still carries on. In connection with this he has a private bank, which
he opened in the autumn of 1881. This institution was one that the
citizens of Acton greatly needed, as they had no banking office nearer
than Guelph. In politics Mr. Henderson is a Liberal-Conservative, and
was elected during the bye-election in 1888 to represent Halton in the
House of Commons. He is an adherent of the Presbyterian church. He
married on Christmas Day, 1865, Alison Christie, daughter of Charles
Christie, late of Nassagaweya, and has a family of six sons and one
daughter.
* * * * *
=Payzant, John Young=, M.A. (Acadia College), Barrister, Halifax, N.S.,
is a native of Falmouth, Hants county, where he was born on the 9th
February, 1837. He is the descendant of a prominent Huguenot, who fled
from Caen, France, on the revocation of the edict of Nantes. The family
came to Nova Scotia, under Governor Cornwallis, in 1754. After the death
of the great grandfather in the Indian wars of that period, his widow
and children were carried captives to Quebec, and were present at the
fall of that fortress after the heroic attack of Wolfe. They
subsequently returned to Nova Scotia, two of the sons, Louis and John,
becoming eminent preachers in said province. He received his early
education at the Academy and College of Acadia at Wolfville, N.S., his
family being Baptists. Having finished his classical course and
graduated at Acadia, he went to Halifax, N.S., and studied law with the
late Hon. James W. Johnston, afterwards judge in equity of the Supreme
Court. He was admitted to the bar of Nova Scotia 7th December, 1864, and
at once began to practise in Halifax, where his excellent reputation and
family connections enabled him to work up a good business. He has a
large conveyancing and real estate business. He has been for many years
the solicitor of the Nova Scotia Building Society, which carries on an
extensive business in Halifax. He is also an executor of the will of the
late John Young, a leading broker and commission merchant, whose only
daughter is the widow of Sir Albert J. Smith, ex-minister of marine, and
who left a large estate. He married a daughter of William C. Silver, of
Halifax, the well-known dry goods merchant, and has several children.
His two eldest sons are taking the arts course at King’s College,
Windsor. Some years ago Mr. Payzant took exception to certain
regulations and practices of the Baptist church, and published a
pamphlet explanatory of his reasons for severing his connection with it.
He then connected himself with the Church of England and worships in St.
Paul’s Church, in Halifax. He takes a strong interest in all matters
pertaining to the Anglican church. He is a frequent lecturer in Halifax
and other places in his native province. Mr. Payzant began his active
political career in the bye-election of 1884, having reluctantly
accepted the nomination of the Conservative party, opposing Hon. W. S.
Fielding, provincial secretary and premier, who ran for Halifax county,
this gentleman having undertaken to form a government when Hon. W. T.
Pipes, of Amherst, the former premier, retired from the position. Hon.
Mr. Fielding was elected by a majority of about two hundred and fifty.
Mr. Payzant, however, stood so well with the people that his party
determined to nominate him, together with W. D. Harrington, ex-M.P.P.,
and Alderman James N. Lyons, at the general election of May, 1886. Mr.
Payzant was absent from Halifax city at the time of this caucus, and
again reluctantly took the field. The question of repeal was the main
issue before the country, and the Conservatives were unable to make much
headway, although they conducted their campaign with great spirit and
assiduity. The returns were a complete victory for Hon. Mr. Fielding’s
government. In Halifax the vote stood, Fielding, 4042; Roche, 3931;
Power, 3822; defeating Harrington, 2981; J. N. Lyons, 2866; Payzant,