Sir David Lewis Macpherson (1818-1896)

Sir David Lewis Macpherson K.C.M.G., P.C., Speaker of the Canadian Senate

Associated Houses

Chestnut Park

Toronto

He was born at Castle Leathers, Inverness. His brother, John, married Matilda Hatt who grew up at Castle Chambly, Quebec. He followed him to Canada as a clerk in his shipping business and became one of the firm's senior partners. He bought the Montreal & Kingston Railway with Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt and Luther Hamilton Holton knowing that its value was soon to rise significantly and became a partner with Sir Casimir Gzowski to expand the Grand Trunk Railway in Upper Canada (Ontario). He was a director of the Bank of Upper Canada and was elected to Parliament for Saugeen in 1864 before being appointed to the Senate three years later. He was Speaker of the Senate from 1880 to 1883 and Minister of the Interior from 1883 to 1885. He married Elizabeth Molson, grand-daughter of John Molson, founder of Molson's Brewery etc. They lived at Chestnut Park on Yonge Street, Toronto, and had seven children.

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Contributed by Mark Meredith on 12/11/2021 and last updated on 03/07/2023.