Walker Powell (May 20, 1828 – May 6, 1915) was a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
businessman, militia officer and political figure.
Education
He was born in
Waterford
"Waterford remains the untaken city"
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, pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe
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,
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...
in 1828, the son of
Israel Wood Powell. He was educated at the county Grammar School. He studied at
Victoria College in
Cobourg
Cobourg ( ) is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario east of Toronto and east of Oshawa. It is the largest town in and seat of Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is ...
and settled in
Port Dover
Port Dover is an unincorporated community and former town located in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of Lake Erie. It is the site of the recurring Friday the 13th motorcycle rally. Prior to the War of 1812, this community w ...
.
Career
He was engaged in mercantile pursuits. He served on the council for
Norfolk County, becoming warden in 1856. He also served in the local militia. Powell worked as an insurance agent and ran a shipping company. In 1857, he was elected to the
Legislative Assembly for Norfolk. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly for Norfolk County, 1857–1861. He was named deputy adjutant general for the militia in
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 ...
in 1862.
He served during the Fenian Raid in 1866. In 1868, he was named to the same post for the Dominion of Canada. He served as Adjutant-general of the Dominion, 1875–1896. Powell supported the choice of
Kingston as the site for the
Royal Military College of Canada
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, established = 1876
, type = Military academy
, chancellor = Anita Anand ('' la, ex officio, label=none'' as Defence Minister)
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.
He served in the Rebellions of 1869-1870 and 1885.
The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History, by Various 2010
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He retired in Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
in 1895 and died there in 1915.
Family
His brother Israel Wood served in the House of Assembly for Vancouver Island. Powell's son Charles Berkeley represented the city of Ottawa in the Ontario legislative assembly. His daughter Linnie Emma married McLeod Stewart
McLeod Stewart (1847–1926) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. Stewart was mayor of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada from 1887 to 1888.Dave Mullington "Chain of Office: Biographic Sketches of Ottawa's Mayors (1847-1948)" (Renfrew, Ontario: General ...
, who was an Ottawa mayor.
References
Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
''The Canadian biographical dictionary and portrait gallery of eminent ...'', JA Gemmill
{{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Walker
1828 births
1915 deaths
Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from Canada West
People from Norfolk County, Ontario