Thomas Chandler Haliburton (17 December 1796 – 27 August 1865) was a

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

, and

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

. He made an important political contribution to the state of

before its entry into

Confederation of Canada Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Dominion of ...

. He was the first international best-selling author of fiction from what is now

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. In 1856, he immigrated to England, where he served as a Conservative Member of Parliament. He was the father of the British civil servant Lord Haliburton and of the anthropologist Robert Grant Haliburton.

Life

On 17 December 1796, Thomas Chandler Haliburton was born in

Windsor, Nova Scotia Windsor is a community located in Hants County, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a service centre for the western part of the county and is situated on Highway 101. The community has a history dating back to its use by the Mi'kmaq Nation for sev ...

, to

William Hersey Otis Haliburton William Hersey Otis Haliburton (September 3, 1767 – July 7, 1829) was a lawyer, judge, and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Windsor Township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1806 to 1811, and represented Hants Cou ...

, a lawyer, judge and political figure, and Lucy Chandler Grant. His mother died when he was a small child. When Thomas was seven, his father married Susanna Davis, the daughter of

Michael Francklin Michael Francklin or Franklin (6 December 1733 – 8 November 1782) served as Nova Scotia's Lieutenant Governor from 1766 to 1772. He is buried in the crypt of St. Paul's Church (Halifax). Early life and immigration Born in Poole, England, ...

, who had been

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

. He attended

University of King's College The University of King's College, established in 1789, is in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Roper, Henry. "Aspects of the History of a Loyalist College: King's College, Windsor, and Nova Scotian Higher Education in the Nineteenth Century." Anglic ...

in Windsor, from which he graduated in 1815. Later he became a lawyer and opened a practice in

Annapolis Royal Annapolis Royal, formerly known as Port Royal, is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Today's Annapolis Royal is the second French settlement known by the same name and should not be confused with the n ...

, the former capital of the colony. Haliburton attained distinction as a local businessman and as a judge, but his greatest fame came from his published writings. He wrote a number of books on history, politics, and farm improvement. He first rose to international fame with his ''Clockmaker'' serial, which first appeared in the ''

Novascotian The ''Novascotian'' was a newspaper published in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It became one of the most influential voices in the British North American colonies in its nearly one century of existence. The paper was founded as the ''Nova Scoti ...

'' and was later published as a book throughout the

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...

, as popular light reading. The work recounted the humorous adventures of the main character,

Sam Slick Sam Slick is a character created in 1835 by Thomas Chandler Haliburton, a Nova Scotian judge and author. With his wry wit and Yankee voice, Sam Slick of Slicksville put forward his views on "human nature" in a regular column in the '' Novascotian ...

. In 1816, Haliburton married Lousia Nevill, daughter of Captain Laurence Neville, of the Eighth

Light Dragoons The Light Dragoons (LD) is a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment has a light cavalry role and specialises in mounted and dismounted reconnaissance. The Light Dragoons recruit mainly in Northern England, from the counties of Northu ...

. Between 1826 and 1829, Haliburton represented

Annapolis County Annapolis County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia located in the western part of the province located on the Bay of Fundy. The county seat is Annapolis Royal. History Established August 17, 1759, by Order in Council, Annapoli ...

in the

Nova Scotia House of Assembly The Nova Scotia House of Assembly (french: Assemblée législative de la Nouvelle-Écosse; gd, Taigh Seanaidh Alba Nuadh), or Legislative Assembly, is the deliberative assembly of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia of the province of Nova Scotia ...

Relations with English Burton family

Thomas Chandler Haliburton resided in England from 1837,Davies, p. 71 where he was hosted and entertained in London by his cousins

Decimus Burton Decimus Burton (30 September 1800 – 14 December 1881) was one of the foremost English architects and landscapers of the 19th century. He was the foremost Victorian architect in the Roman revival, Greek revival, Georgian neoclassical and Reg ...

, Jane Burton, James Burton, the Egyptologist, Septimus Burton, the solicitor, Octavia Burton, and Jessy Burton.Davies, p. 72 Thomas asked James Burton, the Egyptologist, to check the proofs of his work ''Letter Bag of the Great Western'', with which Burton was unimpressed, in 1839, and those of the third series of ''The Clockmaker'' in 1840.Davies, p. 73 The pair travelled together to Scotland to investigate their common ancestry, and intended to tour Canada and the United States of America together. Thomas Chandler Haliburton's daughter, Susannah, was impressed by James Burton, the Egyptologist: she wrote, in 1839, "''Mr James I admire very much. He is one of the most well-bred persons I saw &... decidedly the flower of the flock''".

Retirement and subsequent life

In 1856, Thomas Chandler Haliburton retired from law and moved to England. In the same year, he married Sarah Harriet Owen Williams. In 1859, Haliburton was elected the

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for Launceston,

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

as a member of the

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 ...

minority. He did not stand for re-election in 1865. Haliburton received an

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...

from

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

for his services to literature. He continued writing until his death on August 27, 1865 at his home in

Isleworth Isleworth ( ) is a town located within the London Borough of Hounslow in West London, England. It lies immediately east of the town of Hounslow and west of the River Thames and its tributary the River Crane, London, River Crane. Isleworth's or ...

, near

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and is buried in All Saints' churchyard.

Family

Mrs Louisa Haliburton wife of Thomas Chandler Haliburton

While in England, Thomas Chandler Haliburton met Louisa Neville, daughter of Captain Laurence Neville, of the Eighth

. In 1816, he married her, soon thereafter returning to

with her. Louisa's story before marriage is related in the "Haliburton Chaplet," edited by their son, Robert Grant Haliburton (Toronto: 1899). The couple had two sons and five daughters: * Susannah Lucy Anne, later Weldon, 1817–1899, ceramic collector *Mrs. A. F. Haliburton *Mrs. Bainbridge Smith *Amelia (25 Jul 1829 – 14 Jan 1902), landscape artist, married the Rev. Edwin Gilpin, Dean of Nova Scotia, in 1849; the couple had four sons and one daughter,Morgan, p. 128 including Edwin Gilpin (1850–1907), a mining engineer and author * Robert Grant Haliburton,

Q.C. QC may refer to: * Queen's Counsel, the title of a King's Counsel, a type of lawyer in Commonwealth countries, during the reign of a queen * Quality control, the process of meeting products and services to consumer expectations Places * Quebec, ...

, D.C.L., 1831–1901, lawyer, author, and anthropologist *Arthur (1832–1907), later 1st Baron Haliburton, G.C.B., British civil servant *Laura Charlotte, artist, married William Cunard, son of the shipping magnate Sir

Samuel Cunard Sir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet (21 November 1787 – 28 April 1865), was a British-Canadian shipping magnate, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who founded the Cunard Line, establishing the first scheduled steamship connection with North America. H ...

at Windsor, Nova Scotia, 30 December 1851; three sons, one daughter. Exhibited her pictures at the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

, the Gallery of British Artists, and at other institutions in London.Morgan, p. 67 In 1840, Louisa died and was buried at Windsor.

Legacy

Haliburton was eager to promote immigration to the colonies of British North America. One of his first written works was an emigrant's guide to Nova Scotia published in 1823, ''A General Description of Nova Scotia; Illustrated by a New and Correct Map'' The community of Haliburton, Nova Scotia was named after him. In Ontario,

Haliburton County Haliburton is a county of Ontario, Canada, known as a tourist and cottage area in Central Ontario for its scenery and for its resident artists. Minden Hills is the county seat. Haliburton County and the village of Haliburton are named after Tho ...

is named after Haliburton in recognition of his work as the first chair of the Canadian Land and Emigration Company. In 1884, faculty and students at his ''alma mater'' founded a

literary society A literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of writing or a specific author. Modern literary societies typically promote research, publish newsle ...

in honour of the College's most celebrated

man of letters An intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the reality of society, and who proposes solutions for the normative problems of society. Coming from the world of culture, either as a creator or a ...

. The Haliburton Society, still active at the University of King's College, Halifax, is the longest-standing collegial literary society throughout the

Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...

and

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. The mention "hurly on the long pond on the ice", which appears in the second volume of ''The Attaché, or Sam Slick in England'', a work of fiction published in 1844, has been interpreted by some as a reference to an ice-hockey-like game he may have played during his years at King's College. It is the basis of Windsor's disputed claim to being the town that fathered hockey. In 1902, a memorial to Haliburton and his first wife was erected in Christ Church,

, by four of their children: Laura Cunard, Lord Haliburton, and two surviving sisters. Nova Scotian artist William Valentine painted Haliburton's portrait. His former home in Windsor is preserved as a museum.

Works

*''A General Description of Nova Scotia'' - 1823 *'
An Historical and Statistical Account of Nova Scotia'' - 1829
*''The Clockmaker'' - 1836 *''The Clockmaker, 2nd Series'' - 1838 *''The Bubbles of Canada'' - 1839 *
A Reply to the Report of the Earl of Durham
' - 1839 *''The Letter-Bag of the Great Western'' - 1840 *''The Clockmaker, 3rd Series'' - 1840 *''The Attaché; or Sam Slick in England'' - 1843 *''The Attaché; or Sam Slick in England, 2nd Series'' - 1844 *''The Old Judge, Or Life in a Colony'' - 1849 *''The English in America'' - 1851 *''Rule and Misrule in English America'' - 185
vol 1vol 2
*''Sam Slick's Wise Saws and Modern Instances'' - 1853 *''The Americans at Home; or, Byways, Backwoods, and Prairies'' - 1855
''Nature and Human Nature''
- 1855 *''The Season-Ticket*'' - 1860 *''Maxims of an Old Stager'' Not by Haliburton, but pseudonym may be "Sam Slick"

References

External links

*
The Haliburton Club
(archived 27 September 2007)

(archived 24 April 2011)
Haliburton House Museum
(archived 19 November 2011)

Electronic editions

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Haliburton, Thomas 1796 births 1865 deaths 19th-century Canadian novelists 19th-century Canadian historians Canadian humorists Canadian male novelists Canadian people of Scottish descent Colony of Nova Scotia people Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Historians of Atlantic Canada Judges in Nova Scotia Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Launceston Nova Scotia pre-Confederation MLAs People from Windsor, Nova Scotia Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada) People from Hants County, Nova Scotia UK MPs 1859–1865 University of King's College alumni Writers from Nova Scotia