▁like ▁his ▁father ▁and ▁grand father ▁( a ▁Fellow ▁of ▁Oxford ▁University ) ▁before ▁him . ▁But ▁Francis ▁wanted ▁a ▁military ▁career , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁sevent een , ▁with ▁no ▁hope ▁of ▁his ▁parents ▁changing ▁their ▁minds , ▁he ▁instead ▁left ▁home ▁for ▁R ice ▁Lake ▁( O nt ario ), ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁to ▁seek ▁his ▁fortune ▁far ming . ▁ ▁Canada ▁ ▁In ▁Canada , ▁he ▁met ▁someone ▁who ▁prof essed ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁teach ▁him ▁agricult ure , ▁but ▁his ▁instruct or ▁proved ▁worth less , ▁so ▁he ▁found ▁employ ment ▁on ▁the ▁Grand ▁Tr unk ▁Railway . ▁Id le ▁and ▁ad rift ▁in ▁a ▁world ▁of ▁str angers , ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁dis heart ened ▁and ▁soon ▁secured ▁for ▁himself ▁a ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁Bank ▁of ▁Upper ▁Canada . ▁He ▁was ▁quickly ▁noticed , ▁and ▁offered ▁a ▁job ▁in ▁the ▁Toronto ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Bank ▁of ▁Montreal , ▁and ▁his ▁hard ▁work ▁there ▁paid ▁divid ends , ▁rising ▁to ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Manager ▁of ▁the ▁London , ▁Ontario ▁branch ▁office ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁London ▁he ▁also ▁became ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Hur on ▁and ▁E erie ▁Sav ings ▁and ▁Lo an ▁Company , ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Canada ▁Life ▁Ass urance ▁Company , ▁and ▁Deput y ▁Grand ▁Master ▁( M ason ic ) ▁of ▁the ▁Mason ic ▁L odge ▁there . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁at ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁Ed win ▁Henry ▁King , ▁ex -