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The Fathers of Confederation
The Fathers of Confederation at the Quebec Conference, October 10-27, 1864, drafted the basic plan for the federal union of Canada. The original of this famous painting by Robert Harris was destroyed in the 1916 Parliament buildings fire.
Compilation painting of the Fathers of Confederation who attended the Charlottetown and Quebec conferences. By Robert Harris.
First Row: (front -- left to right) Edward Whalen, Samuel L. Tilley, George Brown, Charles Tupper
Second Row: W.H. Steeves, John Hamilton Gray, Alexander Campbell, Hector L. Langevin, Oliver Mowat, Thomas D'Arcy McGee
Third Row: Charles Fisher, George Coles, J.C. Chapais, Sir ˆâtienne-Paschal Tachˆ©, Alexander T. Galt, J. Cockburn, William McDougall, J. McCully
Fourth Row: W.A. Henry, E.B. Chandler, Adams G. Archibald, Georges-ˆâ. Cartier, Thomas H. Haviland, J.H. Gray, A. Macdonald
Fifth Row: Hewitt Bernard (secy.), Ambrose Shea, John A. Macdonald, Peter Mitchell, W.H. Pope, J.M. Johnson
Sixth Row: (back) E. Palmer, F.B.T. Carter, R.B. Dickey
[ Caption Source: National Library of Canada.]
Confederation Timeline
| Date | Event |
| July 1, 1867 | Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick Three colonies of British North America - the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick - formed a federal union. |
| July 15, 1870 | The Northwest Territories Rupert's Land (which belonged to the Hudson's Bay Company) and the North-Western Territory became part of Canada under the name of the Northwest Territories. |
| July 15, 1870 | Manitoba The creation of this province, within the Northwest Territories, had been provided for when Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory became part of Canada. |
| July 20, 1871 | British Columbia It had remained until then a British colony. |
| July 1, 1873 | Prince Edward Island It had remained until then a British colony. |
| June 13, 1898 | The Yukon Territory A portion of the Northwest Territories became the Yukon Territory. |
| Sept. 1, 1905 | Alberta and Saskatchewan These provinces were created from a portion of the Northwest Territories. |
| March 31, 1949 | Newfoundland It had remained until then a British colony. |
| April 1, 1999 | Nunavut The Northwest Territories were divided in two. The western portion retained the name of the Northwest Territories, and the eastern portion became the Territory of Nunavut. |
Also see: Territorial Evolution of Canada - Excellent maps !
and: Territorial Evolution of Canada
Most pictures are thumbnails- click to enlarge
The Charlottetown Conference
September 1-9, 1864
© Public Domain
Credit: G. P. Roberts/National Archives of Canada, C-000733
Fathers of Confederation in London, England, The London Conference
December 1866 - March 1867
© National Archives of Canada, PA-164728
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The Fathers of Confederation and the Conferences They Attended
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The Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online -
references on this site to the printed form of the dictionary will be updated soon to include the online links.
| Father of Confederation | Representing |
| *C-Charlottetown Conference; Q-Quebec Conference; L-London Conference; b- born; d= died; m= married.
DCB- Dictionary of Canadian Biography NLC- National Library of Canada |
† Knighted
‡ Declared Father of Confederation in 1927 Source: Canadian Centennial Commission; National Library of Canada; Dictionary of Canadian Biography |
 Hon. Adams G. Archibald†
b. May 3, 1814 - d. December 14, 1892.m. June 1, 1843 to Elizabeth Burnyeat -one son who died at 14; 3 daughters. A leading N.S. delegate to all three conferences. Member of the N.S. Legislature. Later became the first Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba and the Northwest Territories, 20 May 1870 - 8 April 1872, and L-G of Nova Scotia -1873-83. Elected to House of Commons 1888-91. Secretary of State for the Provinces. Gave no speeches and was too ill to run again in 1891. "The very model of a gentleman and a scholar who had dedicated his life to public service."-DCB. Died in 1892 and is buried in Robie Street Cemetery, Truro, N.S. © Public Domain Source: National Archives of Canada/C-011344 |
 Nova Scotia CQL Also see: DCB Vol. XII, pp. 30-36 |
 Hon. George Brown
b. at Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland, 29 Nov. 1818; d. at Toronto, Ont., 9 May 1880. Founded the Globe Newspaper in Toronto; elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1851; shot in 1880 by an unhappy former employee of his newspaper. Burial: Toronto Necropolis and Crematorium. Toronto-Plot: E-85. © Public Domain |
Canada West
CQ DCB Vol. X. DCB Online |
 Hon. Alexander Campbell†
b. Hedon, Yorkshire, England, March 9, 1822 - d. Toronto, May 24, 1892. m. Jan. 17, 1855 to Georgina Sandwith in England. 2 sons, 3 daughters. Buried in Cataraqui Cemetery in Kingston, Ontario. Came to Canada in 1823. Law partner with Sir. John A. Macdonald; elected to the Legislative Council 1858 to 1867; After 1867, he no longer ran for election, but held several offices with Conservative governments; he was the ideal political lieutenant.Appointed to the Senate in 1867; In 1887, he left the Senate and was appointed lieutenant-governor of Ontario. © Public Domain.Source: National Archives of Canada / C-007536 |
Canada West
CQ DCB Vol. XII, p. 150-154. |
 Hon. Georges-Étienne Cartier†
b. 6 Sept. 1814 at Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu (Verchˆ®res County, L.C.), son of Jacques Cartier (1774¬ñ1841) and Marguerite Paradis; d. 20 May 1873 in London, Eng. "One of the most influential politicians of his generation. Together with John A. Macdonald, he was co-premier of the Province of Canada. He took part in the Charlottetown, Quˆ©bec and London conferences, and was among the most ardent supporters of Confederation. As one of the primary architects of Canadian Confederation, George-ˆâtienne Cartier fully deserves to be called a Father of Confederation. " NLC. Burial: Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery Montreal; Plot: Section O, #1. Grave. Photo ¬© Public Domain Credit: Notman and Son/National Archives of Canada, C-006166 |
Canada East
CQL DCB Vol. X |
 Hon. Edward Barron Chandler
b. 22 Aug. 1800 in Amherst, N.S., son of Charles Henry Chandler and Elizabeth Rice; d. 6 Feb. 1880 in Fredericton, N.B. |
New Brunswick CQ
BIOGRAPHY DCB Vol. X Picture of his home (part way down page) |
 Jean-Charles Chapais
b. 2 Dec. 1811 at Riviˆ®re-Ouelle, Lower Canada, son of Jean-Charles Chapais, merchant, and Julienne Boucher; m. 30 June 1846 Georgina Dionne. Tthey had six children, including Thomas, a politician and historian, and Jean-Charles, an author of several books and pamphlets on agriculture; d. 17 July 1885 at Ottawa, Ont., and was buried 22 July in the church of Saint-Denis-de-la-Bouteillerie at Saint-Denis, Que. Appointed minister of agriculture in John A. Macdonald's first Cabinet, Chapais held the position until 1869, when he became receiver general. Macdonald pushed Chapais from Cabinet in 1873 as part of an attempt to make his party over. Jean-Charles Chapais was named to the Senate in 1867 and occupied his seat until his death, in 1885- age 73 years, 6 months. Buried in Saint-Denis. Photo: April 1870. ¬© Public Domain. Source: National Archives of Canada / PA-026314 |
Canada East
Q DCB Vol. XI |
 James Cockburn
b. 13 Feb. 1819 at Berwick upon Tweed, England, son of James Cockburn, a merchant, and Sarah Turnbull; m. 14 Dec. 1854 Isabella Susan Patterson (d. 1862), and they had three children; d. 14 Aug. 1883 at Ottawa, Ont. Came to Canada at age 13.He was an advocate for representation by population*. Member of Parliament for Northumberland West. First Speaker of the House of Commons from 1867 to 1873. *See: Careless, J. M. S. -- "Rep by Pop." -- The 1999 Canadian encyclopedia : world edition. -- Toronto : McClelland & Stewart, 1998. Photo: May, 1873 © Public Domain Source: National Archives of Canada / PA-033515 |
Canada West Q
Brief BIOGRAPHY DCB Vol. XI |
 Hon. George Coles
b. 20 Sept. 1810 in Prince Edward Island, son of James Coles and Sarah Tally; d. 21 Aug. 1875 in Charlottetown Royalty, P.E.I. He at first favoured Confederation, on the condition that the terms of union include a solution to the land question. However, when the offer to purchase foreign-owned land holdings was not made part of the discussions at Quˆ©bec City, Coles reversed his position. Coles became premier of Prince Edward Island for a third time in 1867. Served as Premier from 1851 to 1854, 1855 to 1859, 1867 to 1869*. * Most sources tell us that he had to resign in 1868 due to ill health. Buried:
He is buried at the St. Peter's Cemetery, Charlottetown. The grave is marked by the Government of Canada. Photograph courtesy of PEI Archives and Records office, Reference Number 2320/61-4. |
Prince Edward Island
CQ DCB Vol. X |
 Hon. Robert Barry Dickey
b. Amherst, N.S. November 10, 1811 - July 14, 1903, age 92. Robert married Mary Blair STEWART, daughter of Hon. Alex STEWART, on Oct 1844. Mary died Apr 1895. Had 5 children. Served in the Senate at the same time as his son, Arthur Rupert Dickey (1854-1900), was in the House of Commons. Dickey was a delegate to the Charlottetown and Quˆ©bec Conferences. However, after returning from Quˆ©bec City, he refused to support the financial arrangements made for Nova Scotia in the Quˆ©bec Resolutions. He was one of 12 members of the N.S. Legislative Council to be appointed to the Senate in 1867. Picture: ¬© Public Domain. Source: National Archives of Canada/C-010766 |
Nova Scotia CQ His home- now the Cumberland County Museum |
 Charles Fisher
b. 15 Aug. or 16 Sept. 1808 at Fredericton, N.B., eldest son of Peter Fisher and Susanna Williams; d. 8 Dec. 1880 at Fredericton. He was a member of the first graduating class of King's College, Fredericton, the present University of New Brunswick. He helped frame the British North America Act at the London conference. He was elected to the federal house in 1867 from his old constituency of` York and had the honor of moving the adoption of the speech from the throne in the first session. In the following year, he resigned his seat to become a member of the supreme court of New Brunswick - a position for which he was so well prepared. Photo ©Library of Parliament Information and Documentation Branch |
New Brunswick
QL DCB Vol X |
 Hon. Alexander T. Galt†
Businessman, politician, author and diplomat. b. London, England,September 6, 1817 - d. Montreal, September 19, 1893. Married Elliott Torrance, Feb.9, 1848. She died in childbirth, May 25, 1850. A year later he married his wife's younger sister, Amy. They had 2 sons and 8 daughters. Prime Minister Macdonald appointed Alexander Tilloch Galt to the position of finance minister in the first Cabinet of the Canadian Government, but he would hold this position for only a year. Photo: 1869. © Public Domain. Source: National Archives of Canada / PA-013008 |
Canada East
CQL DCB Vol. XII, p. 348-356 Grave- Mount Royal Cemetery, Montreal Section F11 |
 Hon. John Hamilton Gray ( one of two men of the same name to be involved with Confederation)
b. Bermuda,1814 - d. June 5, 1889, Victoria , B.C. Gray was elected to the House of Commons in the first federal election after Confederation, but did not stand for re-election in 1872. Instead, he sought and was given an appointment to British Columbia's Supreme Court, beginning in 1872. As a judge, Gray was noted for his defence of the rights of the Chinese, and for his authoritative work on Canada-United States boundary issues. In 1889, Gray was planning a reception for Tilley when he was stricken with paralysis. He died that June. Photo: © Public Domain.Source: National Archives of Canada/C-061909 |
 New Brunswick
CQ Grave in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria, B.C. Section B DCB Vol. XI DCB Online |
 John Hamilton Gray ( one of two men of the same name to be involved with Confederation)
b. 14 June 1811 at Charlottetown, P.E.I., son of Robert Gray and Mary Burns; m. first Susan Pennefather (d. 1866), and they had at least two. children; m. secondly in 1869 Sarah Caroline Cambridge, and they had three children; d. 13 Aug. 1887 at Charlottetown. At the time of the Charlottetown Conference Gray was as the premier of P.E.I. (1863-1865) and as such was the host of the conference. On the first day of talks he was also elected chairman of the Maritime delegates. Gray entered the talks as a proponent of Maritime Union but soon came to see the advantages of Confederation for the Maritime provinces. |
Prince Edward Island
CQ DCB Vol. XI DCB Online Buried: Sherwood Cemetery. |
 Thomas Heath Haviland
b. Charlottetown, Nov. 13, 1822. d. Charlottetown, September 11, 1895. m. Anne Elizabeth Grubbe, Jan. 5, 1847. 3 daughters, 2 sons. Thomas Heath Haviland was born in Charlottetown and educated at Brussels in the Kingdom of Belgium. He was a delegate to the Quebec Union Conference in 1864 and to Ottawa, with Hon. Messrs. Pope and Howlan in May of 1873 to arrange final terms upon which Prince Edward Island was admitted as a Province of the Dominion. He was called to the Canadian Senate on the 18 October 1873 and in 1879 he resigned from the Senate on his appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island on 14 July 1879.
He is buried at the St. Peter's Cemetery, Charlottetown. The grave is marked by the Government of Canada. Photograph courtesy of PEI Public Archives and Records Office, Reference Number 2320/60-17 |
Prince Edward Island
Q DCB, Vol XII, p. 415-418
|
 Hon. William Alexander Henry
b. Halifax, December 30,1816 d. Ottawa, May 3, 1888 He was married twice, first in 1841 to Sophia C. McDonald (d. 1845), then to Christianna McDonald in 1850. They had 7 children. Appointed to the newly created Supreme Court of Canada Sept. 30, 1875 and served until May 3, 1888. Henry was a diligent attendee at the Court, and contributed greatly to reforms that helped it to run smoothly. Photo: © Public Domain. Source: William James Topley/National Archives of Canada/C-011349 |
Nova Scotia
CQL DCB, Vol XI |
 William P. Howland†‡ 1811-1907
-the only American born "Father of Confederation" -married 3 times. daughter and 2 sons with his first wife.William Pearce’s sons held the position of mayor in Toronto; William Holmes held the position from 1886 to 1887 and Oliver A. from 1901 to 1902. Sir William Pearce Howland was born at Paulings in New York State on May 29, 1811. In 1830 he came to Upper Canada. He was a delegate to the final London Conference, taking the place of Mowat who had been appointed to the bench in Canada West. Like Henry, he had a suggestion for curbing the blocking power of the senate: have them appointed for a fixed term by the provinces. Howland held numerous prestigious positions in his lifetime: a minister in the first Dominion cabinet of Canada; the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario from 1868 to 1873, and Postmaster General of Canada in 1867. Dictated his autobiography at age 95. Died at Toronto on January 1, 1907. |
Canada West
L DCB, Vol. XIII, p. 484-487 |
 Hon. John Mercer Johnson
b. October 1818 in Liverpool, England, son of John Mercer and Ellen Johnson; m. 9 Oct. 1845 Henrietta, daughter of Adam Dixon Shirreff, high sheriff of Northumberland County, N.B., and they had 12 children of whom six lived beyond infancy; d. 8 Nov. 1868 at Chatham, N. B. Like Chandler, Johnson, though a confederationist, took exception to one feature of the Quebec Resolutions, the great strength given to the central government. |
New Brunswick
CQL DCB Vol. IX |
 Hon. Hector-Louis Langevin†
b. Quebec, August 25, 1826 - d. Quebec, June 11, 1906. m. Marie-Justine Tetu, Jan. 10, 1854. They had 9 children. He was descended from a French soldier who had been in Canada between 1666-69. He attended all three conferences leading to Confederation in 1867 and helped to draft the text of the constitution. In 1867, Langevin became secretary of state and superintendent general of Indian affairs. In 1869, John A. Macdonald made him minister of public works. A cabinet minister for nearly 30 years. Photo: Ottawa, July 1873.© Public Domain. Source: National Archives of Canada / PA-026409 |
 Canada East
CQL DCB Vol. XIII, p. 567-572 Office Block named in his honour- across the street from Parliament Hill. |
 Hon. Jonathan McCully
b. on a farm in Cumberland County, N.S. (probably at Maccan), 25 July 1809, fifth in a family of nine children of Samuel McCully and Esther Pipes; d. at his home in Halifax, N.S., 2 Jan. 1877. As a teacher, in his early days, Charles Tupper was one of his pupils. He did much to promote union through newspaper editorials. Awarded a place in the Canadian Senate in 1867. In 1870, he left the Senate to become a judge in the supreme court of Nova Scotia, where he served till his death on January 2, 1877. |
Nova Scotia
CQL DCB Vol. X DCB Online |
 Hon. Andrew A. Macdonald
b. 14 Feb. 1829 at Brudenell Point, P.E.I., eldest child of Hugh Macdonald and Catharine Macdonald; m. 25 Nov. 1863 Elizabeth Lee Owen in Georgetown, P.E.I., and they had four sons; d. 21 March 1912 in Ottawa. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island from 1853 to 1858. In 1863, he married Elizabeth Owen and they had four sons. Lieutenant Governor from 1 August 1884 to 2 September 1889. In 1891 Mr. MacDonald was appointed to the Senate of Canada and he remained in the Senate until his death in Ottawa on 21 march 1912. As one of the last surviving Fathers of Confederation, Macdonald was in demand for his first-hand memories. His publications on the subject include ¬ìThe confederation movement in Prince Edward Island,¬î in Canada, an encyclopˆ¶dia (Hopkins), 5: 431¬ñ34; ¬ìConfederation by one of its makers,¬î Canadian Collier¬ís (Toronto), 43 (1909), no.15: 20¬ñ21; and, most important, ¬ìNotes on the Quebec conference, 1864,¬î ed. A. G. Doughty, CHR, 1 (1920): 26¬ñ47. |
Prince Edward Island
CQ DCB Vol. XIV DCB Online Macdonald’s diary for January–April 1870 was transcribed. by George Leard and published as “Ships and weather, by a Father of Confederation,” in Guardian of the Gulf (Charlottetown), 28–30 Jan. 1952. DCB |
 Hon. John A. Macdonald†
b. Glasgow, Scotland, January 10, 1815 - June 6, 1891 John A. Macdonald( P.C., Q.C., G.C.B., D.C.L., LL.D.) was Canada's first prime minister, and was knighted for his efforts in bringing about Confederation. His role in creating Canada, and the realization of his dream to build a transcontinental railway, have fixed his place as a nation-builder in Canadian history.
Photo of Sir John A.: © Public Domain Photo of Hugh John, ©Library of Parliament |
Canada West
CQL See Prime Ministers Page His grave, Cataraqui Cemetery DCB Vol. 12, p. 591-612 |
 Hon. William McDougall
b.Toronto, January 25, 1822 - d. Ottawa, May 29, 1905. m. (1) May 3, 1845- Amelia Easton. They had at least 7 sons and 2 daughters. She died 1869. (2) Nov. 18, 1872 - Mary Beatty. They had 3 sons. "On July 1, 1867, he was named minister of public works in Sir John A. Macdonald's Cabinet. His first priority, as before, was to annex the North-Western Territory and Rupert's Land to Canada. In 1868, he travelled to London with George-ˆâtienne Cartier to negotiate the transfer of these lands from the Hudson's Bay Company to Canada. On September 28, 1869, Prime Minister Macdonald named William McDougall first lieutenant-governor of the Northwest Territories. A group of Mˆ©tis, under orders from Louis Riel, prevented McDougall from entering the Territory. Shocked and humiliated, he returned to Ottawa, where, he opposed, in vain, the entry of Manitoba as a province into Confederation. " NLC site. Photo: June 1872. ¬© Public Domain. Source: National Archives of Canada/PA-033505 |
 Canada West
CQL DCB Vol XIII, p. 632-636 The DCB has a good account of this man, the forces that drove him and the events that swirled around him. |
 Hon. Thomas D'Arcy McGee (he signed both McGee and M’Gee),b.Carlingford,County Louth, Ireland April 13, 1825 - d.Ottawa, April 7, 1868. He married Mary Teresa Caffrey at Dublin on July 13, 1847. Was editor of the Boston Pilot at age 19. " A journalist and poet as well as a politician, Thomas D'Arcy McGee was a gifted speaker and strong supporter of Confederation. His views regarding Irish republicanism may have resulted in his assassination in 1868."
Top Photo: © Public Domain. Source: National Archives of Canada/C-021543; Right: Bytown Museum |
Canada East
CQ DCB Vol. IX, p. 489-494. DCB Online His statue on Parliament Hill Canada's First Political Assassination
|
 Peter Mitchell
b. 4 Jan. 1824 in Newcastle, N.B., son of Peter Mitchell and Barbara Grant; m. 9 March 1853 Isabella Gough, nˆ©e Carvell, widow of James Gough and sister of Jedediah Slason Carvell, in Saint John, N.B., and they had one daughter; d. 24 Oct. 1899 in Montreal. He attended the Quebec Conference and strongly supported union. In the 1865 election the confederationists were defeated badly. Next to Tilley, Mitchell was the man who reversed the verdict in 1866. In 1867 he was appointed to the Canadian Senate and acted as minister of marine and fisheries for five years. But his independence of mind led him to resign his office and to seek a seat in the commons. At this time also he became editor and afterwards owner of the Montreal Herald. Photo ¬©Library of Parliament Information and Documentation Branch |
New Brunswick
QL DCB Vol. XII |
 Hon. Oliver Mowat†
b. 22 July 1820 in Kingston, Upper Canada, son of John Mowat and Helen Levack; m. 19 May 1846 Jane Ewart, daughter of John Ewart, in Toronto, and they had three sons and four daughters; d. there 19 April 1903. Sir Mowat returned to political life in 1872 when Edward Blake resigned as Premier of Ontario and Mowat succeeded him, elected for North Oxford. Mowat held the premiership and served as Ontario's Attorney General for an unprecedented 24 years. During this period, he fought for and gained greater provincial rights. In 1896, Mowat was appointed to the Senate and served as Laurier's Government Leader in the Senate and Minister of Justice. In 1897, he retired to accept the lieutenant-governorship of Ontario, a post which he occupied until his death in 1903. Mowat was a pioneer of the regulatory and the welfare state in Canada. Photo: © Public Domain. Source: National Archives of Canada / C-008361 |
Canada West
Q DCB, Vol XIII, p. 724-741 As premier of Ontario:-Longest serving Premier in Ontario.-Fought for provincial rights.-Passed laws for a strong education system, a clean water system and the Children’s Aid Society.-Presided over the opening of the legislative building in 1893. |
 Hon. Edward Palmer
b. 1 Sept. 1809 in Charlottetown, P.E.I., third son among 12 children of James Bardin Palmer of Dublin and Millicent Jones of London, England; d. 3 Nov. 1889 in Charlottetown.
"Palmer spent thirty eight years in parliamentary work; twenty five of them as representative of Queen's County, 1835 to 1860, and thirteen as a member of the legislative council, 1860 to 1873. During these years he occupied many offices: solicitor general, attorney general, president of the council and further terms as attorney general. He was one of the most determined opponents of the Quebec Resolutions. Realizing that little could be done to improve the Island's representation in the House of Commons, 5 in 194, Palmer felt frustrated and resentful. He spoke of himself as the 'malcontent of the conference'." CRL site Was the Chief Justice of the supreme court of P.E.I. for 15 years. Photograph courtesy of PEI Archives and Records office, Accession No. 2702/113 |
Prince Edward Island
CQ DCB Vol. XI, p. 664-670 He is buried at Brackley, P.E.I. in the Sherwood Cemetery. The grave is marked by the Government of Canada. |
 Hon. William H. Pope
b. Bedeque,P.E.I, May 29, 1825 - d. St. Eleanor's, P.E.I.,October 7, 1879 Pope was an early convert to the idea of British American union and gave vigorous support to the Quebec Resolutions in his newspaper The Islander. Became a judge in 1873. Photo: © Public Domain. Source: National Archives of Canada/PA-027027 |
Prince Edward Island
CQ DCB Vol. X, p. 593-599 |
 John W. Ritchie‡
b. 26 March 1808 at Annapolis Royal, N.S., the son of Thomas Ritchie, a politician and judge, and Elizabeth Wildman Johnston; m. in 1836 Amelia Rebecca Almon, and they had 12 children; d. 13 Dec. 1890 at Halifax, N.S. He maintained a steady support of confederation, particularly for commercial advantages expected to follow.He acted on the Confederate Council on Commercial Treaties which met at Quebec in the autumn of 1865 to study the whole question of colonial trade.In 1867 he was appointed to the senate and three years later to the supreme court of Nova Scotia Photo: April 1868. © Public Domain |
Nova Scotia
L DCB Vol. XI, P. 754-755. |
 Hon. Ambrose Shea†
b. Newfoundland,September 17, 1815 - d., London, England, July 30, 1905, in self imposed exile. He was a lifelong supporter of the interests of native-born Newfoundlanders. Shea was married twice, first to Isabella Nixon in 1851 (d. 1877), and then to Louisa Hart in 1878. Governor of the Bahamas, October 1887 to December 1894. Upon his death, he was accorded a lavish state funeral in St. John's, the first Newfoundlander to receive such a tribute. Photo: Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL B1-145), St. John's, Newfoundland. |
Newfoundland
Q DCB, Vol XIII, p. 942-946 Shea's Pro-Confederate Speech, 1865 Also see: Bates, Allison. -- "Shea, Ambrose". -- Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador. -- Ed. Cyril F. Poole. -- St. John's, Nfld. : Harry Cuff Publications Ltd., 1994. -- Vol. 5, p. 151-152 |
 Hon. William Henry Steeves
b. 20 May 1814 at Hillsborough, Westmorland County (Albert County), N.B., son of Joseph Steeves and Martha Cross, and great-grandson of Heinrich Stief (Henry Steeves) who came to New Brunswick from Germany in 1765; d. 9 Dec. 1873 at Saint John, N.B. He did not take an outstanding part in the discussions but gave the union movement his steady support. Appointed to the Senate, Oct. 23, 1867. Buried in Fernhill Cemetery, Saint John , N.B. |
New Brunswick
CQ DCB Vol. X DCB Online |
 Hon. Étienne-Paschal Taché†
doctor, politician, and deputy adjutant-general of the militia; b. 5 Sept. 1795 at Saint-Thomas (Montmagny, Que.), son of Charles Tachˆ© and Geneviˆ®ve Michon; d. 30 July 1865 in the town of his birth. "ˆâtienne-Paschal Tachˆ© had two careers, representing two very distinct periods of his life. From 1812 to 1841, he was a physician, and from 1841 to 1865, a politician. Because he died before 1867, his name is often forgotten when speaking of Confederation. All the same, he participated in every important political event under the Union. " NLC site. Photo:¬© Public Domain. Source: Livernois/National Archives of Canada / PA-074100 |
Canada East
DCB Vol. IX DCB Online
|
 Hon. Samuel Leonard Tilley†
b.Gagetown, May 8, 1818- d.of blood- poisoning Saint John June 25, 1896. m. twice.(1) May 6, 1843 to Julia Hanford. They had 8 children; (2) Oct 22, 1867 to Alice Chipman. They had 2 children. Premier and provincial secretary of New Brunswick. He was a strong supporter of Confederation. Chose the term " Dominion" from Psalm 72:8. Architect of the National Policy. Served in the federal cabinet 1867-1885 as Minister of Customs, Finance and receiver-general. Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick twice- Appointed November 15, 1873 at age 55 until July 11, 1878 and again on October 31, 1885 at age 67 until September 21, 1893. Buried in Fernhill Cemetery, Saint John , N.B. Photo ©Library of Parliament Information and Documentation Branch |
New Brunswick
CQL DCB- Vol. 12, p. 1051-1060 ( Tilley House, Gagetown, N.B.) |
 Hon. Charles Tupper†
The longest-surviving Father of Confederation. Shortest term as PM- 2 months 7 days from May 1 to July 8, 1896. ( John Turner served 2 months, 18 days- June 30 to September 17, 1984) b. July 2, 1821 at Amherst- Died Oct 30, 1915 in Bexleyheath, England at the home of his married daughter. Buried St. John's Cemetery, Halifax. Held various cabinet positions in the federal cabinet 1870-1896: Inland Revenue; Customs; Public Works;Railways and Canals;Finance and Receiver General; State of Canada. There are also two other plaques at the grave site:
Served in House of Commons at the same time as his son, Charles Hibbert (left) (b. Aug. 3, 1855- d. March 30, 1927) Photos ©Library of Parliament Information and Documentation Branch |
Nova Scotia
CQL See Prime Ministers site also see: Premiers of Nova Scotia A Speech in the House of Commons, April 14, 1896 DCB Vol. XIV, p. 1014-1023 Photo by Peter Bennett, 1999 |
 Edward Whelan
b. 1824 at Ballina, County Mayo (Republic of Ireland), son of a soldier in the British infantry; d. 10 Dec. 1867 in Charlottetown, P. E. I. He was born in Mayo County in western Ireland in 1824, and was brought with the family to Halifax at twelve years of age. Founded the Examiner newspaper in Charlottetown. Attended the Quebec conference and wrote extensively about the debates and the parties- "The Cabinet Ministers -- the leading ones especially-- are the most inveterate dancers I have ever seen; they do not seem to miss a dance the live-long night." He was the only prominent Liberal supporter of Confederation from the Island. Grave: At the Old St. Dunstan's, Longworth Avenue, Charlottetown. See: Duncan Campbell's History of Prince Edward Isl. - Ch. 11 |
 Prince Edward Island
Q DCB Vol. IX Photo: ¬© contact Musˆ©e de la civilisation. All Rights Reserved. |
 Robert Duncan Wilmot‡
b. 16 Oct. 1809 in Fredericton, son of John McNeil Wilmot and Susanna (Susan) Harriet Wiggins; m. 17 Dec. 1833 Susannah (Susan) Elizabeth Mowat of St Andrews, N.B., and they had seven children; d. 13 Feb. 1891 at Belmont, his estate in Sunbury County, N.B. In the formation of the government of Canada, Wilmot was given a seat in the senate. In 1878 he became speaker of the senate and minister without portfolio in Macdonald's reconstructed administration. In 1880 he resigned his seat in the senate to become lieutenant governor of his home province. |
New Brunswick
L BIOGRAPHY- as Senate Speaker DCB Vol. XII |
| *C-Charlottetown Conference; Q-Quebec Conference; L-London Conference; b- born; d= died; m= married.
DCB- Dictionary of Canadian Biography NLC- National Library of Canada |
† Knighted
‡ Declared Father of Confederation in 1927 Source: Canadian Centennial Commission; National Library of Canada; Dictionary of Canadian Biography |
Even though Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island did not join Canada in 1867, the people they sent to the conferences are also known as Fathers of Confederation. Below is a list of all these "Fathers" in order of the colony they represented.
| New Brunswick: | Edward Barron Chandler, Charles Fisher, John Hamilton Gray, John Mercer Johnson, Peter Mitchell, William Henry Steeves, Samuel Leonard Tilley, Robert Duncan Wilmot |
| Newfoundland: | Frederick B. T. Carter, Ambrose Shea |
| Nova Scotia: | Adams G. Archibald, Robert Barry Dickey, William Alexander Henry, Jonathan McCully, John William Ritchie, Charles Tupper |
| Prince Edward Island: | George Coles, John Hamilton Gray, Thomas Heath Haviland, Andrew Archibald Macdonald, Edward Palmer, William Henry Pope, Edward Whelan |
| Province of Canada: | George Brown, Alexander Campbell, George-ˆâtienne Cartier, Jean-Charles Chapais, James Cockburn, Alexander Tilloch Galt, William Pierce Howland, Hector-Louis Langevin, John A. Macdonald, William McDougall, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, Oliver Mowat, ˆâtienne-Paschal Tachˆ© |
LINKS
STUDENT HANDOUTS FOR TEACHERS FROM NLC SITE
Newfoundland and Canada: 1864-1949
Canada in the Making- includes lesson plans
BACK TO THE TEACHING & LEARNING ABOUT CANADA SITE
"While he was elected to the House of Commons in 1867 by a slim majority, he was not included in Macdonald's first post-Confederation Cabinet. By 1868, McGee was planning to leave politics for a job in the civil service. He also hoped to spend more time on his writing and poetry. However, he was not given the chance. On April 7, 1868, McGee attended a late-night session in the House of Commons, where he gave a passionate speech in favour of national unity. Returning home, he was shot and killed as he entered the door of his rooming house on Sparks Street in Ottawa. It is generally believed that McGee was the victim of a Fenian plot. However, Patrick James Whelan ( above), who was convicted and hanged for the crime, was never accused of being a Fenian by the Crown prosecutor. McGee was given a state funeral."-NLC
site
An enormous public funeral down Montreal's St. James Street. By 9:00 am the streets are crowded to suffocation with 60,000 mourners. The stores and offices are shut tight. At least 20,000 men march in the funeral procession, which takes close to three hours to pass by.
His home, 6-8, Rue Sainte-Marie