John Torrance
John Torrance (June 8, 1786 – January 20, 1870) was a merchant and entrepreneur of Montreal, Lower Canada. He entered the railroad industry in the 1830s and ran steamboats on the St. Lawrence River. He was also a director of the Bank of Montreal and closely involved with many aspects to do with the progression of Montreal from the 1820s to the 1850s. His home, St. Antoine Hall, was one of the early estates of the Golden Square Mile. Early years In 1786, John Torrance was born at Larkhall, Lanarkshire, Scotland. John was the second of the five very able sons born to Thomas Torrance (1735–1805), of Larkhall. Career In 1805, John accompanied his four brothers to New York City, in 1897, he moved again to Montreal to join his brother, Thomas, who had established himself as a merchant there. John next went to Quebec City to represent Thomas' firm, meeting his wife there. By 1814, he was back in Montreal and had opened a general store near to Thomas' on Saint-Paul Street. By 1826, his nephew David Torrance, had become a clerk in John's business, marrying John's daughter in 1832. Their business partnership lasted until John retired in 1853.