During the 19th century, Moses Hayes was a prominent businessman, a leader in Montreal’s Jewish community and one of the first Jews to enter into public service in the city.
Moses Judah Hayes (1799 – 1861)
Born in Montreal to a prominent Jewish family, Hayes would go on to serve as Director of the Montreal Gas Company and the Provident and Savings Bank. In the mid-1840s, he built Hayes House, a four-storey building with a theatre and Canada’s first shopping centre. It would serve as the seat of Canadian Parliament after the Parliament buildings were torched in 1849. Although not all his business ventures were successful, Hayes retained the respect and admiration of his community.
Hayes was also active in the larger society and was a member of the Montreal Mechanic’s Institute, the Montreal Agricultural Society and the Masons. In honour of his devotion to Montreal, he was among the first two Jews in Canada to be named as Justices of the Peace. In 1845, Hayes was named Police Chief, a post he held until his death 16 years later.
The Joseph Family: Jacob Henry Joseph (1814 – 1907), Jesse Joseph (1817–1904) & Abraham Joseph (1815–1886)
All three were sons of Henry Joseph (1775 – 1832), who was himself the nephew of Aaron Hart, the first Jew in Canada. Joseph settled in Berthier in 1790, eventually relocating to Quebec City. He made his fortune in fur-trading, at one point employing John Jacob Astor. In 1817, he became one of the three Jewish founders of Canada’s first bank, the Bank of Montreal. Three of his sons were also prominent businessmen and philanthropists in Montreal:
Jesse Joseph was a Montreal-based businessman and communal leader. Born in Berthier, Jesse served as President of Montreal Gas Company, having sold his shares in the Montreal Electric Company, claiming it had no future. Establishing mercantile trade between Canada and Belgium, he was named Belgian consul in Montreal. His home, the site of lavish parties, is now the McCord Museum.
Another of Henry Joseph’s sons, Jacob, also made his mark on Montreal. With his brother, he founded the Saint Lawrence and Champlain Railway. Jacob also founded Canada’s first telegraph company. He was a partner in the Newfoundland Telegraph Company, President of the Montreal Elevating Company and Vice President of the Montreal Board of Trade. He is also remembered for his philanthropy and support of cultural organizations in Quebec.
Also born in Berthier, Abraham Joseph moved to Quebec City, where he resided until his death. Aside from taking over for his father upon the latter’s death, Abraham also served as President of the Quebec and Dominion Boards of Trade, as a Director of the Banque Nationale, and as a member of the Quebec City Council (he failed in a bid for the mayoralty). He was a Grand Master of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Quebec and Vice Consul of Belgium in Quebec City.
