Hendry, John, (New Westminster), born in the district of Belle Dune, county of Gloster, New Brunswick, on the 20th of January, 1854, is the second son of the late James Hendry, who left West Kilbride, Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1840, and settled at Belle Dune, where he engaged extensively in milling enterprises, establishing both flour and lumber mills. Mr. Hendry was educated at the public school in his native county, and at an early age entered the same occupation as his father. In conjunction with his elder brother he established a mill in the distant part of the county and continued to conduct it till his father's death, when he took charge of his business and carried it on till his younger brother became old enough to take control of it. His father had towards the close of his life, gradually centred his interest in flour milling, and this business not being congenial to Mr. Hendry's tastes, he withdrew himself from connection with it at as early a date as possible. In 1870, before going into any other enterprise, he took a trip through a portion of the Western States and was greatly inclined to begin a business in Duluth, which was then just springing into existence, and whose excellent situation as a lake port Mr. Hendry clearly saw. He returned to New Brunswick, however, and again established a lumber mill. For two years he continued at this, doing a large export business, one of his chief markets being the West India Islands. He was restless, however, in New Brunswick, and like most young men of enterprise, desired to enlarge his knowledge of the world. He had determined to go to the Argentine Republic, and would have done so had it not been that the yellow fever broke out there and continued to rage. He then turned his attention to British Columbia, which had just entered the Canadian Confederation, and about which there was a great deal of talk. Early in the summer of 1872 he made preparations for leaving Eastern Canada, and in August he came by way of Duluth, which he desired again to visit, and over the United States system of railways. He reached Victoria in the latter part of September. He found the lumber business very dull in British Columbia at that time, the industry on the Pacific coast being chiefly confined to Puget Sound. He accordingly did not remain in the Province, but returned to Washington Territory. As he was anxious to obtain a knowledge of any details of the business peculiar to this Coast, before investing capital in an enterprise, he spent the winter at Seabeck, in the employ of the Washington Saw Mill Company, engaged in surveying logs and mill-wrighting. He remained there till April, 1873, when he decided to return to British Columbia. He stopped on his way at Port Gamble, where he was induced to enter the employ of the Puget Sound Saw Mill Company, of which Mr. Cyrus Walker was then the local manager. Here he was engaged at the same work as at Seabeck, and he had thus every facility to obtain an insight not only into the manner in which the milling business was conducted on the Pacific coast, but also of thoroughly learning the quality of the timber, and especially that employed in the export trade. In January of 1874, he left Port Gamble. The Moodyville Saw Mill on Burrard Inlet had been destroyed and the manager, Mr. Moody, had gone over to Puget Sound to engage millwrights for its reconstruction. Mr. Hendry determined to see how matters stood and accordingly came to British Columbia. He went to Moodyville where he obtained the position of foreman of the millwrights engaged in putting in the machinery. When the mill was completed it ran day and night to make up for lost time, and Mr. Hendry had charge during the night. He remained in Moodyville until June, 1875, using his opportunities during all this time to study the business. It seemed to him then, however, that it would be many years before the timber in this country would be very valuable, owing to its abundance and the sparse population. The Red river country was then coming into prominence and he observed the large prices that were being given for lumber in Winnipeg. He thought, therefore, that that would be a better country than British Columbia to engage in the industry. He accordingly went to Winnipeg where he remained for a very short time indeed. He was disgusted with the stunted and sickly growth of the forests of the plains, after the magnificent woods of British Columbia, and he could hardly bring himself to regard as timber the article so termed. At this time too, business was very dull in Winnipeg, owing to the grasshopper visitation. From there he returned to the Coast and determined to settle in California. When he arrived at San Francisco he deposited his money in the bank and looked about the country for some time. He finally decided to go to the Red Wood country, and was on the eve of starting when the bank in which all his money was deposited went into liquidation, and all he could get at that time was $50.00. He saw it was useless to remain longer in California and he accordingly came to British Columbia, where he was known. He went to Nanaimo first where he spent the winter building a saw mill for Mr. Carpenter. He then went to New Westminster, where during the summer of 1876, he put up a mill for Mr. W.J. Armstrong. In the autumn he returned to Nanaimo and formed a partnership with Mr. David McNair, to build and operate a sash and door factory. Early in 1877 he went to San Francisco and purchased the machinery, and at the same time he drew the money which he had deposited in the bank there, that institution having turned out to have considerably more assets than liabilities. During 1877 he lived in Nanaimo, conducting this sash and door factory, and in the spring of 1878, a partnership company composed of Mr. Hendry, Mr. McNair and Messrs. Andrew Haslam and R.B. Kelly, was formed under the firm title of Hendry, McNair & Co., and a small saw mill, sash and door factory, and box factory were established at New Westminster. The fishing business on the Fraser river which was yearly becoming more important, made the need of a box factory apparent. The business at Nanaimo was still carried on by Messrs. Hendry & McNair. In both places the business increased rapidly. In 1880 the Westminster company found it necessary to become incorporated in order to hold real estate, and accordingly the Royal City Planing Mills Company composed of the same persons as the partnership company, was organized and incorporated. Shortly after this Mr. A.E. Lees joined the company. Of this company Mr. Hendry became president and general manager and has since continued to hold these positions. In 1885 the Royal City Planing Mills Company purchased the Mill at Nanaimo and continued to conduct it for a year, when Messrs. Haslam & Lees bought it giving their share of stock in the company for it. These gentlemen having gone out the company was now composed of Messrs. Hendry, McNair, Kelly and Beecher, the latter having purchased an interest in the industry. During the period of boom in Port Moody real estate, Mr. Kelly sold out, leaving three interested in the concern. The business greatly increased and continued to increase so rapidly that when Vancouver came into existence the company established a branch there in 1887. During the great fire their mill was in course of construction and was one of the few buildings left standing. During this time the company had been acquiring timber limits, and had secured some of the best in the Province. They had hitherto done a purely local business but they now determined to begin an export trade. Owing to the difficulties at the mouth of the Fraser River and the want of a proper chart, lumber ships were chary about going up the river. The company however, in conjunction with the Board of Trade, of which Mr. Hendry was president, succeeded finally in inducing the government to survey and improve the mouth of the river, and in 1888 Mr. Hendry had the satisfaction of seeing foreign ships loading at his mill for all parts of the world. During the autumn of 1888 he conceived the idea of purchasing Hastings Saw Mill for the purpose of increasing the company's export trade, and negotiations with the object in view were closed in October, 1889, when Hastings mill became the property of the Royal City Planing Mills Co., with Mr. Hendry as president and general manager. During the last session of the Provincial Legislature a bill was passed through the house consolidating the two companies under the title of the British Columbia Mills, Timber and Trading Co. The success and prosperity of the company has been very marked and has been due almost entirely to the untiring efforts and foresight of the original founder. From its establishment in 1878, the business has increased from a local trade of 7000 feet per day, to a foreign and local trade of 250,000 feet per day. The other portion of the company's business has also increased in size and importance. The factories are successful in the extreme and the importations of glass are the largest in the Province. Mr. Hendry settled in New Westminster in 1878 and was elected to the City Council in 1888 and was chairman of the committee which had in hand the work of re-surveying the city. He was one of the charter members of the New Westminster Board of Trade, and has been on the council board of the organization ever since, having for several terms been vice-president and during the last three years president of the board. He had a good deal to do with obtaining the charter for the New Westminster Southern Railway Company, and is interested in the company. He has also been largely instrumental in pushing forward the improvements on the Fraser river. He was urged to accept the mayoralty of the city in 1889, as the new charter was being introduced and a resolute hand was required at the helm. He accepted and continued to act for six months, when he resigned in consequence of his position as chief magistrate clashing with his position as a member of the New Westminster Southern Railway Company. He is largely interested in many enterprises, both in New Westminster and Vancouver, and is one of the most prominent men in the Province. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and was treasurer of the lodge for four years. He is also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and an adherent of the Presbyterian church. In February, 1882, he married Adeline, daughter of the late Donald McMillan, of Picton, Nova Scotia.

Biographical Dictionary of Well-known British Columbians: with a Historical Sketch by John Blaine Kerr, published in 1890 (Kerr & Begg, Vancouver).