HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1983-06-29, Page 52Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, June 29, 1983—Page 28
Murdoch second to none as after - dinner speaker
When we speak of John G. Murdoch
we instinctively think of him as one who
is, perhaps, second to none in Bruce
County as an after-dinner speaker. He
is the Rufus Choate of Lucknow.
Standing by the banquet board, or
facing an expectant audience at social or
garden party, he can sing a pleasant
song, tell a good story, or deliver a
speech of power and influence and
never to our knowledge has any such
occasion found him wanting.
But Mr. Murdoch is more than a
platform orator: first and foremost he is
a man of affairs, influential in all that
pertains to the progress and welfare of
the village. Reference to that phase of
his activities, makes interesting the
steps by which he attained to his
present position.
Mr. Murdoch was born in Waterloo
County in 1858. When he was only two
years old his parents removed to the
14th concession of Ashfield, where he
entered into business as a merchant in
Lochalsh, being also Postmaster there.
In 1888 he removed to Lucknow and
entered into partnership with Mr. R. D.
Cameron, then, like himself, newly
removed from a country store to their
larger one in the village. That partner-
ship continued until 1896, in which year
Mr. Cameron withdrew. Mr. Murdoch
then took his two brothers into partner-
ship, and the business was continued
under the name which it now bears - J.
G. Murdoch & Co.
Changes and developments have
occurred. Mr. Murdoch's brothers have
withdrawn to enter into business for
themselves. But the business has grown
steadily, year by year. In 1906 the
present splendid premises in the
Anderson Block were secured; making,
with their modern equipments and the
enormous stocks carried, one of the
largest and most representative stores
within many miles of Lucknow. Typical
of the spirit and standing of the
business is the large Union Jack, made
familiar in the advertising of the firm.
Mr. Murdoch's public interests are
many. He served for eleven years on the
Council Board of the village, being
three years elected Reeve by acclama-
tion. He was for three years President of
the West Bruce Reform Association.
Always deeply interested in church and
religious matters, he is president of the
Lord's Day Alliance, President of the
Upper Canada Tract Society, and was
one of the most influential in securing
the meeting in 1909 of the Laymen's
Missionary Congress.. in Lucknow. In
religion a Presbyterian, he is an elder of
Knox church and has been since he first
came to Lucknow a teacher in the
Sabbath School.
J. G. MURDOCH
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In picture, lett to right, Reg McGee, Len and Alvin McGee, Della
McGee, George Hutchins and John Hutchins, circa 1933.
Congratulations Lucknow
on your Jamboree '83
WE'VE BEEN AROUND A
LONG TIME ALSO....
Jacob McGee of Port Albert had two sons go into the garage business in
Goderich. In the early teens (approximately 1916) John McGee opened his
Willys dealership on Hamilton Street and operated there until he sold out to
his brother Reg in April of 1929. Reg started with a Dodge -DeSoto
dealership and eventually built a new garage at 37 Hamilton Street which was
opened in 1917. His four sons. Len. Al, Ron and Ken all came into the car
business. Reg McGee died in 1960. In January of 1962, the brothers
obtained the Pontiac. Buick. Cadillac franchise and operated from the same
location in greatly expanded premises. Al and Ken arc still operating the
Goderich business started 51 years earlier by their father.
MCGEE Pontiac -Buick -Cadillac
37 Hamilton Street
CODERICH 5241-8391
"Yesterday's Dealer - Doing Business Today - And Tomorrow
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