Avard Longley was a farmer, merchant and politician in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

, Canada. He represented Annapolis County

Annapolis County, Nova Scotia

Annapolis County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia located in the western part of the province on the Bay of Fundy. The county seat is Annapolis Royal.-History:...

 in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...

 from 1859 to 1867 and again from 1874 to 1878 and represented Annapolis

Annapolis (electoral district)

Annapolis was a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1917. The district was created in the British North America Act of 1867. It was abolished in 1914 when it was redistributed into Digby and Annapolis...

 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...

 from 1878 to 1882 as a Conservative member.

He was born in Paradise, Nova Scotia

Paradise, Nova Scotia

Paradise is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Annapolis County.-References:*...

, the son of Asaph Longley and Dorcas Poole. In 1848, he married Hannah Maria Whitman. Longley married Charlotte Augusta Troop in 1855. Longley was first elected to the assembly in 1859 as a temperance

Temperance movement

A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...

 advocate. He was commissioner of railways from 1864 to 1869. Longley helped found the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers' Association and served as its president from 1883 to 1884. He ran unsuccessfully for a federal seat in 1867 and 1872 and was defeated when he ran for a seat in the provincial assembly in 1871. Longley served on the board of governors for Acadia College

Acadia University

Acadia University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level...

from 1874 to 1884. Still a temperance advocate, while in Ottawa, he attempted to have the bar in the House of Commons closed permanently. Longley did not run for reelection in 1882 due to poor health. He died in Paradise at the age of 61.