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Chesley, John Alexander, Manufacturer, Portland, New Brunswick, was born in Portland, N.B., in May, 1839. He is the eldest son of William Ambrose and Mary Ann Chesley, of U. E. loyalist descent. He received his educational training in the Public school in Portland, and at the Grammar School in Albert county, N.B. Mr. Chesley began his business career in Portland, N.B., in 1862, as a manufacturer of ships’ iron knees, and conducted the business on his own account until 1869, when he took his brother, W. A. Chesley, into partnership, and thus formed the firm of “J. A. & W. A. Chesley,” of which he is the head and senior partner. Since then the firm has had a very successful career, and is very well and favourably known throughout the Maritime provinces for its locomotive frames, piston and connecting rods, truck, engine and car axles, shafting, ships’ iron knees, etc., and all kinds of heavy forgings. The firm has also a large interest in shipping. In 1876 Mr. Chesley was elected alderman for No. 1 Ward in Portland city, and occupied a seat in the city council continuously until April, 1885,—a period of nine years,—when he was elected mayor of the city. He also sat as one of the representatives of the city of Portland in the municipal council of the city and county of St. John from 1880 to 1886, a period of five years. In 1881 he was appointed a commissioner for taking the census in the county of St. John; and was a liquor license commissioner for St. John county in 1883 under the Dominion Liquor License Act. At the general elections of 1882 and 1886 Mr. Chesley was an unsuccessful candidate for the representation of the city and county of St. John in the legislature of New Brunswick, but received such support that we think he will be justified in running again for parliamentary honours when the occasion offers. In 1872 he was made a Mason, and now holds the rank of past master in the Blue lodge, and also that of past principal in the Royal Arch chapter. He is a member of the Encampment of St. John Knights Templars, and a member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish rite of Masonry; also a member of the Royal Order of Scotland. He is an active politician, and is a member of the Young Men’s Liberal Conservative Club of the city and county of St. John, and at the present time is the vice-president of the Club for the city of Portland. Mr. Chesley was a supporter of confederation, and worked hard to carry the measure, and has ever since taken an interest in all public questions—Dominion, provincial, and municipal—brought before the people of the city and county of St. John. He also took an active interest in, and laboured very hard in the election held to decide the free school system in New Brunswick, and had the satisfaction of seeing his party win in the contest, and secure for his province a school law that every lover of his country should be proud of. He is a Liberal-Conservative in politics, and a strong supporter of the national policy. He was married, first in December, 1860, to Mary Frances, eldest daughter of Albert Small, of Portland, Maine; and some time after her death he was again married in September, 1872, to Annie, eldest daughter of James S. May, of St. John, N.B.