Major David Seath

Major David Seath occupies an important position in the public service of the Dominion as secretary and treasurer of the harbor commission of Montreal. He is a son of the late Robert Seath, a wholesale clothing merchant of Montreal, and Margaret (Stephen) Seath. Born in Montreal on May 9, 1847, he subsequently attended the high school in this city and the parish school at Ste. Rose, province of Quebec. In 1864 he entered the employ of his father and subsequently became connected with the firm of Tyre, Perkins & Lajoie, accountants and assignees, of which he subsequently became a member under the firm style of Lajoie, Seath & Perrault, which was formed in 1877. The firm also was for a time known under the style of Thibaudeau & Seath, and of this firm our subject was a partner until 1895. From that year until 1898 he was president and manager of the Perrault Printing Company. At that time he was also a member of the board of license commissioners of Montreal. In 1898 he was appointed secretary and treasurer of the harbor commissioners board of Montreal, which office he has ever since held. His public record is one to be highly commended.

Mr. Seath is a justice of the peace and has to his credit a long military career in the volunteer service, his years of active duty comprising those between 1864 and 1905. He joined the Victoria Rifles as a private in 1864 and took part in the Fenian raid in 1866 and 1870, receiving in the latter year the medal and two clasps. During that time, in 1867, he was gazetted lieutenant in the Sixth Regiment, Hochelaga Light Infantry. He attained the rank of captain in the Sixth Fusiliers and in 1905 rejoined this regiment, known as the “Prince of Wales’,” as paymaster with the honorary rank of major, retiring in the same year. Besides his Fenian raids medals and clasps, he holds the colonial auxiliary forces officers’ long service decoration. He was instrumental in having the services of the volunteers for the Fenian raids recognized by the government. Besides acting as justice of the peace he is also commissioner for receiving affidavits from outside the province of Ontario to be used in Ontario and is commissioner of the superior court of the province of Quebec.

Major Seath was married in September, 1904, to Miss Emma A. Fish, of Westmount, on which occasion he was presented with a valuable service of plate by the Montreal harbor commissioners. In religious faith he is an Anglican and his political convictions incline him towards the liberal party. Mr. Seath stands high in Freemasonry, having attained the thirty-second degree. He has been grand registrar of the grand lodge of Quebec and grand scribe, grand treasurer and grand first principal of the grand chapter of Quebec. He is a Knight Templar and an officer of the A. & A. Scotish Rite. The family residence is at 95 Mackay Street, Montreal. Hon. Robert Mackay, the distinguished statesman and man of affairs, says of him: “An officer of long and faithful service who was and is always at his post”; and this statement expresses his faithfulness to duty perhaps better than anything that could be said in addition.