Davis, James Thomas, 1961-1928

James Thomas Davis, a wealthy Square Mile entrepreneur, and a contractor was born on January 31, 1861, in Ontario.

He was involved in important construction projects such as canals, piers, and bridges, often government commissions. His firm built several portions of the Lachine Canal in Montreal and salvaged the Quebec Bridge venture, rebuilding the substructure after the 1907 collapse. His father William Davis had founded the firm in Ottawa; his sons Michael and James joined it after studies in engineering.

In 1891, he married Gertrude Marie Devlin and raised three daughters and three sons. They also maintained a large household staff of a cook, housekeepers, maids, manservants, and governess. This large household and the client’s social position were to be validated in a particularly imposing residence. Davis commissioned Montreal architects Edward and William Maxwell to design a mansion, which resulted in one of the Maxwells’ most imposing residential designs, an Elizabethan Tudor style edifice of red brick on Drummond Street. Davis acted as a general contractor and built the house himself, ensuring the use of modern technology, while the architects called upon a team of artisans and artists for decoration, furniture, painting, sculpture, wallpapering and stained glass windows.

In 1955, McGill purchased the Davis House from his widow. It is now the home of the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy of McGill University.

He died on October 2, 1928, in Montreal, Quebec.