George Hugh Macdonell (February 10, 1851 – April 1, 1920) was a contractor and political figure in

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada. He represented Algoma in the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

from 1891 to 1896 as a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

member. He was born in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Canada West The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report on the ...

, the son of Duncan Macdonell, and was educated in Williamstown and at Bishop's College in

Lennoxville, Quebec Lennoxville is an ''arrondissement'', or borough, of the city of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Lennoxville is located at the confluence of the St. Francis and Massawippi Rivers approximately five kilometres south of downtown Sherbrooke. Lennoxvi ...

. He continued his education in the military schools of

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

and served with Colonel

Garnet Wolseley Field Marshal Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley, (4 June 183325 March 1913), was an Anglo-Irish officer in the British Army. He became one of the most influential and admired British generals after a series of successes in Canada, We ...

in the Red River Expedition. Macdonell operated a warehouse in Montreal for several years. He was then hired by contractors working on the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...

, later going into business on his own and moving to Port Arthur. In 1876, Macdonell married Eliza McCracken.''The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1891'', AJ Gemmill
/ref> Macdonell was also involved in mining and was an insurance agent. Macdonell was mayor of Port Arthur from 1886 to 1888. He ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Ontario assembly in 1890. Macdonell defeated Daniel Francis Burk in the 1887 federal election but was defeated by

Albert Dyment Albert Edward Dyment (February 23, 1869 – May 12, 1944) was a Canadian politician and businessman. Born at Lynden, County of Wentworth, Ontario, the son of Nathaniel Dyment, of English descent, and Annie McRae, of Scottish origin, he was ...

when he ran for reelection to the House of Commons in 1896.Mayor Macdonell on thunderbay.ca
/ref> His wife, Eliza died in 1893. He was elected Port Arthur mayor again in 1900 but left to pursue business interests in Manitoba. Later, he was named Dominion Lands Agent for

Medicine Hat Medicine Hat is a city in Southern Alberta, southeast Alberta, Canada. It is located along the South Saskatchewan River. It is approximately east of Lethbridge and southeast of Calgary. This city and the adjacent Town of Redcliff, Alberta, ...

and then

Lethbridge Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 101,482 in its 2019 Alberta municipal censuses, 2019 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...

. George Hugh Macdonnell died in Lethbridge on April 1, 1920. He was buried at the Lethbridge Cemetery."Obituary: Mr. George Macdonell", ''Medicine Hat News'', Monday, April 05, 1920, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada

Electoral record

References

*
''Prominent men of Canada a collection of persons distinguished in professional and political life ...'' (1892)
GM Adam * F. Brent Scollie, ''Thunder Bay Mayors & Councillors 1873-1945'' (Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society, 2000), 100-101. {{DEFAULTSORT:Macdonell, George H 1851 births Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs Mayors of Port Arthur, Ontario Bishop's University alumni 1920 deaths