Statue – St. Catharines

Article from newspaper: Saturday Night, February 23, 1929

Memorial to Hon. William Hamilton Merritt

Few men played a more important role in the history of Canadian development than the famous financier and pioneer of transportation, Hon. William Hamilton Merritt, of St. Catharines, Ont. On Dec. 6th, a statue of him by the well known sculptor, Alfred Howell, was unveiled at that City with appropriate ceremonies. The unveiling was performed by Lady Pellatt, of Toronto, formerly miss Katherine Welland Merritt, and an historical address was delivered by Canon Cody of Toronto. Others on the platform were Mr. J.D. Wright, Mayor of St. Catharines, Charles A. Keefer, Ottawa, J.A. Cameron, Treasurer of the U.E. Loyalists Association, J.H. Ingersoll and Miss Emily Merritt, Toronto.

Excerpts from The Standard, Saturday, December 5, 1987, Glimpses into our past, Recognition for Merritt

It was 158 years ago last Friday that the Ann and Jane became the first ship to lock into what was then the new Welland Canal. But it took almost a century for St. Catharines to officially acknowledge William Hamilton Merritt’s key role in building this now-famous statue as a tribute to “the father of the Seaway”.

(It was) a raw December day in 1925 during the official unveiling of the statue, located at what is now St. Paul Street West and McGuire Street, overlooking Twelve Mile Creek and the route of the first two Welland canals. The crowd included civic officials and members of the Merritt family.

Upon Merritt’s death in 1862, the St. Catharines Historical Society attempted to erect a monument in his honour. However, it was not until 1918 that enough money had been raised and a bronze statue was commissioned. Seven years later, this official dedication and unveiling took place.

Inscription

[rear of shaft/arrière du socle]
WILLIAM HAMILTON MERRITT

has been erected by his grandson William Hamilton Merritt
of the city of Toronto son of William Hamilton Merritt Jr. of
St. Catharines as a tribute to the father of Canadian
transportation who through initiatory steps in first
waterways and railways earned that title.

He projected and carried to a successful completion
the bridging of the cataract of Niagara by the Wel-
land Canada 1824-29 the first railway suspension bridge in the
world spanning the gorge of the same river 1846-55 and the
Welland Railway 1855-58.

He was the proposer and first chairman of the St. Lawrence Canals Commission 1832.

Advocated the Sault Ste Marie Canal principal pro-
motor of the first railroad charter in Canada
the Niagara and Detroit Rivers Railway Company 1836-46
assisted the Great Western Railroad 1846.

Advocated daily fast transatlantic steamships and
gave impetus to many important improvements as
president of the council 1848 and commissioner of public
works 1850 in the Government of Canada.

He was twice elected member of parliament for Hald-
imond 1832 and 1841 and seven times for Lincoln 1841-60.
He was elected to the legislative council in 1860
Lieut. Niagara Light Dragoons 3rd March 1913 present Detroit
expedition (clasp) Queenston Niagara Stony Creek and Lundys
Lane Medal and Clasp War 1812-14.

Born July 3 1793 died July 5 1862. Son of Major
Thomas Merritt U.E.L. of St. Catharines and grandson
of Thomas Merritt U.E.L. of St. John N.B. who loyal to King
and flag left Westchester County Long Island Sound N.Y. and
the revolting states and landed in Canada 1782.

Article publié par le journal Saturday Night le 23 février 1929

Mémorial dédié à l’honorable William Hamilton Merritt

Peu d’hommes ont joué un rôle plus important dans l’histoire du développement canadien que l’honorable William Hamilton Merritt, de St. Catharines (Ont.). Le 6 décembre, une statue de ce célèbre financier et pionnier des transports réalisée par Alfred Howell, sculpteur bien connu, a été dévoilée en cette ville avec toute la pompe appropriée. La statue a été dévoilée par lady Pellatt, de Toronto, anciennement Mlle Katherine Welland Merritt, et le chanoine Cody, de Toronto, a prononcé une allocution historique. Les autres dignitaires invités étaient M. J.D. Wright, maire de St. Catharies, M. Charles A. Keefer, d’Ottawa, M. J.A. Cameron, trésorier de la U.E. Loyalists Association, M. J.H. Ingersoll et Mlle Emily Merritt, de Toronto.

Extraits d’un article intitulé « Glimpses into our past, Recognition for Merritt », publié dans le Standard du samedi 5 décembre 1987

Il y a 158 ans vendredi dernier, le Ann and Jane devenait le premier navire à franchir les écluses de ce qui était alors le tout nouveau canal Welland. Mais il a fallu près d’un siècle pour que St. Catharines reconnaisse officiellement le rôle clé joué par Willam Hamilton Merritt en érigeant une statue aujourd’hui célèbre pour rendre hommage au « père de la Voie maritime ».

C’est par une froide journée de décembre 1925 qu’a été dévoilée officiellement cette statue située à l’endroit qui forme aujourd’hui l’intersection de la rue St. Paul et de la rue McGuire, en surplomb de Twelve Mile Creek et du tracé des deux premiers canaux de Welland. La foule incluait des dignitaires municipaux et des membres de la famille Merritt.

À la mort de Merritt, en 1862, la société d’histoire de St. Catharines avait essayé d’ériger un monument en son honneur. Il a toutefois fallu attendre jusqu’en 1918 pour que la somme nécessaire soit recueillie et qu’une statue de bronze soit commandée. Sept ans plus tard, son inauguration officielle avait lieu.

Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.