Robert Duncan Wilmot, PC

Queen's Privy Council for Canada

The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...

 (16 October 1809 – 13 February 1891) was a Canadian politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 and a Father of Confederation

Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...

.

Biography

Wilmot was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...

, but moved to Saint John

Saint John, New Brunswick

City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...

 with his family at around the age of five, and there he was educated. His father, John McNeil Wilmot

John McNeil Wilmot

John McNeil Wilmot was a businessman, judge and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented St. John County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1820 to 1827 and from 1835 to 1842....

, was a big tank and shipowner. Wilmot worked for his father's business and represented the company in Liverpool, England from 1835 to 1840. It is there that his son, Robert Duncan Wilmot, a future Member of Parliament, was born.

Wilmot represented St. John County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton. It was established de jure when the colony was created in 1784, but only came in to session in 1786 following the first elections in late 1785. Until 1891, it was the lower house in a bicameral legislature when its upper house...

 from 1847 to 1861 and from 1865 to 1867. He was a delegate to the colonial conference in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 from 1866 to 1867. Following confederation

Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...

, he 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...

 on 23 October 1867 by royal proclamation, and represented the Senate division

Canadian Senate divisions

Canadian Senate divisions refers to two things. First, to the four regional Senate divisions of 24 senators as set out in the Constitution of Canada Canadian Senate divisions refers to two things. First, to the four regional Senate divisions of 24 senators as set out in the Constitution of Canada...

 of New Brunswick

New Brunswick

New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...

 until his resignation on 10 February 1880. In 1878, he became Speaker of the Senate, and was also a member of the ministry of John A. Macdonald

John A. Macdonald

Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...

.

He served as mayor of Saint John from 1849 to 1850.
He was made a member of the Executive Council of New Brunswick

Executive Council of New Brunswick

The Executive Council of New Brunswick is the cabinet of that Canadian province....

, serving as the Surveyor-General

Department of Natural Resources (New Brunswick)

The Department of Natural Resources is a department in the Government of New Brunswick, Canada. It is responsible for management of the Province's forests including timber utilization, trail management, insect and disease protection including spruce budworm and gypsy moth, fire protection,...

 (1851–1854).
He was provincial secretary from 1856-1857.
After his resignation from the Senate in 1880, he served as the sixth Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick

Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick

The Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick or Lieutenante-gouverneure du Nouveau-Brunswick) is the viceregal representative in New Brunswick of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada...

 until 1885.

Wilmot died at his estate in Sunbury County

Sunbury County, New Brunswick

Sunbury County is located in central New Brunswick, Canada. A large military base is located in the western part of the county south of the town of Oromocto...

at the age of 81.