*** Welcome to piglix ***

John Sparrow David Thompson

The Right Honourable
Sir John Sparrow David Thompson
KCMG PC QC
John Thompson.jpg
4th Prime Minister of Canada
In office
December 5, 1892 – December 12, 1894
Monarch Victoria
Governor-General The Lord Stanley of Preston
The Earl of Aberdeen
Preceded by John Abbott
Succeeded by Mackenzie Bowell
5th Premier of Nova Scotia
In office
May 25, 1882 – July 18, 1882
Monarch Victoria
Lieutenant Governor Adams George Archibald
Preceded by Simon Hugh Holmes
Succeeded by William Thomas Pipes
MLA for Antigonish County
In office
December 4, 1877 – July 27, 1882
Serving with Daniel MacDonald, Angus McGillivray
Preceded by John J. McKinnon
Succeeded by Charles B. Whidden
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Antigonish
In office
October 16, 1885 – December 12, 1894
Preceded by Angus McIsaac
Succeeded by Colin Francis McIsaac
Personal details
Born (1845-11-10)November 10, 1845
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Died December 12, 1894(1894-12-12) (aged 49)
Windsor, UK
Cause of death Heart attack
Resting place Holy Cross Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Annie Affleck (m. 1870; his death 1894)
Children 9
Signature

Sir John Sparrow David Thompson (KCMG PC QC; November 10, 1845 – December 12, 1894) was a Canadian lawyer, judge, politician, and university professor, who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Canada from December 5, 1892, until his sudden death in office on December 12, 1894. He also served as the fifth Premier of Nova Scotia in 1882. He was the first Roman Catholic to hold the office of Prime Minister.

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to John Sparrow Thompson and Charlotte Pottinger, he was of Irish descent. Some sources say he was born on November 10, 1845, but others say 1844. Thompson married Annie Affleck (1842–1913) in 1870. Annie Thompson was strong-willed and had the same kind of spirit that had driven Agnes Macdonald (another prime minister's wife) to ride the cowcatcher of a Canadian Pacific Railway train through the British Columbia mountains. During their courtship, Thompson was forced to write love letters in shorthand because of his soon-to-be wife's disapproving parents. Thompson's family life was marred by tragedy. A daughter, Annie, died at 1, while youngest son David lived to be 2. Two other children died at birth, but the Thompsons had five children survive childhood.

Thompson was called to the Nova Scotia Bar in July 1865, and from 1878 to 1882, he served as Attorney General in the provincial government of Simon H. Holmes. He briefly held the office of Nova Scotia premier in 1882, but his government was defeated in that year's election.Thompson was always a reluctant politician.


...
Wikipedia

...