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Leach, William Turnbull

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Leach, The Ven. Archdeacon.—The late William Turnbull Leach, D.C.L., LL.D., Archdeacon of Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, was born in Berwick-on-Tweed, Scotland, on the 1st of March, 1805, and died at Montreal, on the 13th of October, 1886. He was of English descent, his grandfather having removed to Berwick from the previous home of the family in Lincolnshire, England. Archdeacon Leach was educated in Edinburgh, and took the degree of M.A. in the university of that city in 1827. In 1831, he was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian church, but shortly afterwards came to Canada, and was appointed to the charge of St. Andrew’s Church, Toronto, and was also chaplain to the 93rd Highlanders, stationed in that city, about the time of the rebellion in 1837-8. He subsequently entered the Church of England, to which he was ordained by Bishop Mountain in 1841, and was appointed to the incumbency of St. George’s Church, Montreal, which position he retained for nearly twenty years. He took the warmest interest in educational matters, was one of the founders of Queen’s College, Kingston, and was for many years an honoured member of the Council of Public Institution for Lower Canada, afterwards the province of Quebec. He was one of the little band who brought McGill University to its present position. His connection with McGill dates from 1845, and he may be said to have been the last survivor of the original staff. From the earliest years of the college, he was one of the professors of the Faculty of Arts, and as the work of the university extended, he relinquished his ministerial duties to devote himself exclusively to college work. During his active connection with the college, he held the Molson chair of English language and literature, was professor of logic and of mental and moral philosophy, dean of the Faculty of Arts, and vice-principal of the University. He was created D.C.L. of McGill in 1849, and LL.D. of McGill in 1857, and in 1867, the University of Lennoxville conferred upon him the degree of D.C.L. The Venerable Archdeacon Leach married three times. Shortly after his arrival in Canada, he returned for a short visit to Scotland, where he married Miss Skirving, daughter of Mr. Skirving, of Haddington, and granddaughter of Adam Skirving, author of “Johnnie Cope,” and other songs very popular at the time in Scotland. Of this marriage there were four children, two of whom are living, viz.: David S. Leach, of Montreal, and Mrs. Howell, of London, England. He afterwards married Miss Easton, daughter of the Rev. Robert Easton, a lady well known and much beloved, who previous to her marriage had conducted one of the principal establishments in Canada for the education of young ladies. His widow (daughter of the late Francis Gwilt), with her young unmarried daughter, reside in Montreal.

A Cyclopædia of Canadian Biography

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