Volume III - ElectricCanadian.com

JOHNSTARR, of thefirm of John Starr,MEN OR CAXA DA. 129Son & Co., (Ltd.),contractors for the equipmentof electric light andpower stations, electric tramways,and all kinds of electricalapparatus, Halifax,N. S., was born in that city,December Qth, 1827. He isthe son of David Starr, oftHalifax, who is one of thedescendents of Dr. ComfortStarr, who came to Boston,Mass., from England in1635. The records of hisfamily were published afew years ago in the UnitedStates. Mr. Starr receivedhis education at the Academyconnected with King'sCollege, Windsor, N.S., andcontinued it at Mount AllisonUniversity, Sackville,N.B. He began businessin 1848, as a member of thefirm of David Starr & Sons,who built up a large businessin hardware and shipping,but which was entirelyruined in 1880, by nonpaymentfor construction ofsome sections of the I. C. R. Mr. Starr present business, which is the largestis the originator, and was for several of its kind in the Dominion. He spentyears president and manager of the several years in Europe in the interestsStarr Mfg. Co., and was also the originatorand is at present the managing-Boston, and was instrumental in intro-of the Thomson-Houston Company ofdirector of the Canada Explosives Co.,Ltd., who manufacture " ducing their system of electric light, inRoburite," a London, Paris and other towns innew safety explosive for use in collieries. France. In religion, Mr. Starr is anAbout the year 1884, when electricity influential member of the Methodistwas beginning to be known as a factor Church. He was married, June i3th,for light and power, Mr. Starr was one 1853, to Mary Ann, daughter of Rev.of the first to introduce it in Canada, Wni. Croscouibe, well and favorablyand succeeded in organizing Electric known in Quebec and the Lower Provinces.His family consists of twoLight companies in various towns inCanada and Newfoundland, and by his sons and four daughters. Both of thepush and energy, has established his former are enthusiastic electricians.