Alexander Sproat
Encyclopedia
Alexander Sproat was an Ontario
land surveyor, businessman and political figure. He represented Bruce North
in the 1st Canadian Parliament
as a Conservative
member.
He was born near Milton
in Halton County
, Upper Canada
in 1834, son of Adam Sproat and Eleanor Brown. He studied at Knox College
and Queen's College
. He came to Southampton
around 1856 as a provincial surveyor, and ended up the agent of the Commercial Bank of Canada (his future father in law, as well as Crown Lands Agent, was the agent of the Bank of Upper Canada, so in effect Alexander's direct competition). He married Alexander McNabb's daughter Eliza in 1861 in Southampton. They were the parents of Marion, Adam, Eleanor.
In 1864, he was appointed treasurer for Bruce County
, a position he held until 1873. He served as Colonel with the Southampton Rifles during the Fenian Raids. In 1866, the volunteer companies of the County Bruce were formed into the 32nd Battalion of Infantry and Alex was made Lieutenant Colonel in command. In 1867, Alex was elected Conservative MP for North Bruce and sit in the first House of Commons after Confederation (which sat between 24 Sept 1867 and July 8 1872). In 1872 he lost his bid for re-election by a handful of votes. He also served as the mayor of Walkerton
in 1876 and also served a term as Reeve.
By 1880, Alexander and his family had moved west, to Prince Albert. In that year, he was named registrar for the District of Prince Albert
in Saskatchewan
. He helped found the Curling Club of Saskatchewan and served as its first president. He organized and served as the first lodge master of L.O.L. No. 1506, the first Orange Lodge in Alberta in 1882. When the North West Rebellion broke out in 1885, Alexander was involved with the Prince Albert Volunteers and was at Duck Lake, where his brother in law Alexander McNabb was wounded.
Alexander Sproat died at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on August 17, 1890.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
land surveyor, businessman and political figure. He represented Bruce North
Bruce North
Bruce North was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1935. It was created by the British North America Act of 1867 which divided the county of Bruce into two ridings: Bruce North and Bruce South.-Geography:The North...
in the 1st Canadian Parliament
1st Canadian Parliament
The 1st Canadian Parliament was in session from November 6, 1867 until July 8, 1872. The membership was set by the 1867 federal election from August 7 to September 20, 1867, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was prorogued prior to the 1872 election.It was...
as a Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
member.
He was born near Milton
Milton, Ontario
Milton is a town in Southern Ontario, Canada, and part of the Halton Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Milton received a tremendous amount of awareness following the release of the results of the 2006 Census, which indicated that Milton is the fastest growing municipality in the Greater Golden...
in Halton County
Halton County, Ontario
Halton County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is also one of the oldest counties in Canada.-History:Halton County is named after Major William Mathew Halton who was appointed in 1805 as Secretary to the Upper Canada provincial Lieutenant-Governor Sir Francis...
, Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
in 1834, son of Adam Sproat and Eleanor Brown. He studied at Knox College
Knox College, University of Toronto
Knox College is a postgraduate theological college of the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1844 as part of a schism movement in the Church of Scotland following the Disruption...
and Queen's College
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
. He came to Southampton
Southampton, Ontario
Southampton is a community of approximately 3083 people on the shores of Lake Huron in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada, located at the mouth of the Saugeen River....
around 1856 as a provincial surveyor, and ended up the agent of the Commercial Bank of Canada (his future father in law, as well as Crown Lands Agent, was the agent of the Bank of Upper Canada, so in effect Alexander's direct competition). He married Alexander McNabb's daughter Eliza in 1861 in Southampton. They were the parents of Marion, Adam, Eleanor.
In 1864, he was appointed treasurer for Bruce County
Bruce County, Ontario
Bruce County is a county in western Ontario, Canada, and includes the Bruce Peninsula. As of 2006, the population was 65,349. The area was . The county seat is Walkerton, Ontario. It is located at ....
, a position he held until 1873. He served as Colonel with the Southampton Rifles during the Fenian Raids. In 1866, the volunteer companies of the County Bruce were formed into the 32nd Battalion of Infantry and Alex was made Lieutenant Colonel in command. In 1867, Alex was elected Conservative MP for North Bruce and sit in the first House of Commons after Confederation (which sat between 24 Sept 1867 and July 8 1872). In 1872 he lost his bid for re-election by a handful of votes. He also served as the mayor of Walkerton
Walkerton, Ontario
Walkerton is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within and governed by the municipality of Brockton. It is the site of Brockton's municipal offices and the county seat of Bruce County...
in 1876 and also served a term as Reeve.
By 1880, Alexander and his family had moved west, to Prince Albert. In that year, he was named registrar for the District of Prince Albert
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan...
in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
. He helped found the Curling Club of Saskatchewan and served as its first president. He organized and served as the first lodge master of L.O.L. No. 1506, the first Orange Lodge in Alberta in 1882. When the North West Rebellion broke out in 1885, Alexander was involved with the Prince Albert Volunteers and was at Duck Lake, where his brother in law Alexander McNabb was wounded.
Alexander Sproat died at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on August 17, 1890.