John Smith (1789-1872)

He was a native of Athelstaneford, 20-miles east of Edinburgh. He came to Montreal in 1811 and went into partnership with Charles Bowman in the dry goods business. When Bowman left for Upper Canada in 1824, Smith "found himself embarrassed for want of capital". Obtaining a settlement, he continued the business and was able to retire in 1844 with the reputation of being one of Montreal's leading dry goods merchants. He was one of the original members of the St. Andrew's Society. He belonged to Saint Gabriel's Church, was a trustee of the new St. Andrew's Church before joining St. Paul's Church in his later years. He married Betsey Rae and had five daughters: (1) Isabella, Mrs Andrew Allan (2) Matilda, married Sir Hugh Allan (3) Rachel, Mrs William Rae, whose only daughter married Hugh Andrew Allan (4) Euphemia, Mrs James Galloway Bellhouse (5) Elizabeth, Mrs Hartland St. Clair MacDougall.

In 1844, he built Athelstane Hall, "a fine house" at 102 St. Alexander Street/Rue Saint-Alexandre on the corner of Dorchester Street, adjoining the property of the Hon. James Ferrier. He died there in 1872 and from then it was occupied by the Rev. James Lang (1835-1919), Minister of St. Andrew's Church, Montreal (and uncle of Cosmo Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury) who lived there with his wife Frances Mary Corbet (1835-1920) of Bieldside, Aberdeen. After 1882, the house was acquired by James Morgan Jr., and his wife Anna Lyman. By 1900, it was home to the Academy of Montreal, a day school for 100-pupils. It was eventually torn down about 1912, replaced by the Académie du Sacré-Coeur.