Michael James Walsh

Michael James Walsh is prominent along various lines of activity in Montreal, where he is widely known as a successful insurance broker but has also actively participated in an important way in political and governmental affairs and is moreover widely known in fraternal circles. Of good Irish stock, he has brought the sturdiness of his ancestors to the task at hand and has attained a success which entitles him to consideration as one of the substantial men of his community and a power for progress and improvement in the political field.

A native of Montreal, Michael James Walsh was born on the 2d of September, 1858, a son of Mark and Catherine (Nolan) Walsh, both natives of County Wexford, Ireland. The father was prominent as a contractor and everywhere in this city respected as a successful business man. Michael J. Walsh received his education at St. Ann’s parish, Christian Brothers School, and upon discontinuing his lessons became connected with the Grand Trunk and Canadian Pacific Railways, remaining for about ten years in their employ in their store departments. He then set out independently, becoming an insurance broker, and by native shrewdness and ability to understand commercial conditions has succeeded in building up a business which ranks him among the foremost men in his line in Montreal. When his private affairs permitted him to devote some of his time to the public weal he entered politics with the same zest as he displayed in his private business affairs and as a result was elected alderman of the St. Ann’s ward on February 1, 1902, continuing in that office for four years or until February 1, 1906, and doing valuable work in promoting measures which have been of far-reaching benefit to the city. On November 25, 1904, he was also elected a member of the Quebec provincial legislature and on December 28, 1908, reelected to that office, continuing therein until May 15, 1912. His legislative career has been one of success and his record has been so clear that his constituents may well be proud of their representative. He has done much in supporting valuable bills, especially those undertaken in the interest of his constituents, and has ever been active in committee rooms and on the floor of the house in sustaining or promoting constructive legislation. His political position is that of a liberal, and he always has been a stanch supporter of that grand man of the liberal party, Sir Wilfrid Laurier.

On October 9, 1882, at Montreal, in St. Henry parish church, Mr. Walsh was married to Mary Jane Barry, a daughter of David Barry, mechanical superintendent of the Canada Sugar Refinery, and Mary O’Leary, both natives of County Cork, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Walsh became the parents of two sons. Joseph Christopher Barry Walsh, B. A., B. C. L., is a well known notary public. The other son born to the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Walsh is David Robert Barry Walsh, who graduated from Loyola College and is now successfully engaged in the insurance business, being inspector for the Royal Exchange Association. Both sons are young men of excellent habits and qualifications.

As the years have passed Mr. Walsh has become connected with a number of outside interests and is now a director in the People’s Mutual Building Society and for many years has been a member of the Montreal Board of Trade, doing in that connection important work in promoting commercial expansion. Fraternally he is very prominent and has held high offices in the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Order of Foresters, the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, the Canadian Order of Foresters, the Royal Guardians, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and in St. Patrick’s Society. A man of varied and important interests, Mr. Walsh has made an honorable record in business as well as in municipal and provincial politics and enjoys the full confidence of the best classes of population. In him there is strongly developed the quality of loyalty, and it is his devotion to a cause which has led him into the important relations with which he is now connected. He may justly be classed with Montreal’s leading citizens, and the position which he has attained is the more creditable as it has been brought about entirely by his own efforts.