Druggist, newspaper owner, journalist & mayor of Whitby
May 1872: was suddenly taken ill at his store with inflammation of the lungs on Sat. 18th and died 9 days later.  That day, a flash of lightning struck the English Church knocking the steeple to pieces, smashing every window, destroying the organ and making the interior a perfect wreck. 
President of South Ontario Reform Association.  His untimely death caused the convention to nominate a candidate for election to the House of Commons  to be put off by a week [Ontario Reformer, Oshawa, May 31,1872]