Angus Morrison
Encyclopedia
Angus Morrison, QC
(January 20, 1822 – June 10, 1882) was an Ontario
lawyer and political figure. He represented Niagara in the Canadian House of Commons
as a Conservative
member from 1867 to 1874. He served as the 21st Mayor of Toronto
from 1876 to 1878.
He was born in Edinburgh
, Scotland
in 1822 and came to Upper Canada
with his father in 1830; they later moved to York (Toronto). Morrison joined the law office of his older brother, Joseph
, as a clerk in 1839, was called to the bar in 1845 and opened his own practice in Toronto. He was elected to city council in 1853 and 1854. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
in the North riding of Simcoe
in 1854; he was reelected in 1857 and 1861. He was elected in an 1864 by-election to represent Niagara
. He was elected to represent Niagara in the federal parliament in 1867, serving until his defeat in the 1874 general election. During his time in office, Morrison helped promote the development of transportation links within the province. In 1873, he was named Queen's Counsel
. During his time as mayor, he helped establish the Credit Valley Railway
and negotiated an agreement with Ottawa to have the city take over the exhibition grounds
. He died in Toronto in 1882.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(January 20, 1822 – June 10, 1882) was an Ontario
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....
lawyer and political figure. He represented Niagara in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
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 from 1867 to 1874. He served as the 21st Mayor of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
from 1876 to 1878.
He was born in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1822 and came to 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...
with his father in 1830; they later moved to York (Toronto). Morrison joined the law office of his older brother, Joseph
Joseph Curran Morrison
Joseph Curran Morrison was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Canada West.He was born in Ireland in 1816 and came to Upper Canada with his family in 1830. He studied at Upper Canada College, studied law, articled with Simon Ebenezer Washburn and was called to the bar in 1839...
, as a clerk in 1839, was called to the bar in 1845 and opened his own practice in Toronto. He was elected to city council in 1853 and 1854. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
in the North riding of Simcoe
Simcoe County, Ontario
Simcoe County is located in central portion of Southern Ontario. The County is situated just north of the Greater Toronto Area stretching from the shores of Lake Simcoe in the east to Georgian Bay in the west...
in 1854; he was reelected in 1857 and 1861. He was elected in an 1864 by-election to represent Niagara
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
. He was elected to represent Niagara in the federal parliament in 1867, serving until his defeat in the 1874 general election. During his time in office, Morrison helped promote the development of transportation links within the province. In 1873, he was named Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
. During his time as mayor, he helped establish the Credit Valley Railway
Credit Valley Railway
The Credit Valley Railway was a shortline railway that operated in Southern Ontario, Canada from 1871 to 1883. Engineered by James Ross, its mainline went from Toronto to Orangeville with branchlines from Cataract to Elora and Streetsville to St. Thomas. It was acquired by the Ontario and Quebec...
and negotiated an agreement with Ottawa to have the city take over the exhibition grounds
Exhibition Place
Exhibition Place is a mixed-use district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, by the shoreline of Lake Ontario, just west of downtown. The 197–acre area includes expo, trade, and banquet centres, theatre and music buildings, monuments, parkland, sports facilities, and a number of civic, provincial,...
. He died in Toronto in 1882.