Thomas Farquhar
Encyclopedia
Thomas Farquhar was a Canadian politician.
while he was still young and Farquhar was educated at Kagawong. In 1896, Farquhar traveled west to British Columbia's Slocan Valley where he mined several claims and became a prominent member of the Western Federation of Miners, serving one year as president of the union.
to work at his father's meat business. After a stint in real estate, he and a partner purchased the Star Clothing Company at Queen and Gore Streets where he became a successful merchant. In October 1914, he married Florence Amy Wiber.
Farquhar was active in Sault Ste. Marie politics. After serving as Secretary of the Public School Board from 1915 to 1916, he won a seat as city alderman by acclamation in 1918 and was elected in 1919.
Local labour leaders approached Farquhar to run for mayor in 1920. He defeated then-mayor George Boyd, and was re-elected with a large plurality in 1921. He was renominated for the office in 1922 but declined to run against Boyd and James Dawson.
Farquhar was a candidate for the Progressive Party
in Algoma West
in the 1921 federal election
but finished third.
In 1922 he sold his clothing business to purchase a farm on Manitoulin. From 1922 to 1925, Farquhar served as the reeve of Carnarvon Township.
He then entered provincial politics and represented Manitoulin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
from 1926 to 1929 as a United Farmers
member. He ran for re-election in 1929
as a Liberal but was defeated. On October 14, 1935, he was elected to the House of Commons
under the Liberal
banner, representing the riding of Algoma East
. He was re-elected March 26, 1940 and June 11, 1945.
In order to allow his new Minister of External Affairs Lester B. Pearson
to run in Algoma East, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
appointed Farquhar to the Senate
on September 10, 1948. He served in the Senate until his resignation on 26 September 1962.
Farquhar was also a director for a mine in Gatineau, Quebec.
Farquhar died in 1962, and his wife, Amy, in 1964. They are memorialized in a stained glass window at Little Current United Church, in Little Current, ON.
His son Stanley
later served in the Ontario legislature.
Life and early work
He was one of ten children born to William and Jane Farquhar. The family moved to Manitoulin IslandManitoulin Island
Manitoulin Island is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, in the province of Ontario. It is the largest island in a freshwater lake in the world. In addition to the historic Anishinaabe and European settlement of the island, archeological discoveries at Sheguiandah have demonstrated Paleo-Indian and...
while he was still young and Farquhar was educated at Kagawong. In 1896, Farquhar traveled west to British Columbia's Slocan Valley where he mined several claims and became a prominent member of the Western Federation of Miners, serving one year as president of the union.
Entry into politics
In 1903, Farquhar returned to Manitoulin to take up the family farm. Five years later he moved to Sault Ste. MarieSault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
to work at his father's meat business. After a stint in real estate, he and a partner purchased the Star Clothing Company at Queen and Gore Streets where he became a successful merchant. In October 1914, he married Florence Amy Wiber.
Farquhar was active in Sault Ste. Marie politics. After serving as Secretary of the Public School Board from 1915 to 1916, he won a seat as city alderman by acclamation in 1918 and was elected in 1919.
Local labour leaders approached Farquhar to run for mayor in 1920. He defeated then-mayor George Boyd, and was re-elected with a large plurality in 1921. He was renominated for the office in 1922 but declined to run against Boyd and James Dawson.
Farquhar was a candidate for the Progressive Party
Progressive Party of Canada
The Progressive Party of Canada was a political party in Canada in the 1920s and 1930s. It was linked with the provincial United Farmers parties in several provinces and, in Manitoba, ran candidates and formed governments as the Progressive Party of Manitoba...
in Algoma West
Algoma West
Algoma West was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1968. It was created in 1903 from parts of Algoma riding....
in the 1921 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1921
The Canadian federal election of 1921 was held on December 6, 1921 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 14th Parliament of Canada. The Union government that had governed Canada through the First World War was defeated, and replaced by a Liberal government under the young leader...
but finished third.
In 1922 he sold his clothing business to purchase a farm on Manitoulin. From 1922 to 1925, Farquhar served as the reeve of Carnarvon Township.
He then entered provincial politics and represented Manitoulin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
from 1926 to 1929 as a United Farmers
United Farmers of Ontario
The United Farmers of Ontario was a political party in Ontario, Canada. It was the Ontario provincial branch of the United Farmers movement of the early part of the 20th century.- Foundation and rise :...
member. He ran for re-election in 1929
Ontario general election, 1929
The Ontario general election, 1929 was the 18th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on October 30, 1929, to elect the 112 Members of the 18th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
as a Liberal but was defeated. On October 14, 1935, he was elected to the 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...
under the Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
banner, representing the riding of Algoma East
Algoma East
Algoma East was a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1968. It was created in 1903 from parts of Algoma riding....
. He was re-elected March 26, 1940 and June 11, 1945.
In order to allow his new Minister of External Affairs Lester B. Pearson
Lester B. Pearson
Lester Bowles "Mike" Pearson, PC, OM, CC, OBE was a Canadian professor, historian, civil servant, statesman, diplomat, and politician, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis...
to run in Algoma East, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
appointed Farquhar to the 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 September 10, 1948. He served in the Senate until his resignation on 26 September 1962.
Farquhar was also a director for a mine in Gatineau, Quebec.
Farquhar died in 1962, and his wife, Amy, in 1964. They are memorialized in a stained glass window at Little Current United Church, in Little Current, ON.
His son Stanley
Stanley William Farquhar
Stanley William "Stan" Farquhar was an Ontario dairy farmer and political figure. He represented Algoma—Manitoulin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1963 to 1971 as a Liberal member....
later served in the Ontario legislature.