Charles Alexander (politician)
Encyclopedia
Charles Alexander was a Scottish
-born merchant and political figure in Quebec
. He represented Montreal-Centre
in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
from 1874 to 1875 as a Liberal.
He was born in Dundee
, the son of John Alexander and Murina Mudie, and was educated there. He worked for a firm that manufactured marmalade
. Alexander was married Margaret Kyle in 1838. In 1840, he came to Lower Canada
with his family after the company opened a branch in Montreal
. In 1841, he operated a business in London
, Upper Canada
with a partner but, in 1842, returned to Montreal and opened a confectionery
store there the following year. He expanded into manufacturing, wholesale sales and catering; Alexander also operated a dining room and ice cream parlour.
Alexander served on the municipal council for Montreal from 1865 to 1875. He helped found the Society for the Protection of Women and Children in 1869, serving as its vice-president. In the same year, he was co-founder and president for the Protestant Institution for Deaf-Mutes and for the Blind. In 1870, Alexander helped found the Boys' Home of Montreal, also serving as its president. He also was president of the Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Montreal. Alexander was a director for the Sun Mutual Life Insurance Company of Montreal, the Montreal Loan and Mortgage Company and the Mount Royal Cemetery Company.
Alexander was elected to the Quebec assembly in an 1874 by-election held after Luther Hamilton Holton
resigned his seat. He was defeated by Alexander Walker Ogilvie
when he ran for reelection in 1875. Alexander was married a second time to Mary Ann Patton in 1884. He died in Montreal at the age of 89 after falling from a second story window in his home. Alexander was buried in the Mount Royal Cemetery
.
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...
-born merchant and political figure in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He represented Montreal-Centre
Sainte-Anne (provincial electoral district)
Sainte-Anne was a provincial electoral district in the province of Quebec, Canada. Located in the Greater Montreal Area, it was formed in 1890 from parts of Montreal-Centre. In 1994, it became part of Saint-Henri—Sainte-Anne after a merger with Saint-Henri. From 1890 to 1912 it was also known as...
in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...
from 1874 to 1875 as a Liberal.
He was born in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, the son of John Alexander and Murina Mudie, and was educated there. He worked for a firm that manufactured marmalade
Marmalade
Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits, boiled with sugar and water. The benchmark citrus fruit for marmalade production in Britain is the "Seville orange" from Spain, Citrus aurantium var...
. Alexander was married Margaret Kyle in 1838. In 1840, he came to Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
with his family after the company opened a branch in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. In 1841, he operated a business in London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, 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 a partner but, in 1842, returned to Montreal and opened a confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
store there the following year. He expanded into manufacturing, wholesale sales and catering; Alexander also operated a dining room and ice cream parlour.
Alexander served on the municipal council for Montreal from 1865 to 1875. He helped found the Society for the Protection of Women and Children in 1869, serving as its vice-president. In the same year, he was co-founder and president for the Protestant Institution for Deaf-Mutes and for the Blind. In 1870, Alexander helped found the Boys' Home of Montreal, also serving as its president. He also was president of the Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Montreal. Alexander was a director for the Sun Mutual Life Insurance Company of Montreal, the Montreal Loan and Mortgage Company and the Mount Royal Cemetery Company.
Alexander was elected to the Quebec assembly in an 1874 by-election held after Luther Hamilton Holton
Luther Hamilton Holton
Luther Hamilton Holton was a Quebec businessman and political figure. He represented Châteauguay as a Liberal member in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1880.- Early life and education :...
resigned his seat. He was defeated by Alexander Walker Ogilvie
Alexander Walker Ogilvie
Alexander Walker Ogilvie was a Canadian politician.Born in Côte-Saint-Michel, Lower Canada which is on the island of Montreal, the son of Alexander Ogilvie and Helen Watson, he owned a mill named A.W. Ogilvie & Company.In 1867, he was acclaimed to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the riding...
when he ran for reelection in 1875. Alexander was married a second time to Mary Ann Patton in 1884. He died in Montreal at the age of 89 after falling from a second story window in his home. Alexander was buried in the Mount Royal Cemetery
Mount Royal Cemetery
Opened in 1852, Mount Royal Cemetery is a 165-acre terraced cemetery on the north slope of Mount Royal in the borough of Outremont, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The burial ground shares the mountain with the much larger adjacent Roman Catholic cemetery -- Cimetière Notre-Dame-des-Neiges...
.