362 PAST AND PRESENT OF sician at Evanston, Illinois ; Benjamin H., a Methodist minister, who has served as a mis¬ sionary in India, but is now located in British Columbia , where he preaches, having for some time held a professorship in Colum¬ bia College (Wesleyan), New Westminster; Heber Hamilton , a mechanic who resides in California ; George E. B ., a student in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia; Auctor Bright, now in British Columbia : and Clara Beatrice , a school teacher. In religion Mr. Balderston is a member of the Methodist church, of which he is a trustee and steward. He is also president of the Wiltshire Dairy¬ ing Company, having retained this official position since the company's inception, in 1897. George A. Thompson , a well known and successful merchant at Montague, is a native son of Prince Edward Island , having been born at , and is a son of William and Bexey (Allin) Thompson, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of England . The father followed the occupa¬ tions of farming and milling during his active life. The subject's mother died in 1888. George A. Thompson received his edu¬ cation in the district schools of his neighbor¬ hood and until seventeen years of age was an active assistant to his father on the home farm. At the age mentioned he took charge of his father's mill, which he managed with discretion and success for seven years. He then went to sea before the mast for a short time, after which he purchased a vessel of his own with which he carried on trading be¬ tween Newfoundland and the and other points, following this line of em¬ ployment for about six years. He then entered into a partnership with W. L. Poole and for about nine years they successfully carried on an extensive lumbering business. They built a store and built up a large mer¬ cantile business, carrying a complete and well selected stock of hardware, groceries and general builders' supplies, and they now enjoy probably the largest trade in Kings county. Mr. Thompson is president and a director of the Three Steamship Company and also a director of the Electric Light Company, of which he was one of the promoters. Fraternally Mr. Thompson is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to St. Andrew's Lodge at Montague,and is also a member of the Canadian Order of Forest¬ ers. On November 12, 1890, Mr. Thompson married Miss Fannie Townsend , a native of , Prince Edward Island , and a daughter of Charles W. and Harriet (Keefe) Townsend, the former, who was a farmer by occupation, (lying in December. 1900. The mother is still living at the old homestead. To Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have been born two children: Charles C, now thirteen years old, and George P., eleven years old. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson take an active part in church and missionary work. They are well known in the community where they live and enjoy the sincere regard of all. Edward G. Gillis , M. D. , who occupies a deservedly high position among the med¬ ical fraternity of Prince county, was born at Indian River , Prince Edward Island , on October 8, 1875, and is a son of Venantius S. and Catherine (McGellan) Gillis, the former a native of Miscouche and the latter of Indian River , the father being a surveyor