(1821-18 Dec. 1893), businessman and MP. (known in later years as John McLennan (by the Lake)). Born at Williamstown, GC. Parents: John (Squire) McLennan, a native of Scotland, and his first wife Margaret Mackenzie, who was of U E Loyalist descent. He was educated locally, and is said to have been a merchant at Lancaster. Afterwards, however, he became a successful and wealthy Montreal businessman. A very important event in his career came in 1853, when he and his brother Hugh McLennan founded a Montreal-based grain and shipping company called J. and H. McLennan, later known as the Montreal Transportation Company. Like Hugh, he served as president of the Montreal Board of Trade. In GC, on Lake St. Francis about a mile and a half east of Lancaster, John built a fine house for himself, called “By the Lake” and he himself became known as “John McLennan (by the Lake).” Across the road was the fine house, called “Ridgeway,” of his son Duncan McLennan. (See the entry for Mrs Duncan McLENNAN) Harkness indicates that the father built his son’s house as well as his own.

     John McLennan settled in GC about 1876, following a visit to Europe, and was elected MP for GC in 1878, as a Conservative, defeating Archibald McNab. (He had previously been defeated by McNab in the GC federal by-election of 1876. For this, see also the entry for Senator McMillan.) We get a glimpse of McLennan at this stage from the pen of the Scottish journalist Alexander Mackenzie, who visited GC in 1879, and met McLennan in Montreal, as they were both about to take train for GC: “I was fortunate enough to meet and to secure an introduction to him on the platform before the train started. At first I found him somewhat reserved, but he soon melted down; when I found his father was a native of Kintail; and I afterwards learned that the son was very wealthy and highly respected throughout the county, irrespective of party politics. We had a most agreeable chat during the greater part of the journey, and he gave me the names of several of the most prominent Highlanders in the county, in addition to those whose names I already had.” Later, when Mackenzie gave his lecture at Lancaster, McLennan acted as chairman. McLennan served as MP for only one term, and did not run in the next election, that of 1882. As MP, he enjoyed a high reputation for well-informed judgement in commercial matters. This reputation depended ultimately on his business success, but his expertise was matured also, we are told, through his “extensive study and reading upon political economy.”

     When Dr Donald McMillan was made a senator, the Alexandria correspondent in the Freeholder of 18 Jan. 1884 wrote, “A great many seem to think that because Mr. John McLennan made way for Mr. McMaster [in the election of 1882] that Mr. McLennan should have received the position. To those who think so we would say, that they had no right to think or hope for such a thing, because we believe that Mr. McLennan never of his own choice made way for Mr. McMaster, but that pressure was brought to keep him back for fear that he would not be able to cope successfully with the Hon. D. A. Macdonald.” The comment is partisan, the corresponent being a Liberal and a defender besides of his (Conservative) fellow townsman Dr McMillan, but is interesting as an interpretation thought plausible enough to be slipped into print. “Mr. McMaster” was the future Sir Donald Macmaster. Somewhat surprisingly, in 1891 McLennan was offered the Liberal (sic–not Conservative) federal candidacy for GC. He declined, thereby leaving the candidacy open for J. T. Schell. (Cornwall Freeholder 13 & 20 Feb. 1891)

     John McLennan died in Montreal, where he had gone to seek medical advice. Presbyterian. He was married to Charlotte Mair. Their son Duncan married Charlotte’s niece, Harriet Mair. John McLennan was the half-brother of Alexander (Squire) McLennan and was the full brother of Hugh McLennan, his Montreal business associate.

     John McLennan was the author of a valuable early article on the history of GC, “The Early Settlement of Glengarry,” Transactions of the Celtic Society of Montreal (1887) pp. 113-121. There is a small collection of his papers in the Library and Archives of Canada.

     Gertrude Wood (A. Gertrude Wood), who during one vacation worked as housmaid for the widowed Mrs John McLennan, thought that Mrs McLennan, having been “a Southern Belle,” strove to maintain the comfortable, Southern upper-class style of living to which she had been early accustomed in life, and remembered that Mrs McLennan’s practice was to lay out for the cook in the morning the food needed for the menu of the day, and then to lock the store-room. Gertrude Wood also defined the architecture of By the Lake as “Southern.”

Obituary (QF), undated clipping, ASC ii, 112, 149 * Montreal Gazette 19 Dec. 1893 (both death notice & obituary) * Cornwall Freeholder 22 Dec. 1893 * Harkness 50, 257 (photo), 260 * Dumbrille, B, 32-43 * Ross, Lancaster, 202-207 (repr. of the Transactions of the Celtic Society of Montreal article), 219-220 * Alexander Mackenzie, The Celtic Magazine, V (1880) 155, 158 *Wood letters 19 March & 16 April 1977 * defines his position on the Coteau Bridge scheme, Witness 14 July 1880, from Cornwall Reporter * text of his speech at Martintown, Cornwall Reporter 17 Sept. 1881 * text of his speech in House of Commons, Cornwall Reporter 11 March 1882 * John McLennan papers, NAC * his speeches, Can., House of Commons, Debates * election approaches; McLennan to retire from representation of GC; his distinguished parliamentary record, Cornwall Reporter 20 May 1882 * who is to be the new senator: McLennan? Dr McMillan? or A. S. McDonald of Lancaster?, Alexandria column, CF 7 April 1882 * speculation that when McLennan returns from Europe this spring he, not Dr McMillan, may get the senatorship, Alexandria column, CF 16 March 1883