Copyright/Source

Quick Facts

1822 - 1892

Born

• January 28, 1822, Logierait, Perthshire, Scotland
• Emigrated to Canada in 1842

Education

• Public schools at Perth, Moulin and Dunkeld, Scotland

Personal Life

• Married 1845, Helen Neil (1826 - 1852)
• One daughter (two other children died in infancy)
• Re-married 1853, Jane Sym (1825 - 1893)

Occupations

• Stonemason
• Building contractor
• 1852 - 1854 Editor of the Lambton Shield
• 1866 - 1874 Major, 27th Lambton Volunteer Infantry
• 1871 - 1872 MLA Ontario
• Author

Political Party

• Liberal
• 1873 - 1880 Party Leader

Constituencies

• 1867 - 1882 Lambton, Ontario
• 1882 - 1892 York East, Ontario

Other Ministries

• 1873 - 1878 Public Works

Political Record

• Formed the first Liberal administration of the Dominion of Canada 1873
• Secret Ballot 1874
• Founding of Royal Military College 1874
• Creation of Supreme Court 1875
• Creation of the Office of the Auditor General 1878
• Leader of the Opposition 1878 - 1880

Died

• April 17, 1892, Toronto, Ontario
• Grave site: Lakeview Cemetery, near Sarnia, Ontario

Source: Canada's Prime Ministers, 1867 - 1994. [Ottawa]: National Archives of Canada, c1994. 20 p.