North American Mining And Manufacturing Company, Shallow Lake, Ontario

North American Mining And Manufacturing Company, Shallow Lake, Ontario

The North American Mining And Manufacturing Company (full legal name: North American Chemical, Mining And Manufacturing Company of Ontario) was incorporated in Ontario in August 1889. It had a capitalization of 200 authorized shares at $500 per share.

It was the first Canadian company to be incorporated for the specific purpose of manufacturing Portland cement.

The company’s offices were in Owen Sound, Ontario and its manufacturing operations were based at Shallow Lake, Ontario was was incorporated with the intention of manufacturing Portland cement. In 1892, the company’s name was changed to Owen Sound Portland Cement Company.

Advertisement for the newly incorporated North American Mining And Manufacturing Company, of Shallow Lake, Ontario, August 1889 (Author's collection)
Advertisement for the newly incorporated North American Mining And Manufacturing Company, of Shallow Lake, Ontario, August 1889 (Author’s collection)

The leading promoter of the company was Richard Judson Doyle (1835-1903), who owned 6 shares.

The largest single shareholder was Robert Pim Butchart, who owned 14 shares. Other shareholders included John Corbet (6 shares), William Robinson and William Heald.

The North American Mining And Manufacturing Company was the first company through which Robert Butchart became involved in the Portland cement business.

A brief history of the North American Chemical, Mining And Manufacturing Company of Ontario appears in Chapter 3 of our Butchart Gardens History.

Here are the original Incorporation documents from 1888:

Number 17 Incorporated by Letters Patent on 16th April 1888
Recorded on 23rd April 1888

North American Chemical Mining and Manufacturing Company of Ontario

And whereas by Petition addressed to Our Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario-in-Council:

    • Richard Judson Doyle of the Township of Sarawak in the County of Grey and Province of Ontario, Insurance Manager;
    • William Robinson of the Town of Owen Sound in the said County of Grey, Engineer and Contractor,
    • Robert Pim Butchart of the same place, Hardware Merchant;
    • John Corbet, of the same place Iron Founder and
    • William Heald of the Town of Chatham in the County of Kent and Province aforesaid Contractor

    [The end of this page and top of the next page is badly degraded and illegible. The next legible part of the record is:-]

    …..required for the manufacture of said articles, sacks lumber and Kieselghut [Author’s Note: difficult to read in original. I guessed at this word], and the doing of all things incident to or connected with the due carrying out of the objects aforesaid; the acquiring by purchase or by lease or otherwise of such real estate of premises, and the erecting thereon of such buildings as maybe necessary for the business of the Company, and the building of tramways to the nearest Railway and to the nearest navigable waters and the acquiring of the necessary land thereby under the name of “The North American Chemical Mining and Manufacturing Company of Ontario”

    And whereas it is further stated by the said petition that the amount of the said stock taken by each of the applicants is as follows:-

    By the said Richard Judson Doyle, William Robinson, Robert Pim Butchart, John Corbet and William Heald each the sum of one thousand dollars upon which nothing has been paid in……..

    And we direct that the Capital stock of the said Company be One Hundred Thousand Dollars and be divided into Two Hundred shares of Five Hundred dollars;

    that the operations of the said Company be carried on in the said Town of Owen Sound and in the Township of Keppel in the said County of Grey and in the Township of Arnabel in the County of Bruce in the said Province of Ontario;

    that the chief place of business of the Company be at – The said town of Owen Sound
    and that the said Richard Judson Doyle, William Robinson, Robert Pim Butchart, John Corbet and William Heald be the first Directors of said Company.”

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