Mr. Scott was married to Miss Janet Cooper of London, England, who died in 1875. He was survived by one son, James Philip, who was a member of the Dow Brewery Company from 1876 until his death, in 1898, and four daughters.
Mr. Scott was a member of St. Paul’s Lodge of Masons and was always loyal to the teachings and purposes of the craft. He had vivid recollections of the important points in the history of Montreal, from the time when he located here in 1845, until his death. As a man, he possessed many attractive social qualities and was beloved by a large circle of friends.
In the long years of an active professional career Joseph Rielle has made continuous advancement until he stands today not only as a veteran civil engineer and surveyor, but also as one of the most capable representatives of his chosen calling in Montreal. Each year has found him in advance of the position which he occupied the previous year, because of his developing powers and growing ability. He was born at Laprairie on the 6th of October, 1833, and received his initial business training with the firm of Ostell & Perrault, architects and land surveyors, whose service he entered in 1850 when a youth of seventeen years. He continued with that firm for four years and then became assistant to Mr. John Page, chief engineer of public works. He next accepted the position of assistant engineer to the harbor commission and eventually entered upon the general practice of land surveying in Montreal and the surrounding district. He has been connected with extensive surveys for the Grand Trunk and the Canadian Pacific Railways and the harbor commissioners of Montreal and in addition to his general practice has made a number of important hydraulic surveys. In 1904 he was presented with a testimonial by members of the society of land surveyors to mark the fiftieth anniversary of his entry into civil engineering and land surveying.
While this has been his chief life activity, Mr. Rielle has done important work in other connections. He was formerly vice president of the Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway, and he has done much work of a public and semi-public character, whereby the general interests of the country at large have been greatly promoted. He was secretary and manager of the Montreal Turnpike Trust for about fifteen years. He was a member of the council of Verdun, Montreal, from 1875 until 1900 and was intrusted with many important public works. He is a life governor of the House of Industry and Refuge, also of the Montreal General Hospital, and is president of the Fraser Institute and Free Public Library of Montreal. His activities have been of a nature that have contributed largely to the general development and good, but he has never taken an active part in politics.