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William McMaster (24 December 1811 – 22 September 1887) was a Canadian wholesaler, senator and banker in the 19th century. A director of the Bank of Montreal from 1864 to 1867, he was a driving force behind the creation of the Canadian Bank of Commerce of which he was the founding president from 1867 to his death in 1887.
William McMaster | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senator for Midland, Ontario | |
| In office 1867–1887 | |
| Appointed by | Royal Proclamation |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 December 1811 County Tyrone, Ireland (now Northern Ireland) |
| Died | 22 September 1887 (aged 75) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
He sat in the Senate of Canada from 1867 to 1887 as a Liberal. He also helped found McMaster University in Toronto (later moved to Hamilton), Ontario.
Biography
editBorn in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, McMaster migrated to York, Upper Canada, (now Toronto) in 1833. He was married for the first time to Mary Henderson (1812–1869) of New York. He married a second time on 18 July 1871, to Susan Fraser (née Moulton), the widow of a James Fraser, an Indian Paymaster for the United States government.[1]
He died in 1887 and is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto with his first wife Mary with second wife Susan buried at Mont Royal Cemetery in Montreal.
Philanthropy
editMcMaster supported a number of causes with large donations. As a member of Bond Street Baptist Church, McMaster helped to finance its building of larger facilities at Jarvis Street Baptist Church. He also helped to finance Beverley Street Baptist Church, which is now Toronto Chinese Baptist Church, and a number of other Baptist churches in the Toronto area as well as the building of Toronto Baptist College in McMaster Hall on Bloor Street, later renamed McMaster University and funded by a large endowment upon his death. Through his wife, financing was also provided for the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Hall, Alfreda (1987). Per Ardua, The Story of Moulton College, Toronto, 1888-1954. Toronto: Moulton College Alumni Association. p. 16. ISBN 0921963009.
External links
edit- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- "William McMaster: 1811-1887". Canada's Digital Collections. Retrieved 11 March 2005.
- William McMaster – Parliament of Canada biography