George Albertus Cox

See: Canadian Biography Online

Senator Cox's Life Story

In finance, in statecraft, more or less in all great movements of men and time, those who exert the greatest influence, those who accomplish the ultimate results, are not always, in fact, are rarely - the men who are most seen and heard. The late Senator George Albertus Cox stood behind the schemes which enlisted his care and attention. His was the dynamic force which made outward and tangible expression? (expansion?) *****

Senator Cox was a native-born Canadian and owed to his own strenuous and persevering *** the position which he attained. He was an Ontario man, having been born in Colborne, in the county of Northumberland, on May 7, 1840. His parentage was English, his father being a shoemaker. He attended the public and grammar schools of Colborne in February, 1846???, when he entered the service of the Montreal Telegraph Company. After two years spent in its office in his native town he was regarded by the official of the company as competent to take charge of an agency, and he was accordingly sent by it, in May, 1855???, when but eighteen years of age, to take charge of its Peterboro' office. In Peterboro, he lived for 35 years, and always thereafter continued to exercise unabated interest in everything that contributed to the welfare of his old home.

Activities Expanded.

He also assumed the agency of the Canadian Express Company, and later became agent for the Canada Life Assurance Company and Western Assurance Company. In addition to these he opened a small stationary shop, and from these small beginnings his activities expanded until of nation-wide importance.

When only twenty-two years of age, in 1862, the young telegraph agent married Miss Margaret Hopkins in Peterboro', who died in 1905. Four ot of five children survive: Edward W. Cox, now President of the Canada Life: Herbert C. Cox, President of the Imperial Life Assurance Company; Mrs. A. E. Ames and Mrs. A. L. Davis, Mr. Frederick G. Cox, another son, died a few years ago.

In 1909 Senator Cox married Miss Amy Gertrude Sterling, eldest daughter of Mr. Walter Sterling of Toronto who survives him.

His Early Methodism.

Senator Cox's allgeance to Methodism came about in an interesting way. The first Sunday which he spent in the new town, after moving to Peterboro', he went to the English church, for his people were Anglicans, and he had been brought up in this faith. It was a very cold little church, but he was lonely, and he went back again the next Sunday. Nobody took him by the hand and called him brother or friend, or said he was glad to see him. Nobody paid any attention to him. So the third Sunday night he carried his loneliness to another church, the Methodist. The service may have seemed strange and crude to him, but after it was over there were a couple of ment to grip the boy by the hand, make him welcome and ask him to come back. He came back, and continued going back ever after. His adherence to the Church of his fathers could have been bought for a handshake and a cheerful word; but it fell out that even this currency was scarce at the moment, and he parted into the Methodist fold, which has ******************* *************** educational and commercial interests. For no less than seven years he was Mayor; three times he was successful in contested elections, and four times he was elected by acclamation. In 1871 Mr. Cox stepped from the municipal into the political field, and contested the riding of West Peterboro' with the late W. H. Scott for the Legislature. He won the fight, but the election was set aside, and in the following year he was defeated by Mr. Scott by a majority of oe. In 1887 Mr. Cox contested the same riding for the House of Commons with James????? Stevenson. He was again defeated, but the majority was only sixteen.

Mr. Cox also soon became concerned in enterprises of interest to the country at large; and in 1878 he became President of the Midland Railway of Canada, holding that position until 1884, when he resigned. During his term of office a great amalgamation took place, the Grand Junction, the Whitby and Port Perry????., the Victoria, and the Toronto and Nipissing??? Railways all being consolidated, the system thus created being sold to the Grand Trunk.

In Toronto Finance.

In 1881, Mr. Cox was one of the Howland syndicate that offered to build the CRR???? In 1884 he became President of the Central Canada Loan and Savings Company. In 1885??? He became a director of the Cnadian Bank of Commerece, in 1888 Vice-President, and in 1890 President of that institution.

In 1907 Senator Cox closed a notable period in his financial career when he resigned the Presidency of the bank in favor of Sir Edmund Waiker???, having during seventeen years as head of the in***** guided it safely through times of depression and until it became one of the largest and ************ Senator Cox's foresight brought the Central Canada through the period of stress with flying colors.

His Chief Life Work.

It was the Canada Life, however, with which Senator Cox was most intimately connected ever since he acquired control of the company with the profits made from the financing of the Midland Railway. He was in the early days a most aggressive insurance canvasser, and probably no one in Canada had a more thorough knowledge of insurance than he. In 1911 he was tendered a banquet by the staff of the Canada Life Assurance Company on the occasion of the completion of fifty year's connection with the company. Only a few days ago the appointment of his eldest son, E. W. Cox, to succeed him as President was announced.

In scores of other important enterprises he was actively concerned, and assisted in the directing.

Senator Cox has lived in Toronto since 1888. He was a storng temperance man and an ardnt supporter of the Methodist Church. For many years he was Bursar of Victoria University, President of the Ladies' College at Whitby, member of the Council of the Toronto branch of the Evangelical Alliance, one of the founders of the Dominion Sanitarium, and Vice-President of the Ontario Alliance.

Service in the Senate.

Shortly after the Laurier Administration came into power at Ottawa, Mr. Cox was elevated to the Senate of Canada by Lord Aberdeen, then Governor-General. He has been a very useful member of the Senate, taking a more active part in the discussion of matters in committee than in the Senate chamber itself. Sir Wilfrid Laurier, of whom he was an intimate personal friend, called on Senator Cox at his house when in Toronto last month to attend the University College dinner.

Senator Coxx took a deep interest in practically all philanthropic and charitable enterprises which come under his attention, and the majority of his private cheques were for charitable purposes. He was ever anxious that no deserving case which sought his help should be denied, and it is recorded that he once told Senator Robert Jaffray that a man come to his house and asked for help. "I didn't give it to him," He observed, "and - I've been sorry ever since."

Bursar of Victoria College.

For many years Senator Cox was the Bursar of Victoria University, and for that college he established a gold medal in natural science and a bursary in theology. He was also a Governor of the Wesleyan Theological College, Montreal, a member of the Canadian Council of the ***** Red Cross Society, a member of the Executive Committee of the Victorian Order of Nursea, and a Vice-President of the Ontario Branch of the Dominion Alliance.

He was a member of the York, Toronto, National, Royal Canadian Yacht and the Lambton Golf and Country Clubs of Toronto, also of the St. James' Club, Montreal, the Manitoba Club, Winnipeg; the ***** Country Clubs, Ottawa, and the City Midday Club of New York.

Many Varied Interests of Senator G. A. Cox

At one Time Senator Cox was serving on the boards of some forty different companies. Following is a list of some of those with which he was connected: - President, Canada Life Insurance Co.; President, Western Assurance Co.; President, British America Assurance Co.: President, Central Canada Loan & Savings Co.; Director, Grand Trunk Pacific Railway; Director and ex-President, Canadian Bank of Commerce; Director, National Trust Co.; Director, Canada Cement Co.; Drector, Dominion Steel Corporation; Director, Toronto Railway Co.; Director, Canadian General Electric Co.: President, Toronto Sanvings & Loan Co.; Director, Russell Motor Cor Co.; Director Dunlop Tire & Rubber Goods Co.; Director, Dominion Securities Corporation; Director, Robert Simpson Co.

Senator Cox Formerly was also connected with the Crow's Nest Pa** Coal Co., London Street Railway Co., Ottawa Electric Railway, Toronto Land & Investment Corporation, Keystone Fire Insurance Co., United States Mortgage Co., Imperial Guarantee & Accident Assurance Co., Frost & Wood, Ltd., Land & Mortgage Association, Toronto General Trusts Corporation, and other companies.

Note: This information was provided by a relative of Senator Cox. I am sorry to say that I lost contact with this person when I had a system problem with my computer and lost lots of data. Today, while looking for something else, I found this, and so finished and posted. Some of the information is left out and represented by asterisks, as the words are unreadable in the scanned article sent. Hopefully, the person who sent this will respond and perhaps help in a few corrections.

Thanks. The Editor.

Source: The Globe, Toronto, Saturday, January 17, 1914

Return to Index

IronOrchid.com