Item

George Grimmer

Pilot
March 3, 1887
Obituary
George Skeffington Grimmer, whose death occurred Monday night last, was a native of this county, widely known and highly esteemed. He was the third son of the late John Grimmer, Esq., Collector of Customs at St. Stephen, and in which town he was born on the 11th day of June 1816. His mother was a daughter of the late James Maxwell, a loyalist who bore arms for the king during the revolutionary war. Mr. Grimmer received his education in the St. Stephen parish schools, and in the Washington Academy in Calais, Maine, as well as under the private tuition of the late Rev. Skeffington Thompson, L. L. D. of  T. G. Dublin, Rector of the parish of St. Stephen. He entered upon the study of law in the office of the late Jams W. Chandler at St. Andrews, and afterwards in the office of the late Shanks Kerr, Q. C. in Fredericton.
            He was admitted as attorney in 1847, called to the bar in 1840, and created a Queen’s Council in 1873. He soon took a front rank in the profession of this county, and was identified with some of the most important causes tried therein, during the last twenty-five years, and generally succeeded in winning the suits in which he was retained. Mr. Grimmer was elected to the House of Assembly in 1860, after serving three years he resigned to accept the office of the Clerk of the Peace for the County. He was also appointed clerk of the Circuit Court, clerk of the County Court, and was in 1867 appointed secretary to the Municipal Council, all of which offices he filled with ability and held up to his decease. He was a director of the St. Stephen bank, a member of the Board of Directors of the Charlotte County Agricultural Society, and a stockholder in the St Croix cotton mill, and a member of the corporation of All Saints Church in St. Andrews. He was also a liberal subscriber to the funds of the Diocesan Church Society and a life member thereof.
            Mr. Grimmer married in 1851, Miss Mary Allan Hazen, of Woodstock, who survives him, they had issue eight children five of whom survive him, viz: John Davidson who resides at Chamcook, where he owns a mill and operates a grist mill; George Durrell, who carries on an extensive mercantile business in St. Andrews; Ward Chipman Hazen of St. Stephen and who was in partnership with his father under the title of G. S. and W. C H. Grimmer; Frank Howard, lawyer, and assistant county secretary; and George Kerr, at present a student in the University of New Brunswick.
            In 1865 Mr. Grimmer removed to Chamcook, and took up his abode in the house erected by the late John Wilson, and fro whose estate he purchased it with the real estate connected therewith. In March 1883, during a cold wintry night, the house took fire and with nearly all its contents, including a valuable library was consumed, the inmates narrowly escaping with their lives. Mr. Grimmer thought of building again and did erect, what was intended for a wing of the new house, but subsequently abandoned the idea and ever since up to the time of his decease, resided in St. Andrews. He was a devoted member of the Church of England, and contributed liberally to all the funds of the church. About 5 years ago at a large cost to himself, he caused St. John’s Chapel at Chamcook to be beautified and improved, building at the eastern end thereof a new chancel. His private benefactors were numerous and liberal, conferred so unostentatiously as to be known only to the recipients and to himself, “he did good by stealth and blushed to find it known.” In an interval of consciousness vouchsafed to him on Monday morning, he had the great satisfaction of receiving at the hands of the Rev. Canon Ketchum the Holy communion, in which he was joined by his wife and five sons. He passed peacefully away, at midnight of Tuesday, his spirit took flight with the expiring day.