|
A. Y. Blain, K. C., who
since 1913 has been master in chambers of the supreme court of Alberta
at Edmonton, is a native of Peterboro, Ontario, and a son of William and
Mary Dougal (Young) Blain, both of Canadian birth, the former of Irish
descent, the latter of Scotch lineage. Mr. Blain's father was a minister
of the Presbyterian church, a graduate of Knox College, Toronto,
Ontario, to which province his father, William Blain, a native of
Ireland, had removed at an early period. The latter was one of the
pioneer farmers and his old homestead near Streetsyule, Ontario, is
still in possession of his descendants. The Rev. William Blain, however,
left the farm to enter the ministry and devoted his entire life to the
work of preaching the gospel. He married Mary Dougal Young, a daughter
of Archibald Young, who was born in Scotland and for many years carried
on the business of a merchant at Sarnia, Ontario, where he took an
active part in the development of commercial and other interests. To the
marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Blain four children were born.
A. Y. Blain, who was the
second in order of birth in the family, supplemented his public school
education by study in the grammar school at Streetsville, the Collegiate
Institute at Collingwood, and at Osgoode Hall, Toronto, from which he
graduated in law, with the class of 1893. Following his graduation he
was admitted to the bar in Ontario and for many years has held positions
of public honor and trust. He came to Edmonton in January, 1908, as
inspector of legal offices, for the province of Alberta, which position
he filled for some four years. For a year of that time he was also
acting deputy attorney-general for the province. lie was registrar of
the land titles office at Edmonton for a year and in 1913, on the
creation of the office, he was appointed master in chambers for the
province, which position he has most acceptably filled. As inspector of
legal offices he had to do with the establishment of offices, the
unification of the practice therein and the administration thereof. It
was while he was inspector that sheriffs were placed on salary instead
of being paid by fees.
In 1896 Mr. Blain was
united in marriage to Miss Lily Kerr, who was born and educated in
Toronto. They became parents of three children: The eldest, Lysle
Kellogg, after graduating from the University of Alberta in Arts and
Law, and passing the examinations of the Law Society of Alberta,
accepted a position with the Ford Motor Company at Ford, Ontario. He was
in the military service of the country for three years, going to the
front with the Thirty-third Battery. He participated in some of the
leading engagements on the western front, which eventually brought to a
successful close the great World war; Lily Adele, the second of the
family, who is a graduate of the MacDonald hail Agricultural College of
Gueiph, Ontario, in home economics, is now Mrs. Edmund George A. Smart
of Calgary, Alberta; Margaret, who also graduated from MacDonald Hall as
a teacher and dietitian, is with the Soldiers' Civil Reestablishment
Hospital as dietitian.
The religious faith of
the family is that of the Presbyterian church, in the work of which Mr.
Blain takes a very active part. He is also a member of the Masonic
fraternity, and is a member of Zetland, the largest lodge in Toronto. He
was brought up a Liberal, but has never been active in party politics.
In club circles he is well known, having membership in the Edmonton Club
and also in the Country and Golf Club, finding in golf his principal
source of recreation and amusement. Along professional lines he has made
steady progress and his record as master in chambers well entitles him
to the uniform regard which is accorded him. |
