Macdonald, Sir John Alexander

Monday, May 21, 2012

Macdonald, Sir John Alexander

Also known as Sir John Alexander Macdonald Cemetery: Cataraqui Cemetery

Date of Birth: January 11, 1815 Place of birth: Glasgow, Scotland

Date of Death: June 6, 1891 Place of death: Ottawa, Ontario Cause of death: complications of stroke suffered on May 29 1891

Sir John A. Macdonald was the first Prime Minister of Canada and a dominant figure in Canadian confederation. He was second longest serving Prime Minister and the only PM to win 6 majority governments.

Educated: Royal Grammar, Kingston, Upper Canada; Oxford University
Private Occupation: Lawyer
Political Party: Conservative (formerly Liberal-Conservative)
Term of Office: July 1, 1867 - November 5, 1873; October 17, 1878 - June 6, 1891
Other Ministries: Pre-confederation Legislative Assembly; Receiver-General 1847-48; Attorney-General 1854-56, 1862.
Married: September 1, 1843 to Isabella Clark (1811-56); February 16, 1867 to Susan Agnes Bernard (1836-1920)

John Alexander Macdonald
1815 - 1891
At rest.

Interment Info

With him in the family plot are his mother Helen and father Hugh, his first wife Isabella, 1809-1857, and an infant son who died in 1848. His second wife Susan Agnes Bernard, Baroness Macdonald, is buried in Ocklynge Cemetery in Eastbourne, south of London, England. When he died in 1891 grieving Canadians turned out in the thousands to pay their respects while he lay in state in the Senate Chamber and they lined the tracks to watch the train that returned his body to Kingston. His funeral was held on June 9 1891.

Web Reference

Kingston Historical Society web site
Library and Archives Canada web site
Canadian Encyclopedia
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Did you know ... ?

Sir John A. Macdonald was the first of two Canadian Prime Ministers to die in office (the other was Sir John Thompson).

The first child child to be born during a father's term as Prime Minister was John A. Macdonald's youngest daughter Margaret Mary Macdonald.