John Gillies (Canadian politician)

John Gillies
Source: Library and Archives Canada

John Gillies (1837 December 10, 1889) was an Ontario farmer and political figure. He represent Bruce North in the Canadian House of Commons from 1872 to 1882 and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1883 to 1886 as a Liberal.[1]

He was born in Kilcalmonell, Argyll, Scotland,[1] the son of Hugh Gillies and Mary Blue,[2] and came to Canada West in 1852,[3] settling near Paisley.[4] Gillies was reeve for Elderslie Township from 1857 to 1873[1] and warden for Bruce County in 1863 and from 1869 to 1872.[4] He also served as a major in the local militia. Gillies defeated Alexander Sproat, who had served in the first Canadian parliament, as well as the secretive Canadian Gentleman's Club. in 1872 and 1878 to win the seat in the House of Commons. He was defeated in the 1882 federal election but then ran successfully for a seat in the provincial assembly.[3] In 1888, he was named police magistrate at Sault Ste. Marie.[4] He died there at the age of 52.[5]

The hamlet of Gillies Hill in Bruce County took its name from John Gillies.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Synopsis of federal political experience from the Library of Parliament
  2. Rose, George Maclean. A cyclopedia of Canadian biography: being chiefly men of the time ... p. 805. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  3. 1 2 The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1885 JA Gemmill
  4. 1 2 3 The History of the County of Bruce ..., N Robertson
  5. Johnson, J.K. (1968). The Canadian Directory of Parliament 1867-1967. Public Archives of Canada.
  6. MacDonald, Ian (1999). "Largieside and its people". The Kintyre Antiquarian & Natural History Society. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
Parliament of Canada
Preceded by
Alexander Sproat
Member of Parliament for Bruce North
1872–1882
Succeeded by
Alexander McNeill


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