John Percival "J.P." Burchill (February 6, 1855 – December 18, 1923) was a merchant and political figure in 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...

, Canada. He represented Northumberland County

Northumberland County, New Brunswick

Northumberland County , having the largest area of any county in the province, is located in northeastern New Brunswick, Canada.-Geography:Northumberland County is covered by thick forests, whose products stimulate the economy...

 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 1883 to 1886, from 1887 to 1903 and from 1908 to 1912 as a Liberal member.

He was born in Miramichi, New Brunswick

Miramichi, New Brunswick

Miramichi is the largest city in northern New Brunswick, Canada. It is situated at the mouth of the Miramichi River where it enters Miramichi Bay...

, the son of George Burchill

George Burchill

George Burchill was a shipbuilder, lumberman and merchant in New Brunswick.He was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland, the son of Thomas Burchill and Catherine Murphy, and came to New Brunswick with his parents in 1826. He found work as a clerk in a store in Chatham...

, an Irish

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

-born lumber merchant, and Bridget Percival. With his brother, George Jr., he joined his father's firm in 1881. In 1882, he married Eliza Bacon Wilkinson. He served as a member of the council for Northumberland County from 1878 to 1882, serving as county warden in 1882. Burchill was defeated in a bid for reelection to the provincial assembly in 1886 but then was elected in an 1887 by-election held after Michael Adams

Michael Adams (politician)

Michael Adams, QC was a Canadian politician.Born in Douglastown, Parish of Newcastle, New Brunswick, of Irish descent, Adams was educated in Douglastown. He was married twice: first, in 1869, to Miss Catherine L. Patterson, and second, on November 29, 1882, to Miss Nealis...

 ran for a seat in the federal parliament. He served as speaker for the legislative assembly from 1893 to 1899. He was defeated in 1903. In 1904, he took over the operation of the company when his father retired from business. Burchill was also president of the Miramichi Steam Navigation Company and helped found the Miramichi River Service Limited which succeeded it. He was a prominent Freemason and a past master of the Sons of Temperance. He died in Newcastle

Newcastle, New Brunswick

Newcastle is a Canadian urban neighbourhood in the city of Miramichi, New Brunswick.Prior to municipal amalgamation in 1995, it was an incorporated town and the shire town of Northumberland County....

 at the age of 68.

His son George Percival

George Percival Burchill

George Percival Burchill was a lumber merchant and political figure. He sat for Northumberland-Miramichi division in the Senate of Canada from 1945 to 1977 as a Liberal....

later became president of George Burchill and Sons and went on to serve in the Canadian senate.