Hugh Cossart Baker Sr. (September 1818 in Kent, England – 2 March 1859 in Savannah, Georgia, USA) was a banker, businessman, and mathematician.
Baker established the first life insurance company in Canada 21 August 1847; the
Canada Life Assurance Company
The Canada Life Assurance Company (French language, French: ''La Compagnie d'Assurance du Canada sur la Vie''), commonly known as Canada Life (''Canada-Vie''), is a Canadian insurance and financial services company with its headquarters in Winnipe ...
.
The firm was incorporated in 1849. The first head office was in
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Hamilton has a 2021 Canadian census, population of 569,353 (2021), and its Census Metropolitan Area, census metropolitan area, which encompasses ...
on the top floor of the Mechanics' Institute on
James Street North near Merrick, where Eaton's now stands. The head office remained in Hamilton until 1900, when the new president
George Cox moved it to
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
.
He was the father of telephone pioneer
Hugh Cossart Baker Jr.
External links
Hamilton Gallery of Distinction: Hugh Cossart Baker Sr.*
*
References
1818 births
1859 deaths
Businesspeople from Hamilton, Ontario
Pre-Confederation Ontario people
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