a performance @ molson s theatre royal, montreal, 1825
as molson became more occupied multiple businesses , seat in assembly, 3 sons began take larger role in companies. john junior managed steamships, thomas married in england , travel sending tips , advice father, , william in charge of brewery. in 1816, molson built mansion house hotel coincided assembly’s acceptance of wharf. molson’s hotel afford luxury. hotel offered montreal’s first library, boat rides on river, well-furnished rooms , six-course dinners, famous throughout of montreal. in 1817, john richardson, george moffatt joined create montreal bank. 3 offered molson partnership in molson refused backers of project had come off of multiple failed banks in united states , felt risky investment. molson changed mind not long after , bank became canadian-owned when u.s partners sold shares after u.s financial crisis in fall of 1818. 1822, montreal bank had received charter britain , chose change name bank of montreal.
in 1819, molson had short bout of sickness. during time noticed hospital in city, hôtel dieu, held 30 beds. molson proposed assembly new hospital established contain 200 beds. although assembly denied request there private support , donations came pouring in. may new hospital, montreal general hospital, opened on craig street (now saint antoine street).
a crisis struck molsons in 1821 when mansion house hotel caught fire; books library saved not more salvageable. molson undaunted , had ideas build grander hotel, true testament character. while john junior , william took care of businesses within canada, thomas busy working in england. thomas brought on 237 gallons of beer london, england. response encouraging , thomas brought 1385 gallons on next trip. molson s had first international market.
photos of masters of st paul s lodge 374 in montreal. molson third left on first line.
by 1825, molson’s hotel rebuilt , renamed british american hotel. after hotel completed molson built theatre adjacent it. november, molson’s theatre royal completed, first theatre in montreal. seated 1,000 guests, presenting shakespeare , restoration authors , used circuses , concerts. edmund kean , charles dickens both performed there before demolished in 1844 make way bonsecours market.
never resting, molson continued build empire purchasing multiple steamships , creating st lawrence steamboat company. fleet of ships big outnumbered of operating in united states. in 1826 molson decided run against young louis-joseph papineau resigned after discovering amount of support papineau had french , irish.
on march 18, 1829 molson’s wife sarah vaughan, died after treating rheumatism laudanum. sarah became addicted opium-based painkiller , died effects. molson sold house lived in , moved on life. four-year term president of bank of montreal ended , molson did not run second. @ age of 67 molson did not contemplate retirement; 1 of biggest projects still lay ahead.
since 1825, molson had followed reports of first railways being built in england. molson had told head of project, jason pierce, interested. pierce did not forget molson s interest , in 1832 molson s request railroad accepted assembly. champlain , st lawrence railroad connected st lawrence hudson river, making trip montreal new york quicker. first railway ever constructed in canada.
after multiple successful proposals, john molson appointed legislative council of lower canada. considered part of chateau clique rich english businessman. people losing faith in english businessmen molson , turning men papineau , robert nelson, both members of patriote movement. cholera epidemic struck canada in 1832 , 1834 causing railroad project lose of momentum. many businesses closed in montreal molsons continued work usual. in 1833 molson s hotel burned down again. time though, molson decided not rebuild it.
molson appointed provincial grand master of district grand lodge of montreal (freemasons) duke of sussex letters patent dated may 15, 1826 , installed in office claude dénéchau on september 5, 1826; molson resigned in 1833.
after second cholera epidemic, when things returned normal, molson’s railroad project began gain speed. unfortunately, did not live long enough see last dream realized. molson caught high fever in december 1835. wrote on january 10, 1836 , died day. in will, molson named john molson junior, thomas molson, william molson, george moffatt , peter mcgill executors. body rests @ mount royal cemetery.
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