John Torrance (June 8, 1786 – January 20, 1870) was a merchant and entrepreneur of Montreal , Lower Canada . He entered the railroad industry in the 1830s and ran steamboats on the St. Lawrence River . He was also a director of the Bank of Montreal and closely involved with many aspects to do with the progression of Montreal from the 1820s to the 1850s. His home, St. Antoine Hall, was one of the early estates of the Golden Square Mile .
24-563: [REDACTED] Look up Torrance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Torrance , also spelled Torrence, is an originally Scottish surname. Torrance may also refer to: Places [ edit ] Torrance, California , United States Torrance, East Dunbartonshire , Scotland Torrance, South Lanarkshire , Scotland Torrance railway station Torrance, Ontario , Canada Torrance, Pennsylvania , United States Torrance Barrens ,
48-1407: A conservation area near Torrance, Ontario Torrance County, New Mexico , United States People [ edit ] Given name [ edit ] Street Symphony (producer) , alias of Torrance Esmond, an American record producer and music executive Torry Castellano (born 1979), nickname of Torrance Castellano, retired former drummer of the rock band, The Donnas Torrance Coombs (born 1983), Canadian-American actor Torrance Daniels (born 1981), former American football linebacker and current football coach Torrance Gillick (1915–1971), Scottish footballer Torrance Marshall (born 1977), American former footballer Torrance Small (born 1970), former professional American football wide receiver Torrance Watkins (born 1949), American equestrian and Olympic champion Torrance Zellner (born 1970), American track and field athlete Surname [ edit ] Torrance family of Scottish theologians and missionaries Alan Torrance (born 1956), Scottish theologian, son of James Torrance see also under David Torrance (disambiguation) Iain Richard Torrance (born 1949), Scottish theologian, son of Thomas F. Torrance James (J. B.) Torrance (1923–2003), Scottish theologian Thomas Torrance (1871–1959), Scottish missionary to China, patriarch of
72-1340: A conservation area near Torrance, Ontario Torrance County, New Mexico , United States People [ edit ] Given name [ edit ] Street Symphony (producer) , alias of Torrance Esmond, an American record producer and music executive Torry Castellano (born 1979), nickname of Torrance Castellano, retired former drummer of the rock band, The Donnas Torrance Coombs (born 1983), Canadian-American actor Torrance Daniels (born 1981), former American football linebacker and current football coach Torrance Gillick (1915–1971), Scottish footballer Torrance Marshall (born 1977), American former footballer Torrance Small (born 1970), former professional American football wide receiver Torrance Watkins (born 1949), American equestrian and Olympic champion Torrance Zellner (born 1970), American track and field athlete Surname [ edit ] Torrance family of Scottish theologians and missionaries Alan Torrance (born 1956), Scottish theologian, son of James Torrance see also under David Torrance (disambiguation) Iain Richard Torrance (born 1949), Scottish theologian, son of Thomas F. Torrance James (J. B.) Torrance (1923–2003), Scottish theologian Thomas Torrance (1871–1959), Scottish missionary to China, patriarch of
96-471: A founder and trustee of the Mount Royal Cemetery . He made gifts to McGill University including a fund for a gold medal in law as a memorial to his wife. In 1818, Torrance built a 42-room mansion , St. Antoine Hall, off the then fashionable Saint Antoine Street . The house was renowned for its acres of gardens, conservatories , vineries , and orchards , enjoyed by Torrance whose hobby
120-527: A merchant there. John next went to Quebec City to represent Thomas' firm, meeting his wife there. By 1814, he was back in Montreal and had opened a general store near to Thomas' on Saint-Paul Street . By 1826, his nephew David Torrance , had become a clerk in John's business, marrying John's daughter in 1832. Their business partnership lasted until John retired in 1853. This closeness between uncle and nephew
144-561: A variety of land speculations and mortgages. Torrance strongly supported the Montreal Annexation Manifesto , which cost him his commission as a Major in the militia . Through his wife's influence, he became a Methodist in later life and strongly supported his church as well as a variety of literary and educational associations. He was a life governor of the Montreal General Hospital and
168-623: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Torrance [REDACTED] Look up Torrance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Torrance , also spelled Torrence, is an originally Scottish surname. Torrance may also refer to: Places [ edit ] Torrance, California , United States Torrance, East Dunbartonshire , Scotland Torrance, South Lanarkshire , Scotland Torrance railway station Torrance, Ontario , Canada Torrance, Pennsylvania , United States Torrance Barrens ,
192-458: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages John Torrance In 1786, John Torrance was born at Larkhall , Lanarkshire , Scotland . John was the second of the five very able sons born to Thomas Torrance (1735–1805), of Larkhall. In 1805, John accompanied his four brothers to New York City , in 1897, he moved again to Montreal to join his brother, Thomas, who had established himself as
216-533: The horse chestnuts were alive with humming birds ". Torrance had also purchased a small estate in his native Scotland , known as the 'Gatehouse'. In 1811, at Montreal , Torrance had married Elizabeth Fisher (1794–1862), the daughter of Catherine ( née Embury) Fisher and Duncan Fisher, an American merchant who settled in Montreal after the Revolution . Elizabeth's maternal grandfather, Philip Embury ,
240-654: The Montreal & Quebec Steamboat Company, which at first competed with and then joined forces with John Molson . The Torrances were a major driving force with the Molsons in the creation of the St Lawrence Steamboat Services. From as early as 1832 the Torrances jointly incorporated the Champlain and St Lawrence Railroad . By 1847, they had invested £1,000 to link Montreal by rail to
264-519: The Montreal and New York Railroad Company in 1850, and he was made a director. He was also a director of the St Lawrence and Ottawa Grand Junction Railroad Company, chartered in 1850, to extend the Montreal and Lachine line to Prescott , Canada West. John Torrance was a stockholder in the short-lived Bank of Canada in Montreal and became a director of the Bank of Montreal from 1826 to 1857, after
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#1732772263448288-756: The death of his brother, Thomas. In the 1840s, he was a director of the Montreal Provident and Savings Bank and at one time had £2,000 invested in the City Bank of New York . In the 1850s, he was elected a director of the Montreal Fire, Life & Inland Navigation Assurance Company and of the Equitable Fire Insurance Company of London , England. He had been a founder of the Committee of Trade in 1822 and invested in
312-409: The family Thomas Forsyth (T. F.) Torrance (1913–2007), Scottish theologian, son of Thomas Torrance Alex A. Torrance , Scottish curler Alex F. Torrance , Scottish curler and coach Bill Torrance (born 1946), Scottish broadcaster Bobby Torrance (born 1958), Scottish footballer Chris Torrance (born 1941), British poet David Torrance (disambiguation) , various people with
336-409: The family Thomas Forsyth (T. F.) Torrance (1913–2007), Scottish theologian, son of Thomas Torrance Alex A. Torrance , Scottish curler Alex F. Torrance , Scottish curler and coach Bill Torrance (born 1946), Scottish broadcaster Bobby Torrance (born 1958), Scottish footballer Chris Torrance (born 1941), British poet David Torrance (disambiguation) , various people with
360-526: The film Bring It On , portrayed by Kirsten Dunst Jack Torrance , fictional character in Stephen King's The Shining Torrance (film) , an upcoming American drama film See also [ edit ] Torrence , surname Torrent (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Torrance . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
384-465: The film Bring It On , portrayed by Kirsten Dunst Jack Torrance , fictional character in Stephen King's The Shining Torrance (film) , an upcoming American drama film See also [ edit ] Torrence , surname Torrent (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Torrance . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
408-416: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Torrance&oldid=1252238406 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with surname-holder lists Disambiguation pages with given-name-holder lists English unisex given names Hidden categories: Short description
432-416: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Torrance&oldid=1252238406 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Disambiguation pages with surname-holder lists Disambiguation pages with given-name-holder lists English unisex given names Hidden categories: Short description
456-805: The name Ellis Paul Torrance (1915–2003), American psychologist George William Torrance (1835–1907), Irish composer Isobel Torrance Jr. (later in marriage Hannen) (born 1962), Scottish curler and coach Jack Torrance (athlete) (1912–1969), American football player and shot putter Jamaal Torrance (born 1983), American sprinter Jared Sidney Torrance (1852–1921), American real estate developer John Torrance (1786–1870), Scottish merchant and entrepreneur Robert Torrance (born 1939), American Professor Emeritus of literature Russell Torrance , ABC Classic FM presenter and musician Sam Torrance (born 1953), Scottish golfer Sandy Torrance (1901–1941), Scottish footballer Other uses [ edit ] Torrance Shipman, fictional character in
480-805: The name Ellis Paul Torrance (1915–2003), American psychologist George William Torrance (1835–1907), Irish composer Isobel Torrance Jr. (later in marriage Hannen) (born 1962), Scottish curler and coach Jack Torrance (athlete) (1912–1969), American football player and shot putter Jamaal Torrance (born 1983), American sprinter Jared Sidney Torrance (1852–1921), American real estate developer John Torrance (1786–1870), Scottish merchant and entrepreneur Robert Torrance (born 1939), American Professor Emeritus of literature Russell Torrance , ABC Classic FM presenter and musician Sam Torrance (born 1953), Scottish golfer Sandy Torrance (1901–1941), Scottish footballer Other uses [ edit ] Torrance Shipman, fictional character in
504-484: The other major eastern port, Portland, Maine . John was a director of this railroad from 1847 until it became part of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1853. A complex web of railroads were being built to connect Montreal to New York City , and in 1846, Torrance was in the group that incorporated the Montreal and Lachine Railroad Company, of which he was later a director and inventor. This railroad later joined
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#1732772263448528-483: Was a likely reason for John's son opening his own rival firm. The firm of John Torrance & Co., became strongly associated with tea . In the late 1820s, they began to import tea directly from China and India , breaking the East India Company monopoly previously controlled by Forsyth , Richardson & Co. They diversified into loans from their warehouses to Upper Canadian merchants and developed
552-472: Was gardening - he was also an incorporator of the Horticultural Society of Montreal in 1849. St. Antoine Hall was also famous for its high brick walls and the great gate which according to family tradition closed firmly at 10 p.m. Torrance's granddaughter, Evelyn (Galt) Springett (a god-daughter of Sir George-Étienne Cartier ) remembered it as "a lovely place... great shady trees, and in summer
576-569: Was the founder of Methodism in the United States . In their marriage contract , Torrance made a provision of £1,000 to her should she outlive him, an indication of his early success as he was only 25 at the time. Together, the Torrances were the parents of fifteen children, including: Torrance died on January 20, 1870, in Montreal. Upon his death, the Montreal Gazette called him, "one of our wealthiest citizens." His fortune
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