Date Published:
2004

L’Encyclopédie de l’histoire du Québec / The Quebec History Encyclopedia

Lyon Cohen

Of L. Cohen & Son, Coal Merchants and Dredging Contractors; W. R. Cuthbert & Co., Brass Founders; The Freedman Co., Wholesale Clothiers, Montreal. Born Poland, Russia, May 11, 1868. Came to Canada with parents, 1871. Educated: McGill Model School; Catholic Commercial Academy, Montreal; medallist and valedictorian at graduation. Entered firm of Lee & Cohen, Montreal, 1888; later became partner with his father in the firm of L. Cohen & Son; established W. R. Cuthbert & Co., 1895; organized the Canadian Improvement Co., Dredging Contractors, 1900; organized The Freedman Co., Montreal, 1906; organized and became President, Canadian Export Clothiers, Ltd., May, 1919; a founder of the Jewish Times, the first Jewish paper in Canada, Dec. 10, 1897; Secretary, Jewish Rights Committee, organized to obtain equal rights for Jewish children in Public Schools, 1903; President, Baron de Hirsch Institute, 1908-12; Member, Executive Committee, Child Welfare Exhibition, 1912; Chairman, Committee to federate Jewish Charities, 1915; President, First Canadian Jewish Congress, organized March, 1919; ex-President, Montefiore Club; ex-President, Clothing Manufacturers' Association of Montreal; ex-Honorary President, Y.M.H.A.; Hon. President, New Adath Jeshurun Congregation; Hon. Vice-President, Zionist Organization of Canada; President, Associated Jewish War Relief Societies of Canada; President, Congregation Shaar Hashomayim; President, Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, Montreal; Chairman, Canadian Committee, Jewish Colonization Association of Paris; Governor, Western Hospital, Montreal General Hospital and Notre-Dame Hospital; Director, Civic Improvement League; Director, Boys' Farm and Training School, Shawbridge, Que. Married Rachel Friedman, Montreal, Feb. 17, 1891. Founder and President of Jewish Endeavour Sewing School; has three sons, Nathan Bernard Cohen, who served in the World War as Lieutenant; Horace Rives Cohen, who was Captain and Quartermaster of his battalion in the late World War; Lawrence Zebulun Cohen, student at McGill University, and one daughter, Sylvia Lillian Cohen. Clubs: Canadian; Montefiore; Montreal Reform. Liberal. Hebrew. Residence: 25 Rosemount Ave., Westmount, Que.

Source: Prominent People of the Province of Quebec, 1923-24, Montreal, Biographical Society of Canada, Limited, undated and unpaginated.