Mackenzie Bowell 1823-1917
publisher,
politician, and fifth Prime Minister of Canada (1894-1996), born on this day in
1823 at Rickinghall, Suffolk, England; dies in Belleville, Ontario Dec 10, 1917.
Bowell came to Canada at age 9; 1834 apprentice printer with the Belleville
Intelligencer newspaper; later editor and proprietor; 1858-1865 Ensign,
Belleville Rifle Company; 1867-1872 Major, 49th Hastings Battalion; MP 1867-1892
North Hastings, Ontario; 1870-1878 Grandmaster of Orange Order of British North
America; 1878-1892 Minister of Customs; 1892 Minister of Militia and Defence;
1892-1894 Minister of Trade and Commerce; 1892-1917 Senator; Conservative leader
and Prime Minister on the death of John Thompson; served Dec. 21, 1894 - April
27, 1896, when he was succeeded by Charles Tupper; one of only two Canadians to
be Prime Minister while sitting in the Senate.
Also John Macdonald 1824-1890
merchant, philanthropist, politician, born on this day at Perth, Scotland, in 1824; died at Toronto Feb. 04, 1890. Macdonald came to Canada in 1838 with his father, an army officer; educated at Dalhousie and Bay Street Academy (Toronto); 1849 opened John Macdonald and Co. dry-goods business in Toronto; 1859 largest wholesaler in Canada; 1863-87 independent Liberal MP; 1887 appointed to the Senate in 1887; author of Business Success, on Christian morality in business life; a founder of St. Andrew's College.
