CHAPTER VIII.

The REMAINING SUBSCRIBERS TO THE BUILDING FUND—BENAIAH GlBB, RICHARD DOBIE, JAMES LOGAN, WILLIAM FORBES, JAMES COWIE, JOHN AND JAMES MCDOWALL, JAMES STROTHER, THOMAS BUSBY, HON. JOHN MOLSON, RICHARD BROOKS, JOHN FINLAYSON, SIMON CLARKE, DONALD MCKERCHER, JOHN MCARTHUR, JOHN FISHER, JOHN HUNTER, WILLIAM RUSSEL, GEORGE STANSFIELD, JACOB MARSTON, ALEXANDER SIMPSON, THOMAS SULLIVAN, JOHN NEAGLES, JOHN J. DEIHL, ANDREW WINKLEFOSS, ALEXANDER ROBERTSON, JONATHAN A. Gray, John Gray, Dr. Blake, Samuel Adams, David Smith And Joseph Howard.

Benaiah Gibb, senior, whose portrait appears on the opposite page, subscribed ten guineas in 1792, and again two guineas in 1800, for the building fund. There are few names entitled to be held in higher honor in Montreal, than that of Benaiah Gibb, founder of the Gibb firm, which still carries on business here, in the gentlemen's outfitting line. Although born in Northumberland, England, May 6th, 1755, he was of Scottish origin, the family being descended from the Gibbs, baronets, of Fifeshire, Scotland. He came to Montreal in 1774, and the following year opened his first shop in the city, when its population numbered only a few thousands.

For upwards of thirty years, he took a very prominent part in the affairs of the St. Gabriel Street Church. He was elected a member of the temporal committee in 1800, and again in 1804, when he was made its Vice-President, after the new rules and regulations went into force. He, with William Martin and John Fisher, signed all the deeds issued at this time. He had been a member of the Young investigation committee, and contributed five

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pounds for the removal of that gentleman's family to Niagara, in 1802. As a member of the temporal committee, he signed the resolution in favor of Mr. Somerville, in May, 1803, and subscribed three pounds annually to his support. He signed the memorial to the Government, in 1802, asking the continuance of the fifty pounds formerly allowed Mr. Young, as a consideration for services rendered to the troops. He lent ten pounds for lifting off the debt remaining in 1810, which was afterwards returned to him. He, with his son Thomas, contributed ten pounds to the steeple and bell fund. The pew he first occupied was No. 49, but afterwards he and his family sat in No. 9. The late Miss Gibb, his daughter, remained in the church until the disruption in 1844, and afterwards. Mr. Isaac J. Gibb also attended occasionally. Mr. Gibb's first wife was Catherine Campbell, who died in 1804. His second wife was Eleanor Pastorius, to whom he was married by Mr. Somerville, on the 26th December, 1808. He retired from active business in 1815. His sons, Thomas and James Duncan, along with Joseph Kollmyer, succeeded him. In 1820, he was a Director of the Savings Bank. In 1824, the Jubilee of his coming to reside in this city was observed by an entertainment which he gave to a large number of his friends, that furnished occasion of kindly reference to his public and private worth on the part of several of his fellow citizens. The following report is taken from the Herald:

Interesting Jubilee.

"On the evening of the 27th inst., our worthy and highly respected fellow subject and citizen, Benaiah Gibb, Esquire, gave a splendid entertainment to nearly fifty of his friends, amongst whom were several of the first circles in this community. The supper tables were loaded with the richest delicacies which the season could produce, and the whole was served in a manner to render the most perfect gratification to the guests.

The occasion of this féte was, that upon the day it took place, Mr. Gibb had completed a residence in Montreal of fifty years, during which lengthened period he has sustained the enviable character of an honest man, and one whom the breath of calumny has never approached.

After supper, a very impressive address, written by Mr. Gibb for this occasion, was read by a gentleman present, in which were detailed some memorable events of his life, and a pious acknowledgment for the manifold blessings which have been dispensed to him by Divine Providence. In the address are the following bequests, which are highly honorable to the benevolent character of a man who has always been a contributor to charitable institutions, viz: £10 to the poor of the Protestant Episcopal church; £10 to the Roman Catholic poor; £10 to the poor of the Presbyterian congregation in St. Peter street; £10 to the poor of the Scotch Kirk in St. Gabriel street; £10 to the poor of the Wesleyan congregation, and £10 to the funds of the Montreal General Hospital. The address closed with the memorable Patriarchal prayer,—'Lord, let now thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.'

"Colonel Evans then rose, and in a very neat and appropriate speech, complimented the venerable host on his present comfortable retirement from the busy path of life, and proposed that the health of Mr. Gibb be drunk, with three times three, which was done with enthusiasm by all present. The Rev. Mr. Easton next addressed the company. He said he had been well acquainted with Mr. Gibb for upwards of twenty years, during which time he had frequent occasion to call on him for charitable purposes, and he declared that in no one solitary instance did he quit the mansion without receiving even more than he expected.

"Such events as the one above mentioned, seldom take place, and we trust that the excellent character of the person who caused it, will justify the motive which induced us to give it publicity. Many excellent songs and duets were sung during the evening, and the band of the 70th Regiment added much to the enjoyment of the company, who broke up highly delighted at their entertainment, and with feelings of the warmest description for their friend, about two o'clock in the morning."

The prayer of Simeon, quoted on this occasion by Mr. Gibb, had an answer, for which he had not long to wait. He died on the 18th March, 1826, aged 71 years, the Rev. Edward Black, then a colleague of Mr. Esson and Mr. Somerville, officiating on the occasion.

The well known notary, Isaac J. Gibb, formerly senior partner of the firm of Gibb & Hunter, who now resides at Como, is descended from a collateral branch