From: "Montreal History and Gazeteer to the year 1892"
By Rev. J. Douglas Borthwick, John Lovell & Son, Montreal 1892
Was the eldest son of the late Very Reverend John
Bethune, Dean of Montreal, and was born on the 6th November, 1821.
After a successful study of Law, he was called to the Bar of Lower Canada,
22nd May, 1843 He was appointed Queen's Counsel on the 12th February,
1864. He is now one of the oldest members of the Bar of Montreal,and
has held different positions of trust in the Court House and Bar from the
hands of his confreres, who have always highly esteemed him for intelligence,
. probity,andlegal lore. He still continues the duties of his profession,
his son being associated with him in the law firm of Bethune
& Bethune. For many years he has been the Chancellor of
the diocese of Montreal, and, so far as I know, has never missed for a
quarter of a century its annual meetings, where, with his well-timed
remarks, he generally settles matters when they begin to appear irrational,
absurd outrageous, insignificant, or trifling, as is always seen in every
large body of men-
political, classical or national, who gather for consultation, research,
advice or government. His eldest daughter is married to the Ven.
Archdeacon
Evans of Montreal. Two others are married in England. His sister
married Hon. J. J. C Abbott,
now
the Premier of Canada, so that the sons and grandchildren of at one
time the only Protestant clergyman in Montreal near the close of the last
century are all in responsible: phases of life and to the founder
of the fiunily may be applied the Biblical
words, '' A little one will become a thousand·"