Ross, James Gordon (Jamie)

James Gordon (Jamie) Ross was born on Lot 9, Concession 5 of West Zorra Township, the second son of David Robert and Annie (nee Munro) Ross, but he was raised in Embro after the family moved to 70 John St.  He attended Embro Public School and Woodstock Collegiate and graduated from McGill University in engineering.  He was an engineer with the Grand Trunk Railway (1903-05), a prospector in the Cobalt district (1906), engineer and superintendent, Hudson River Tunnels, New York (1906-07) and manager of the Worthington Mine (1908).  From 1909 to 1911 he travelled worldwide examining mining properties, then returned to Montreal to join the Milton Hersey Company as a consulting engineer (1911-14).  He enlisted on September 23, 1914 and served with the Black Watch Regiment (Royal Highlanders of Canada).  He rose to the rank of captain before he was wounded at Festubert in 1915 and withdrawn from service.  He was later made Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment.

On August 30, 1921 he married Gladys Vera Miner, widow of Major Gilbert D. McGibbon, and they travelled extensively in North and South America for the Milton Hersey Company.  In 1929 he joined the Asbestos Corporation of Thetford Mines, Quebec, rising to vice president and general manager.  He was a director of the Royal Bank of Canada, president of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (1935) and general manager of Wartime Metals (1940-45).  In 1940 he gave $25,000 to the federal government to purchase a Spitfire fighter, which was named in his honour.  He was a member of the St. James and Mount Royal clubs of Montreal and he and his wife built Amiante Lodge at the Seigniory Club, Montebello, Quebec.  They had no children.  Jamie and his wife Gladys are both buried in North Embro Cemetery.