
804:
719:, Governor of the
607:Ross' only child,
590:Golden Square Mile
574:
564:
521:James Pawley Dawes
218:Golden Square Mile
216:. He lived in the
174:Lieutenant-Colonel
122:James Leveson Ross
44:James Leveson Ross
780:McGill University
725:McGill University
621:McGill University
527:to construct the
288:William Mackenzie
238:Newcastle-on-Tyne
182:McGill University
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62:20 September 1913
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812:Democratic Party
745:Lindsay, Ontario
697:Bank of Montreal
515:as president of
475:Winnipeg Transit
457:After moving to
388:Railway investor
343:"The Last Spike"
315:Andrew Onderdonk
276:Victoria Railway
258:Railway engineer
210:Lindsay, Ontario
180:and Governor of
115:Mary B. McKeddie
68:, Quebec, Canada
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1074:13 September
1072:. Retrieved
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1016:. Retrieved
1006:
1000:. 1979–2016.
991:
988:"James Ross"
949:. Retrieved
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915:
903:. Retrieved
899:the original
895:"James Ross"
845:
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739:Philanthropy
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550:Private life
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341:, who drove
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1166:1913 deaths
1161:1848 births
788:Old Masters
761:J.K.L. Ross
690:state rooms
688:, numerous
632:Old Masters
602:art gallery
586:Peel Street
578:Bruce Price
560:Peel Street
486:Mexico City
382:shareholder
292:Donald Mann
190:Old Masters
162:Mexico City
160:(England),
134:shareholder
1115:Categories
870:References
755:, both in
686:auditorium
513:Job Abbott
467:Saint John
335:Gold Range
224:Early life
158:Birmingham
154:Saint John
95:Annie Kerr
53:, Scotland
25:James Ross
847:Glencairn
723:, and of
682:Glencairn
663:Glencairn
643:Commodore
609:Jack Ross
394:Argentina
234:shipowner
206:Royal Vic
198:Glencairn
166:São Paulo
110:Parent(s)
74:Education
1036:Archived
1018:15 April
858:See also
757:Montreal
707:and the
705:American
699:and the
657:and the
459:Montreal
433:and the
425:and the
354:Montreal
333:and the
331:Selkirks
307:Winnipeg
305:west of
230:Cromarty
184:and the
150:Winnipeg
142:Montreal
126:Montreal
100:Children
66:Montreal
51:Cromarty
951:3 April
905:3 April
835:Jamaica
831:Toronto
672:Liberty
645:of the
358:Windsor
176:of the
146:Toronto
794:Family
594:Edward
501:Necaxa
469:, the
378:Bangor
329:, the
253:Career
92:Spouse
398:Chile
370:Maine
1076:2014
1020:2018
953:2011
907:2011
596:and
473:and
396:and
294:and
164:and
59:Died
47:1848
40:Born
771:at
366:CPR
356:to
1117::
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990:.
961:^
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926:^
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