Jas Smart

James Smart

       James Smart was born in Scotland on September 2, 1819 and in 1834 with his family immigrated to Canada. The family settled on the Ottawa River near Clarence Ontario. The family engaged in logging as well as farming. James left for Brockville to start an apprenticeship as a tanner. Their father Robert Smart died at Brockville in 1844. He was buried in the old Brockville Cemetery.
       With his apprenticeship completed, he left for Kingston, where he started employment in a tannery owned and operated by Mr. Ford. In Kingston he met a young fellow Scotsman who had newly arrived from the old country, Alexander McKenzie, a stone mason, who later became Prime Minister of Canada. In 1847 Alexander McKenzie moved to Sarnia and was shortly thereafter followed by James. The two of them worked together to build a tannery and from time to time they traveled to and from Hamilton and passed on their way through London.
      It was in London that he met his wife, Anne Bogue. Six weeks after they met they were married. Anne was twenty and James was thirty-one years old at the time. A year after their arrival in Sarnia the tannery was expropriated by the Grand Trunk Railway as the result of that James struck out for Eldorado California, leaving Anne with her parents. He set up a tannery in Sacramento California; nine months later in the year 1850 a great fire destroyed most of the city.
      After the great fire James and his landlord went into the lumber business. However, Smart became ill with a local disease in California, commonly called “fever and ague”. He was advised to move to the mountains and he took up a claim in the gold districts and remained there for two years. During this time his lumber partner was not keeping proper books and James ended up suing him, the suit eventually was settled in his favour.

Brockville Novelty Works
      With the money from the earnings in the gold fields and the legal settlement from the lumber business he returned to Canada in 1854. He moved to Brockville where he acquired the Gilmour Foundry property on the waterfront and an extensive building nearby   which had been used as a lockup for prisoners during the war of 1812. He proceeded to manufacture stoves, hammers, and other tools in his own foundry. James Smart for many years was not only the sole owner of the business but also chief salesman traveling extensively between Halifax and Windsor. The American Civil War started in 1861, resulting in a period of prosperity in Canada. As a result the business was flourishing.
       The products made in Brockville were held in high esteem and they exported to other countries and exhibited at various expositions. The business was quite successful until 1872 when the great depression in trade started to take effect.
       By 1876 those engaged in the production of general hardware ran into increasing difficulties and John and Robert Gill joined the company. By 1881 the name of the company was altered to the James Smart Manufacturing Company. Gradually James Smart withdrew from the business and in 1884 he was appointed Sheriff of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, a position that he held for 15 years. James died on January 27, 1906 in his 87th year.
       Circa 1910 control of the company was acquired by Canada Foundries and Forgings Ltd. In 1965 the business was sold to Brock Engineering of Montreal, and in 1967 they closed the old waterfront plant in Brockville and moved everything to Montreal. The name James Smart is still being used for a line of gas furnaces.

The James Smart Manufacturing Co., Ltd., is one of the landmarks of Brockville and an important contributor to the town’s commercial prosperity. The total area of land covers seven acres of ground. All the buildings are of brick and stone. Employment is afforded to upwards of 400 people. This business was founded in 1854 by the gentleman whose name it bears. It became incorporated in 1881 and has since that date made steady growth until now it may be regarded as one of the oldest, best known and most highly esteemed industries of Canada. The company maintains a branch office and warehouse at Winnipeg, Man. to care for its large and growing Northwest and Pacific Coast trade.

The lines manufactured are: the stove and furnace department, a full line of cooking and heating stoves and ranges, warm air furnaces and registers. In the general hardware department, builders, house furnishing, cabinet and carriage makers hardware in cast, wrought iron and brass, pumps and plumbers goods, wrought steel butts and hinges, warm air registers, lawn mowers and rollers, jack screws, vises, warehouse trucks, copying presses, and many lines of labour saving tools and machines. In the tool department they manufacture the highest grade of cast steel hammers, hatches, sledges and axes, which are equal in every particular to the best American products.

The James Smart Mfg. Co. is now one of the constituents companies of Canada Foundries and Forgings Limited, whose head office is at Brockville.
Circa 1920