Canadian financier, born on the 5th of June 1829 at Dufftown, Banffshire, Scotland, the son of William Stephen and Elspeth Smith. He was educated at the parish school, after which he was for a time a herd boy. In 1850 he went to Canada and soon became a prominent businessman in Montréal. In 1878 he joined with his cousin, Donald Smith (afterwards Lord Strathcona), in the purchase of the St. Paul & Pacific railway. This led to his interest in the development of western Canada, and from 1881 onwards he was associated with his cousin in the construction of the Canadian Pacific railway, for his services in connection with which he was in 1886 made a baronet, in 1891 raised to the peerage, and in 1905 made G.C.V.O. In 1888 he left Canada, and thereafter lived in England and Scotland. He gave lavishly to charity and education, and with Lord Strathcona built and endowed the Royal Victoria hospital at Montréal. He died at Brocket Hall, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, on the 29th of November 1921.
