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Thomas Robertson (Nova Scotia politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Robertson was a Canadian
civil servant, entrepreneur and politician. Robertson was a Liberal
member of Parliament for the electoral district of Shelburne
in the Canadian House of Commons
from 1878 to 1887, a Nova Scotia Liberal member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
from 1894 to 1902, and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
in 1902.
Born in Barrington, Nova Scotia
, the son of Robert Robertson and Sarah Richan, he worked in the provincial Department of Public Works and Mines and in the office of the provincial secretary as well as in the immigration branch of the federal Department of Agriculture
. In 1884, he married Josephine Hume Allan. Robertson was president of the Barrington and Cape Island Steam Ferry Company and of the Coast Railway Company, nicknamed "Tom Robertson's Wheelbarrow Railway" and later taken over by the Canadian Northern Railway
. He established a newspaper, the Cape Sable Advertiser, which operated from 1886 to 1890.
Robertson died in Dell Rapids, South Dakota
at the age of 49 while attempting to recover from an illness.
His son, Wishart McLea Robertson
was a Senator, Speaker of the Senate, and a Minister Without Portfolio.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
civil servant, entrepreneur and politician. Robertson was a 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...
member of Parliament for the electoral district of Shelburne
Shelburne (federal electoral district)
Shelburne was a federal electoral district in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1896.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867. It consisted of the County of Shelburne...
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 1887, a Nova Scotia Liberal member of 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 1894 to 1902, and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia
The Speaker for the House of Assembly of Nova Scotia is the presiding Officer of the House of Assembly. Gordie Gosse is the current Speaker of the 61st General Assembly of Nova Scotia....
in 1902.
Born in Barrington, Nova Scotia
Barrington, Nova Scotia
Barrington is a municipal district in western Shelburne County, Nova Scotia.Barrington forms the southernmost part of the province and contains Cape Sable, the eastern boundary between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine.- Demographics :...
, the son of Robert Robertson and Sarah Richan, he worked in the provincial Department of Public Works and Mines and in the office of the provincial secretary as well as in the immigration branch of the federal Department of Agriculture
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
The Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food, also referred to as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada , is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for policies governing agriculture production, farming income, research and development, inspection, and the regulation of animals...
. In 1884, he married Josephine Hume Allan. Robertson was president of the Barrington and Cape Island Steam Ferry Company and of the Coast Railway Company, nicknamed "Tom Robertson's Wheelbarrow Railway" and later taken over by the Canadian Northern Railway
Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...
. He established a newspaper, the Cape Sable Advertiser, which operated from 1886 to 1890.
Robertson died in Dell Rapids, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
at the age of 49 while attempting to recover from an illness.
His son, Wishart McLea Robertson
Wishart McLea Robertson
Wishart McLea Robertson, PC was a politician in Nova Scotia, Canada.Robertson's paternal grandfather, Robert Robertson, was a member of Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1854 until 1878. His father, Thomas Robertson was also a member of the provincial legislature, as well as serving as a Liberal...
was a Senator, Speaker of the Senate, and a Minister Without Portfolio.