Ezra Butler Eddy
A Vermont-born industrialist who built a matchstick empire on the Ottawa River, turning a small factory into a cornerstone of Canadian industry.
1827–1906 (age 79)·Canadian politician·Birthday: August 22
Biography
Ezra Butler Eddy was the archetype of the 19th-century industrial pioneer. He crossed the border from Vermont into Canada with little more than ambition, settling in Hull, Quebec. There, he started with the humblest of products: matches. His E.B. Eddy Company began as a small match factory, but Eddy possessed a visionary's grasp of resources and scale. He leveraged the power of the Ottawa River and the vast surrounding forests, vertically integrating his operation to control everything from timber to finished product. The company expanded relentlessly, moving into wood products, then pulp, and finally paper, becoming one of the largest manufacturers in the nation. His industrial domain dominated the Hull waterfront, a smoky, bustling symbol of progress. Success bred civic duty, and he later served as mayor of Hull and in the Quebec legislature, shaping the community his enterprise had created.
#1 When Ezra Was Born
The biggest hits of 1827
Ezra's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1827Born
1832Started school
1840Became a teenager
1843Could drive
1845Could vote
1848Turned 21
1857Turned 30
1867Turned 40
President: Andrew Johnson
1877Turned 50
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1887Turned 60
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Turned 70
President: William McKinley
1906Died at 79
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
Key Achievements
- Founded the E.B. Eddy Company, which grew from a small match factory into a major Canadian pulp, paper, and wood products corporation.
- Pioneered vertical integration in Canadian manufacturing, controlling timber limits, processing plants, and final goods production.
- Served as Mayor of Hull, Quebec, and later as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec.
- Built an industrial complex in Hull that was for decades one of the largest of its kind and a major employer.
Did You Know?
His first business in Canada was selling tinware door-to-door before he saved enough to start his match factory.
The E.B. Eddy Company survived for over 125 years before being absorbed by other corporations in the late 20th century.
He was a teetotaler and a strong supporter of the temperance movement.
His original match factory burned down in 1870, but he rebuilt it larger and with better fireproofing.
“A match lights a fire, but a mill turns timber into wealth.”
