Robert Mackay (1840-1916)

He was born at Caithness in Scotland and completed his education at Phillips School, Montreal. He began his career in the dry goods business of his uncles, Joseph and Edward Mackay, becoming a partner in 1867. After his uncles retired in 1875 he continued the firm with his brother childless brother, Hugh Mackay, from whom he inherited $3-million in 1890. He retired from Mackay Brothers in 1893. 

He was President of the Montreal Board of Trade; the Shawinigan Water & Power Company; and, St. Jerome Power & Electric Light Co. He was Vice-President of the Bell Telephone Company; Lake of the Woods Milling Company; and, the Paton Manufacturing Co. He was a Director of the Bank of Montreal; City & District Savings Bank; Canadian Pacific Railway; Montreal Light, Heat & Power Co.; Dominion Textile Co.; Dominion Iron & Steel Co.; Shedden Forwarding Co. Ltd.; Montreal Rolling Mills; Royal Trust Company; Canada Starch Company; Port Hood Richmond Railway & Coal Co. Ltd.; Shawinigan Carbide Co.; St. Maurice Valley Railway; Canada Paper Company; and, Royal Victoria Life Insurance Co. He was President of the Saint-Andrews Society; Vice-President of the Mackay Institute; Governor of the Montreal General Hospital and the Notre Dame Hospital; Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the 5th Royal Highlanders; and was called to the Senate of Canada for the Liberal Party in 1901. He married Jane Baptist and had 7-children. In 1916, he died at his home, Kildonan Hall, leaving an estate valued at $8.2-million.