1866 City Bank of Montreal Cheque signed by Thomas Galt to Graeme Mercer Adam
12483On offer, a cleared cheque from the Toronto branch of the City Bank of Montreal dated 1st Dec 1866. Written and signed by Thomas Galt for the amount of $31 to be paid to G Mercer Adam “only”. Endorsed by Adam on the rear and bearing bankers notations and a Dec 10 stamp from the institution.
Thomas Galt was a lawyer and judge; eldest son of John Galt and younger brother of A.T. Galt, father of Confederation. He came to Canada at eighteen years old in 1833 from Scotland to work for the Canada Company and as chief clerk in the office of the Attorney General for Upper Canada. He became a student at law with the late Hon. Chief Justice Draper, was called to the bar in 1845, and practised law in Toronto. Thomas Galt became judge of the court of common pleas in Ontario in 1869, and in 1887 chief justice of the court, further being knighted by Queen Victoria in 1888, and retiring in 1894.
Graeme Mercer Adam was a Canadian author, editor, and publisher. Adam was born in Scotland where he developed a deep interest in publishing and moved to Toronto to run a bookstore. Shortly after, he teamed with a partner to form Rollo & Adam, which ventured into publishing. Their first significant publication was entitled British American Magazine, edited by Henry Youle Hind, a geologist and writer about the Canadian northwest. The publication, although short-lived, was the first of a long series of important Canadian periodicals published by Adam. In 1866 Adam commanded a company of the Queen’s Own Rifles in the engagement at Ridgeway during the Fenian raids.
The City Bank of Montreal (known in French as "La Banque de la Cité") was an early bank founded in Montreal in 1833 (when it was part of Lower Canada) as a counter to the Bank of Montreal, whose politically conservative directors made it difficult for leading liberals to do business in the province. Its operation under the name ended in 1867 with a merger, and through several more mergers has since evolved into the modern CIBC.
Bank cheque on security-paper, 6-½ x 3-¼ inches. Age toned and mildly discoloured from the left edge. Very Good condition.
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