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William McDougall (Ontario politician)
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{{Short description|Canadian Father of Confederation}} {{Use Canadian English|date=September 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]] | name = William McDougall | honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CB|size=100%}} | image = William McDougall.jpg | imagesize = | constituency_MP = [[Lanark North]] | parliament = Canadian | predecessor = | successor = [[Daniel Galbraith (Ontario politician)|Daniel Galbraith]] | term_start = 1867 | term_end = 1872 | constituency_MP2 = [[Halton (federal electoral district)|Halton]] | parliament2 = Canadian | predecessor2 = [[William McCraney]] | successor2 = [[William McCraney]] | term_start2 = 1878 | term_end2 = 1882 | office3 = [[List of lieutenant governors of the Northwest Territories|Lieutenant-Governor of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory]] | predecessor3 = | successor3 = [[Adams George Archibald]] | term_start3 = 1869 | term_end3 = 1870 | monarch3 = [[Queen Victoria|Victoria]] | office4 = [[Member of Provincial Parliament (Ontario)|Ontario MPP]] | term_start4 = 1875 | term_end4 = 1878 | predecessor4 = [[D'Arcy Boulton (Ontario politician)|D'Arcy Boulton]] | successor4 = [[William James Parkhill]] | constituency4 = [[Simcoe South (provincial electoral district)|Simcoe South]] | birth_date = {{birth date|1822|01|25}} | birth_place = [[York, Upper Canada]] | death_date = {{death date and age|1905|05|29|1822|01|25}} | death_place = [[Ottawa]], Ontario, Canada | nationality = | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Amelia Caroline Easton|3 May 1845|1869|end=d.}} * {{marriage|Mary Adelaide (Minnie) Beatty|18 November 1872}} }} | party = [[Liberal-Conservative Party|Liberal-Conservative]] | relations = | children = | residence = | alma_mater = | occupation = | profession = | religion = | cabinet = Minister of Public Works (1867–1869) }} '''William McDougall''' {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|PC|CB}} (January 25, 1822 – May 29, 1905) was a [[Canadians|Canadian]] lawyer, politician, and one of the [[Father of Confederation#Fathers of Confederation|Fathers of Confederation]]. == Biography == William McDougall was born near York, Upper Canada (now [[Toronto]], Ontario) to Daniel McDougall and Hannah Matthews. William was the third generation of [[United Empire Loyalists]] to settle in York. In 1793, his paternal great-great-grandparents were among the first twelve families to move to York along with 450 British troops. Those soldiers then built Fort York to protect against American invasion. McDougall received his education at Victoria College in [[Cobourg, Ontario|Cobourg, Upper Canada]], and in 1847, began practicing law as an attorney and solicitor in Upper Canada. In 1862, he was called to the Upper Canada Bar. In 1849, William McDougall's office in Toronto was the meeting place for the [[Clear Grit]] political movement. Other Clear Grit supporters included [[Peter Perry (politician)|Peter Perry]], [[David Christie (politician)|David Christie]], [[Charles Clarke (Canadian politician)|Charles Clarke]], [[Charles Lindsey (editor)|Charles Lindsey]], and [[Malcolm Cameron (Canadian politician)|Malcolm Cameron]]. From 1850 to 1858, he published ''The North American'', a liberal newspaper.<ref>{{cite book|last=Hopkins|first=J. Castell|title=An historical sketch of Canadian literature and journalism|year=1898|publisher=Lincott|location=Toronto|isbn=0665080484|page=227|url=https://archive.org/stream/cihm_08048#page/n37/mode/1up}}</ref> He was elected as a member of the legislative assembly in 1858 and was Commissioner of Crown Lands and [[Provincial Secretary]]. === Gettysburg Address === In 1863, along with [[Alexander Tilloch Galt]], McDougall went to [[Washington, D.C.]], to meet with President [[Abraham Lincoln]] in order to renegotiate the [[Canadian–American Reciprocity Treaty|Reciprocity Treaty]]. During the visit, Lincoln explained that he had an important event to attend and had to travel to [[Pennsylvania]]. The president had then invited McDougall to accompany him on his trip by train and coach. They stayed the night at the private home of David Wills, a wealthy 32-year-old Gettysburg attorney. On the following day, November 19, an opening ceremony took place at the [[Gettysburg National Cemetery|new Gettysburg cemetery]], built for dead soldiers of the American Civil War. While many orators spoke for hours, Lincoln spoke briefly, presenting the [[Gettysburg Address]]. In July 1958, before then–US President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] addressed a joint session of the Parliament of Canada, Prime Minister [[John G. Diefenbaker]] recounted the tale of the friendship between McDougall and Lincoln as an example of the long history of friendship between Canada and the United States.<ref>{{cite hansard |jurisdiction= Canada|title= Appendix: Address of Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States|url= http://parl.canadiana.ca/view/oop.debates_HOC2401_02/1036?r=0&s=1|house= House of Commons|date= July 9, 1958|page= 2082|speaker= John G. Diefenbaker|position=Prime Minister}}</ref> A copy of the ''Hansard'' containing Eisenhower's speech was autographed and commented by Diefenbaker, and it can be found in the Baldwin Room{{snd}}a secured archives area{{snd}}of the [[Toronto Reference Library]]. === Confederation Canada === McDougall is considered a father of Canadian confederation as he attended all three [[Canadian Confederation|Confederation conferences]]. Once the dominion formed, he was Minister of Public Works in the [[John A. Macdonald|Macdonald]] government. As he had begun as Liberal and now served under Macdonald's Conservatives, he earned the nickname 'Wandering Willy'.<ref name="Gwyn">{{cite book |last= Gwyn|first= Richard|date= 2012|title= Nation Maker: Sir John A. Macdonald: His Life, Our Times|location= Toronto|publisher= Vintage Canada|pages= 100–101|volume=II|isbn= 978-0-30735645-1|author-link= Richard Gwyn (Canadian writer)}}</ref> In the federal election of 1867 he was elected in the district of [[Lanark North]], for the [[Liberal-Conservative]] party. McDougall was appointed [[Lieutenant Governor]] of [[Rupert's Land]] and the [[North-Western Territory]] in 1869. The only practicable travel route at the time was through the United States with the permission of U.S. President Grant. However, when McDougall tried to enter Rupert's Land from the [[Dakota Territory]] down the Red River, he was turned back near the border by [[Louis Riel]]'s troops before he could establish his authority at [[Fort Garry]] (now Winnipeg, Manitoba). Dispatches on microfiche at the Main Library of the City of Toronto include his request for 1,000 British troops to be sent on the authority of Queen Victoria. She responded that she would prefer a more amicable settlement of the jurisdiction issue. He returned to Ottawa, and campaigned against Manitoba becoming a province because of its very few inhabitants at that time. The area of Fort Garry was about {{convert|50|sqmi|km2}}. He also continued to be an interim leader of the North-West provisional government from Ottawa until [[Adams George Archibald]] took over on May 10, 1870. In the federal election of 1872, he ran again for the [[Liberal-Conservative]] party in [[Lanark North]] but was defeated. In 1875, he was elected to the Parliament of the Province of Ontario. He was an Independent-Liberal from June 1, 1875, until September 9, 1878, for the electoral district of Simcoe South. === Second marriage and family === [[File:Mrs William Macdougall.jpg|thumb|Mrs. William MacDougall]] In November 1872, McDougall married his second wife, Mary Adelaide Beatty. She was the daughter of Eleanor and Dr. John Beatty, a professor in Victoria University. She was born and educated at [[Cobourg, Ontario]]. Mary was involved in various philanthropic organizations including the [[Ottawa Humane Society]]. The couple lived at 407 Wilbrod Street, Ottawa. The couple had three sons, two of whom served with the Canadian contingent during the Boer War in South Africa.<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Morgan |editor-first=Henry James |editor-link=Henry James Morgan |title=Types of Canadian Women and of Women who are or have been Connected with Canada |location=Toronto |publisher=Williams Briggs |date=1903 |url=https://archive.org/details/typesofcanadianw01morguoft |page=[https://archive.org/details/typesofcanadianw01morguoft/page/218 218]}}</ref> His sister Emily married Liberal Senator [[David Reesor]] in 1847.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.reesorranch.com/ranchhistory.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080130030625/http://www.reesorranch.com/ranchhistory.html| archive-date = 2008-01-30| title = www.reesorranch.com Historic Reesor Ranch History Cypress Hills Saskatchewan Alberta Canada Guest Ranch Bed and Breakfast Cabin Rental}}</ref> === Later life and death === In the federal election of 1878, he ran in [[Halton (federal electoral district)|Halton]] and was re-elected in the election of 1882 in [[Algoma (electoral district)|Algoma]] and [[Grenville South]] in the election of 1887 he was defeated. In 1890, he was promised a Senate seat, but did not pursue an appointment because his health was failing. During the conferences preceding Confederation, McDougall was personally in favour of electing members to the Senate of Canada. He was also offered a federal judgeship in British Columbia, which he turned down. He died on May 29, 1905, due to a spine injury caused by walking off a moving train. == Political views == McDougall was a [[Canada First]] nationalist.<ref name="Gwyn" /> He espoused deep anti-Catholic and anti-Aboriginal views.<ref name="Gwyn" /> He has also been called "vain, erratic and irredeemably pigheaded".<ref name="Gwyn" /> ==Electoral history== ===Federal=== {{Canadian election result/top|CA|1867|Lanark North}} {{CANelec|CA|Liberal-Conservative|William McDougall, C.B.|acclaimed}} {{end}} {{Canadian election result/top|CA|1872|Lanark North}} {{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[Daniel Galbraith (Ontario politician)|Daniel Galbraith]] | 559 }} {{CANelec|CA|Unknown|[[Bennett Rosamond]] | 418 }} {{CANelec|CA|Liberal-Conservative|Mr. MacDougall |276 }} {{end}} {{Canadian election result/top|CA|1878|Halton (federal electoral district)|Halton|percent=yes|change=yes}} {{CANelec|CA|Liberal-Conservative|William McDougall|1,708|50.3|+2.3}} {{CANelec|CA|Liberal|[[William McCraney]]|1,690|49.7|-2.3}} {{Canadian election result/total|Total valid votes| 3,398|100.0}} {{end}} {{1882 Canadian federal election/Algoma}} {{1887 Canadian federal election/Grenville South}} ===Provincial=== {{1875 Ontario provincial by-elections/Simcoe South}} ==See also== *[[List of Northwest Territories premiers]] *[[List of Northwest Territories lieutenant-governors]] == References == {{Reflist}} * {{cite DCB |title=McDougall, William |first=Suzanne |last=Zeller |volume=13 |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/mcdougall_william_13E.html}} ==External links== {{Canadian Parliament links|ID=11878|2=William McDougall}} * {{Ontario MPP biography|id=william-macdougall|old_id=1441|name=William MacDougall}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070107010703/http://www.collectionscanada.ca/confederation/023001-2366-e.html William McDougall ''Library and Archives Canada''] *[https://aims.archives.gov.on.ca/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/DESCRIPTION_WEB/WEB_DESC_DET?SESSIONSEARCH&exp=sisn%2024143 William McDougall fonds], Archives of Ontario {{CA-Ministers of Public Works}} {{Northwest Territories Heads of State}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:McDougall, William}} [[Category:1822 births]] [[Category:1905 deaths]] [[Category:Canadian people of Scottish descent]] [[Category:Canadian Companions of the Order of the Bath]] [[Category:Fathers of Confederation]] [[Category:Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario]] [[Category:Members of the King's Privy Council for Canada]] [[Category:People from Old Toronto]] [[Category:People of the Red River Rebellion]] [[Category:Lieutenant governors of the Northwest Territories]] [[Category:Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)]] [[Category:Canadian nationalists]] [[Category:Burials at Beechwood Cemetery (Ottawa)]] [[Category:Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from Canada West]] [[Category:19th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada]] [[Category:Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs]]
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