John Frothingham
John Frothingham | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Portland, Maine, United States |
| Died | 22 May 1870 (aged 81) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, bank president |
| Known for | Established largest wholesale hardware enterprise in British North America; President of City Bank of Montreal (1834–1849) |
John Frothingham (June 1788 – 22 May 1870) was a prominent Canadian entrepreneur who established the largest wholesale hardware enterprise in British North America, known as Frothingham & Workman. He held the position of President at the City Bank of Montreal from 1834 until 1849 and was a significant benefactor to institutions such as Queen's University, McGill University, and Protestant educational establishments in Montreal. His estate from the 1830s, Piedmont, later sold for $86,000 in 1890, eventually became the location of Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital.
Early life
John Frothingham was born in Portland, Maine, to Hon. John Frothingham, a Massachusetts Superior Court judge educated at Harvard, and Martha May, daughter of the distinguished Boston merchant Samuel May. Early in his professional journey, John gained experience working at his uncle Samuel May’s hardware business in Boston before being dispatched to Montreal in 1809 to establish a branch office.
Although he initially faced difficulties due to anti-American sentiment following the War of 1812, he succeeded in launching his own hardware enterprise alongside his brother Joseph May Frothingham until Joseph passed away in 1832. In 1836, John joined forces with William Workman to form what grew into British North America’s leading hardware and iron wholesale company. By 1853, Frothingham & Workman had moved into larger facilities and commenced manufacturing some of their products.
Life in Montreal
During the 1840s, Frothingham broadened his investment portfolio across several key sectors contributing to Montreal’s growth. These included involvement with the Montreal Board of Trade, the St Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad, the Montreal Stock Exchange, and the Canada Inland Steam Navigation Company. He also participated actively in organizations such as the British and Canadian School of Montreal and the Montreal Horticultural Society.
Beyond his hardware interests, Frothingham’s main financial engagement was with the City Bank of Montreal. Established in 1831 with New York funding as a competitor to the Bank of Montreal’s dominance, it attracted investors from English Canadian, French Canadian, and American backgrounds who opposed Scots-Quebecer control. Frothingham was a major shareholder and served on its board for approximately sixteen years before assuming the presidency from 1834 to 1849. Following substantial financial setbacks, he stepped down and was succeeded by William Workman. Notably, Frothingham refrained from participating in political affairs.
Family and last years
In 1816, at Brookline, Massachusetts, Frothingham married his first cousin Louisa Goddard Archibald (1794–1843), daughter of Azor Gale Archibald and Lucretia May. Together they had seven children, though only three survived into adulthood:
- George Henry Frothingham (1823–1875), based in Montreal, joined his father’s firm and married Louisa Davenport Hayward in 1844.
- Frederick Frothingham (1825–1891), residing in Milton, Massachusetts, educated at Harvard University, wedded Lois Ripley Wright in 1872.
- Louisa Goddard Frothingham (1827–1910), who remained her father’s close companion after her mother’s death and later married John Henry Robinson Molson. She became a leading philanthropist contributing over $460,000 to organizations such as the Protestant Hospital for the Insane, Montreal General Hospital, and the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning.
In the early 1830s, Frothingham acquired Piedmont House from Louis-Charles Foucher, an estate situated within Montreal’s Golden Square Mile. The property included extensive orchards and gardens and functioned as the winter residence for the Governor General during parliamentary sessions. Located on what is now part of the McGill University campus, Piedmont was demolished in 1939.
After retiring from active business pursuits in 1859, Frothingham led a quiet life at Piedmont. A devout Presbyterian, he generously supported institutions including Queen's University, McGill University, and Protestant schools throughout Montreal. His personal documents are preserved in archives at the University of Toronto.