JOHN TORY’S ‘HUMBLE UPBRINGING’ "Down east, my great grandfather (John Alexander) Tory dropped out of school in grade 8 to work on a Nova Scotia dirt farm so that he could help pay to educate his two younger brothers." –John Tory, March 19th 2014. THE FAMILY TORY: Robert Kirk Tory (Great Great Grandfather) had three sons: •
James Cranswick Tory (born 1862) – (Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia- 1925-1930)
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Henry Marshall Tory (born in 1864) - (President of the National Research Council, Founding head of University of Alberta.) Known as “Marsh” or “Marshall” Tory throughout.
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John Alexander Tory (born 1869) – (John H. Tory’s Great-grandfather, Head, Ontario Division, Sun Life Assurance).
FACT CHECK: FACT 1: JOHN SAID HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER HAD TWO OLDER BROTHERS: •
FALSE: JOHN ALEXANDER TORY (John’s great grandfather referenced in his speech) WAS THE YOUNGEST OF THREE BROTHERS
JOHN A. TORY’S GENEOLOGY http://www.torreygenealogy.com/Nova_Scotia_Branch/PS01/PS01_035.htm OBITUARY FOR JOHN A. TORY SR. “James was a businessman and politician who served as Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia from 1925-30; Henry, an educator, was the founding head of the University of Alberta, Khaki College and Carleton University; and John, the youngest of the three, was a company director who ended up in Toronto as head of the Ontario division of Sun Life Assurance Company.”
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/john-a-tory-a-quiet-humble-man-who-shapedcanadian-dynasties/article4182147/?page=all FACT 2: JOHN MADE IT SOUND LIKE THE TORY FAMILY COULDN’T AFFORD THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION, THAT’S WHY ONE SON HAD TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL TO PAY FOR THE OTHERS. •
FALSE: THE TORY FAMILY HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN WEALTHY, DATING BACK HUNDREDS OF YEARS:
They owned a village: “The village of Torrey, now a part of the city of Aberdeen was once the property of a branch of the Torry family” – Pg 10, Henry Marshall Tory, Biography, E.A. Corbett, University of Alberta Press, 1992 They owned a lot of land: “Henry Tory, Grandfather of Henry Marshall Tory, purchased a large tract of land in what is now known as Port Shoreham, married and had a family of five sons and five daughters. One of the sons Robert Kirk Tory (John Tory’s great-great Grandfather), although the fourth in line, was apparently a favourite of his father for he was selected by him to remain at home and inherit the homestead” – pg 11, Henry Marshall Tory, Biography, E.A. Corbett, University of Alberta Press, 1992. Their great-great-great grandfather was rich: “The Homestead at Port Shoreham where Marsh Tory (J.A. Tory’s Brother) was born had been occupied for fifty years before his brothers and sisters appeared on the scene. The grandfather had been one of the most prosperous men in the district...” – Pg 22, Henry Marshall Tory Biography, E.A. Corbett, University of Alberta Press, 1992. FACT 3: JOHN SAID HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER PAID FOR HIS YOUNGER BROTHER’S EDUCATION: •
FALSE: ONE BROTHER, HENRY MARSHALL WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL AND THEN LATER PAID HIS OWN WAY—THE OTHER BROTHER WENT OFF TO SEA.
“At a time when young Marsh Tory was beginning his education a vigorous effort was being made by the educational authorities to popularize the new public school system…Before he was ten years old young Marsh Tory’s preferences in study began to appear. There were three arithmetics prescribed in the schools, one elementary and two more advanced, suitable for high school grades. By the time he was twelve years of age he had worked his way through every problem in the three books.….” – pg 25, Henry Marshall Tory, Biography, E.A. Crobett, University of Alberta Press, 1992. “In his sixteenth year Marsh Tory was offered a job as a clerk in a general store in Guysborough, which was owned and operated by James Buckley…The grandfather insisted that Marshall be kept in school, since James, the older brother had gone to sea as first officer on a ship sailing between Halifax and Montreal.” “But Young Tory saw in this opportunity a chance to save money for his college education and at the same time learn something about business and the world of trade. He persuaded the family to allow him to accept the position.” – pg 28, Henry Marshall Tory, Biography, E.A. Corbett, University of Alberta Press, 1992. “He had saved of this amount only a little $100, as in addition to small personal expenses he had sent home to his parent each month nearly 50 per cent of his income. Since $100 would be ample money for a term at the Academy, young Tory entered school again in January, 1882, a week before his eighteenth birthday…” –pg 31, Henry Marshall Tory, Biography, E.A. Corbett, University of Alberta Press, 1992.
REFERENCES: HENRY MARSHALL TORY,BIOGRAPHY. BY: E.A. CORBETT UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA PRESS, 1992 ISBN:0-88864-245-0