To the Memory of The Honourable James McGill
A native of Glasgow North Britain and during several years a Representative of the City of Montreal in the Legislative Assembly, and Colonel of the 1st Battalion of Montreal Militia, who departed this life on the 19th day of December 1813 in his 69th year. In his loyalty to his sovereign and in ability, integrity, industry and zeal as a magistrate and in the other relations of public and private life he was conspicuous. His loss is accordingly sincerely felt and greatly regretted.
This monument and the remains which it covers were removed from the Old Protestant Cemetery, Dorchester Street, and placed here in grateful remembrance of the founder of this university.
Erected 1875.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Colonial Era • Education • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is October 6, 1744.
Location. 45° 30.307′ N, 73° 34.641′ W. Marker is in Montréal, Québec. It is in Golden Square Mile. It can be reached from Rue McTavish 0.2 kilometers north of Rue Sherbrooke Ouest (Québec Route 138), on the right when traveling north. The marker is the triangular median plaza in front of the McCall MacBain Arts Building on
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Central Canada. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, and the Western World. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Second World War Commemorative Garden (here, next to this marker); The Right Honourable Sir Wilfrid Laurier (within shouting distance of this marker); The International Labour Organization (ILO) / L'Organisation internationale du Travail (OIT) (within shouting distance of this marker); So We Will Not Forget: / Puissions-nous ne jamais oublier : (within shouting distance of this marker); Frank Dawson Adams (within shouting distance of this marker); École Polytechnique Massacre (about 150 meters away, measured in a direct line); Presbyterian College Montreal (about 180 meters away); Le Cercle Universitaire de McGill / McGill University Faculty Club (about 210 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Montréal.
Also see . . . James McGill (1744-1813) (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: Scottish-born businessman, politician, slaveholder, and philanthropist best known for being the founder of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Montreal West and appointed to the Executive Council(Submitted on May 29, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)of Lower Canada in 1792. He was an honorary lieutenant colonel of the 1st Battalion, Montreal Militia, a predecessor unit of The Canadian Grenadier Guards. He was also a prominent member of the Château Clique and one of the original founding members of the Beaver Club.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 22, 20242. The Honourable James McGill Monument BaseMcGill was a highly influential and record breaking trader within Canada, specifically in furs. Along with a group of four other merchants, he sent 12 canoes to a port in modern-day Minnesota which “appeared to mark the beginning of large-scale trade” both in the north-west territory of North America and “of the North West Company in Canada”. McGill was the largest investor of the fur trade within Lower Canada and Montreal in 1782, with some 26,000 Pound Sterling invested (not adjusted for inflation). It was said by his contemporaries that McGill was “the richest man in Montreal” at the time of his death.
McGill's most important legacy was the £10,000 and his summer home that he left to the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning. The bequest not only funded McGill University, but it also stretched to establish several other colleges and universities, including the University of British Columbia, which was known as the McGill University College of British Columbia until 1915; the University of Victoria, an affiliated junior college of McGill until 1916; and, Dawson College which began in 1945 as a
satellite campus of McGill to absorb the anticipated influx of students after World War II.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 22, 20243. The Honourable James McGill MonumentThe McCall MacBain Arts Building (Moyse Hall Theatre) is in the background.James McGill was buried, alongside his fur-trading associate John Porteous, in the old Protestant “Dufferin Square Cemetery”. When the cemetery was eradicated in 1875, his remains were reinterred in front of the Arts Building on the McGill University campus.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 27, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on May 29, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
