Hugh Paton of Montreal and Île Paton, L'Abord-à-Plouffe, Quebec

Born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Hugh Paton was the son of William Paton and Mary Shedden, of the successful manufacturing family William Paton Ltd. He was educated at Paisley Grammar School.

While his three brothers—Robert, George, and James—joined the family business with great continued success, Hugh took a different path to prosperity in Canada.

He arrived in Toronto in 1871 as private secretary to his uncle, John Shedden, a prominent railroad president and promoter. Two years later, his uncle—then only 47 and a lifelong bachelor—was tragically crushed to death between railway carriages. Paton inherited his business empire.

He became President of the Shedden Forwarding Company and relocated to Montreal, where he emerged as one of the city's most prominent figures in both business and civic life. He served as a director of the Bell Telephone Company, the Royal Bank of Canada, and other major institutions.

Paton was also a governor of the Montreal General Hospital and the Notre-Dame Hospital. He served as President of the Saint Andrew's Society and was Master of the Montreal Hunt. Described as “small and stocky with a smiling face,” he was known for his jovial, generous nature and was equally well-liked among both French- and English-speaking communities.

From 1880 to 1942, he owned Île Paton in the Rivière des Prairies, where he built his home, greenhouses, and a golf course.