Benjamin Franklin Pearson

Benjamin Franklin Pearson (April 4 1855 – January 31 1912) was a lawyer, entrepreneur and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada. He represented Colchester County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1901 to 1911 as a Liberal member.

He was born in Masstown, Nova Scotia, the son of Frederick M. Pearson and Eliza Crowe, and was educated at Pictou Academy and Dalhousie College. In 1876, he married Julia Reading. He studied law with Otto Schwartz Weeks and entered practice in Halifax in 1884. He soon became involved in various business ventures, including a steamship service between Halifax and Dartmouth and a railway. He helped establish the Nova Scotia Telephone Company, the People's Heat and Light Company, the Halifax Electric Tramway Company and the Dominion Iron and Steel Company. With American partners, Pearson purchased a large number of small independent coal mines in the province. He went on to establish the West India Electric Company, the Cuban Electric Company and the the Mexican Light and Power Company. He also acquired a number of newspapers in Nova Scotia, including the "Halifax Morning Chronicle", the "Nova Scotian and Weekly Chronicle", the "Daily Echo", the "Glace Bay Gazette" and the "St. John Daily Sun". In 1904, Pearson was named King's Counsel. In 1906, he was named minister without portfolio in the province's Executive Council. He was chosen as president of the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society in 1908. He died in Halifax at the age of 56.

His daughter Florence married Fleming Blanchard McCurdy.

References

*cite encyclopedia
last = Marchildon
first = Gregory P
authorlink =
title = Benjamin Franklin Pearson
encyclopedia = Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
volume =
pages =
publisher =
location =
date = 1987
url = http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=7644
accessdate = 2008-10-08