James J. Donnelly was born November 14, 1866 and was appointed to the Canadian Senate

Canadian Senate

The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...

 for life by Prime Minister Robert Laird Borden May 26, 1913 to represent the senatorial division for Bruce South, Ontario. He was the youngest Senator chosen at that time. With more than 40 years of political experience, Senator Donnelly died at the home he built in Pinkerton on October 20, 1948 at the age of 81, approximately one and one half miles from where he was born. His wife died on December 30, 1960 at the age of 89.

James J. Donnelly had the occupation as a lumberman, president / manager, and rancher. Prior to the Canadian Senate, James J. Donnelly was the Reeve and Clerk for the Township of Greenock, Ontario and Warden of Bruce County in 1902. Senator Donnelly bought 2800 acres (11.3 km²) and his family ran a lumber mill out of Chepstow. He also raised beef cattle.

In 1895 James J. Donnelly married Julia Mcnab, the daughter of Michael Mcnab and Magdalena Brohman of Chepstow and took over the old homestead from his parents who retired to Kingsbridge. However he soon became interested in the lumbering business and bought a large section of the Greenock Swamp from W. D. Cargill. So he moved with his young family to the nearby village of Pinkerton where in 1904 he built a spacious white brick residence.

Early in life James embarked on a political career. After being elected Reeve of Greenock Township, he was chosen as Warden of Bruce County in 1902. In 1904, he was elected as a Conservative member of Parliament for the Riding of East Bruce

Bruce East

Bruce East was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1882 to 1904. This riding was created in 1882 from parts of Bruce North and Bruce South ridings....

 in the bye-election which followed the death of W. D. Cargill. He was defeated in the 1904 federal election

Canadian federal election, 1904

The Canadian federal election of 1904 was held on November 3 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 10th Parliament of Canada...

 later that year in Bruce South

Bruce South

Bruce South was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1882 and from 1903 to 1935....

 but won the riding in the 1908

Canadian federal election, 1908

The Canadian federal election of 1908 was held on October 26 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 11th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier's Liberal Party of Canada was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term in government with a majority government...

 and 1911 elections

Canadian federal election, 1911

The Canadian federal election of 1911 was held on September 21 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Canada.-Summary:...

.

His eldest son, Frank, followed his father's example of public service and was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ontario

Supreme Court of Ontario

The Supreme Court of Ontario was a superior court of the Canadian province of Ontario. Now defunct, in 1989 the Courts of Justice Amendment Act, 1989 was enacted by the Government to create one large superior trial court for Ontario...

. His son Jim of Goderich, in turn, now holds that position. The youngest son, Harold, like his father was Warden of Bruce and his son Maurice later held this position, thus setting a record of three generations as Wardens of Bruce.

Mertis, his second born, was a teacher of mathematics and married William Flannery, a North Bay lawyer in 1932. For her achievements in Community Service during World War II, she was named a member of the Order of the British Empire

Order of the British Empire

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

 by George VI in 1946.

Bruce East

Bruce East

Bruce East was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1882 to 1904. This riding was created in 1882 from parts of Bruce North and Bruce South ridings....

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|DONNELLY, James J.
|align="right"| 1,821
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|ROBB, Alexander W.
|align="right"| 1,650
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Bruce South

Bruce South

Bruce South was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1882 and from 1903 to 1935....

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|MCKENZIE, Peter H.

Peter H. McKenzie

Peter H. McKenzie was a Canadian politician.Born in Puslinch Township, Wellington County, Canada West, the son of Alexander McKenzie of Ross-shire, Scotland, and Jane McNaughton, of Stirlingshire, Scotland, McKenzie was educated at the Common School in Puslinch. A farmer, McKenzie was a Liberal...

 
|align="right"| 3,082
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|DONNELLY, James J.
|align="right"| 2,938
|}
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|DONNELLY, James J.
|align="right"| 3,005
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|MCKENZIE, Peter H.
|align="right"| 2,812
|}
|-

|DONNELLY, James J.
|align="right"| 2,878
|-

|TRUAX, R.E.

Reuben Eldridge Truax

Reuben Eldridge Truax was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Bruce South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1894 to 1904 and from 1908 to 1911 and Bruce East in 1891 and Bruce South from 1913 to 1921 in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal member...

|align="right"| 2,775
|}

Mr. J.J. Donnelly summoned to the Senate, 26 May 1913:

External links

Canadian Parliament