Complex sentence: Formerly a magistrate at Tuam, Meredith's step-father had "wasted every farthing of his Irish property" and so attracted by the land grants he took the position of the Church of England's first missionary to Terrebonne, Quebec.
Split into simpler sentences: Formerly a magistrate at Tuam, Meredith's step-father had "wasted every farthing of his Irish property". Attracted by the Land Grants, Burton went to Canada as the Church of England's first missionary to Terrebonne, Quebec.