Alexander Warburton

Alexander Warburton
7th Premier of Prince Edward Island
In office October 1, 1897 – August 1, 1898
Monarch	Victoria
Lieutenant Governor	George William Howlan
Preceded by	Frederick Peters
Succeeded by	Donald Farquharson
Leader of the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party
In office October 1, 1897 – August 1, 1898
Preceded by	Frederick Peters
Succeeded by	Donald Farquharson
Member of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island for 1st Queens
In office May 29, 1891 – December 13, 1893 Serving with Peter Sinclair
Preceded by	James Miller Sutherland
Succeeded by	district abolished
MLA (Councillor) for 1st Queens
In office December 13, 1893 – August 1, 1898
Preceded by	himself
Succeeded by	William Campbell
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Queen's
In office October 26, 1908 – September 21, 1911 Serving with Lemuel E. Prowse
Preceded by	Angus A. McLean Alexander Martin
Succeeded by	Angus A. McLean Donald Nicholson
Personal details
Born	April 5, 1852 Summerside, Prince Edward Island
Died	January 14, 1929 (aged 76) Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Liberal
Other political affiliations	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Helen Margaret Davies (m. 1883) Isabella Cogswell Longworth (m. 1889)
Children	3
Alma mater	St. Dunstan's College King's College University of Edinburgh
Occupation	lawyer, judge, and author
Profession	Politician
Religion	Anglican

Alexander Bannerman Warburton (April 5, 1852 – January 14, 1929) was a politician, jurist and author, who served as the seventh Premier of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Alexander was born in Summerside, the son of James Warburton, who was a member of the provincial assembly. Named after Lieut. Governor, Sir Alexander Bannerman, he was educated in Summerside, at St. Dunstan's College, King's College in Nova Scotia and the University of Edinburgh. He was called to the bar in 1879. He was a director for the Patriot Publishing Company and the Eastern Assurance Company of Canada.

Warburton was first elected to the province's House of Assembly in 1891 as a Liberal, and was re-elected in 1893 and 1897. He became premier of the province on October 27, 1897 when his predecessor resigned to move to British Columbia. Warburton only served in the position for eight months until resigning in June 1898 to accept a judicial appointment.

In the 1908 federal election, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP), but lost his seat in the 1911 election that defeated the Laurier Liberals. He attempted to return to the House but was again defeated in the 1917 election. In 1920, Warburton returned to the bench as a judge on probate court and held that position until his death.

Warburton wrote two books on the history of the island, Prince Edward Island, Past and Present in 1905, and A History of Prince Edward Island which was published posthumously in 1923. Prior to entering politics, Warburton started a movement to beautify Charlottetown which resulting in the planting of more than 800 trees along main thoroughfares and in public squares, many of which stand to this day.

References

• Alexander Warburton – Parliament of Canada biography
• The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1891, JA Gemmill
• Past and Present of Prince Edward Island ..., DA MacKinnon & AB Warburton (1906)