1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Mountstephen, George Stephen, Baron

MOUNTSTEPHEN, GEORGE STEPHEN, BARON (1829–), Canadian financier, was born on the 5th of June 1829 at Dufftown, Banffshire, Scotland, the son of William Stephen and Elspeth Smith. He was educated at the parish school, after which he was for a time a herd boy. In 1850 he went to Canada and soon became a prominent business man in Montreal. In 1878 he joined with his cousin, Donald Smith (afterwards Lord Strathcona), in the purchase of the St Paul & Pacific railway. This led to his interest in the development of western Canada, and from 1881 onwards he was associated with his cousin in the construction of the Canadian Pacific railway, for his services in connexion with which he was in 1886 made a baronet, in 1891 raised to the peerage; and in 1905 made G.C.V.O. In 1888 he left Canada, and thereafter lived in England and Scotland. He gave lavishly to charity and education, and with Lord Strathcona built and endowed the Royal Victoria hospital at Montreal.