Charles Tupper Bt (1821 - 1915)

Ancestors Descendants

Biography

Charles Tupper, doctor and politician; born 2 July 1821 near Amherst, Nova Scotia, son of Charles Tupper and Miriam Lockhart ; 8 Oct. 1846, he married Frances Amelia Morse in Amherst, and they had three daughters, two of whom died as infants, and three sons; died 30 Oct. 1915 in Bexleyheath (London), England.

Charles Tupper, médecin et homme politique; né le 2 juillet 1821 près d’Amherst, Nouvelle-Ecosse, fils de Charles Tupper et Miriam Lockhart; le 8 octobre 1846, il épousa à Amherst Frances Amelia Morse, et ils eurent trois filles, dont deux moururent en bas âge, et trois fils; décédé le 30 octobre 1915 à Bexleyheath (Londres). ^[1]

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Tupper studied at Horton Academy (now Acadia University) before obtaining a medical degree at the University of Edinburgh in 1843. He established a medical practice at Amherst, Nova Scotia, and later at Halifax in 1859, also serving at the city and provincial hospitals. He was president of the Medical Society of Nova Scotia in 1863 and was the first president of the Canadian Medical Association from 1867 to 1870.

He was married to Frances Amelia Morse on October 8, 1846. The October 24, 1846 edition of the New Brunswick Courier reported: "m. Amherst, N.S., Thursday, 8th inst., by Rev. George Townsend, Charles Tupper, Esq., M.D. / Frances Amelia Morse eldest d/o Silas H. Morse, Esq. Deputy Prothonotary Cumberland Co."

They had three sons and three daughters: Orin Stewart, Charles Hibbert, William Johnston, Emma, Elizabeth Stewart ("Lilly"), and Sophy Almon.

Tupper Family, 1896

In 1855 Tupper entered politics and defeated Joseph Howe in Cumberland County. He sat in opposition until 1857 when the Liberals were defeated. He became Provincial Secretary and initiated discussions with other jurisdictions regarding the Intercolonial Railway. The Conservatives were defeated for a short time but returned to power in 1863. The following year, on May 11, 1864, Tupper took over as Premier of Nova Scotia. He was a strong proponent for both Maritime and British North American union. Tupper was the lead delegate at the Charlottetown, Québec and London conferences but was unable to win approval for the Quebec Resolutions in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.

In 1867 he entered federal politics and was Nova Scotia's only representative in favour of Confederation.

Tupper was successively president of the Privy Council (1870-72), minister of inland revenue (1872-73), and minister of customs (1873). He served as minister of public works (1878-79) and minister of railways and canals (1879-84). He became high commissioner to Britian in 1884, but returned to Ottawa to serve as minister of finance (1887-88).

Lapel button, probably for 1896 election

Tupper became Prime Minister 1 May 1896. Tupper and his colleagues had introduced remedial legislation to protect the educational rights of the French-speaking minority in Manitoba. Tupper and the Conservatives were badly defeated in the general election in June. He resigned on July 8, having served only ten weeks as prime minister, the shortest tenure in Canadian history. He continued in Parliament as leader of the Opposition but was defeated in the election of 1900. On retirement he lived in Bexleyheath, England.

Sir Charles Tupper is buried at St. John's Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sources

1. ↑ Phillip Buckner, “TUPPER, Sir CHARLES,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 14, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed February 11, 2019, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/tupper_charles_14E.html.

• The Canadian Encyclopedia online https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sir-charles-tupper

• Library and Archives Canada (People- Sir Charles Tupper) http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/confederation/023001-4000.80-e.html

• 1861 census, Ward 3, Halifax, Halifax, Nova Scotia, page 1, line 14, page 2, line 14, page 3, line 14, page 4, line 14,

• 1871 Census of Canada, Ontario, District: 77, Ottawa city, sub-district C, St. George's Ward, Div. 2; citing Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: RG1; digital images. Page 51, Family 180.

• 1881 Census of Canada, Ontario, District: 105, Ottawa city, sub-district B, Victoria Ward, Div. 1; citing Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: RG1; digital images. Page 50, Family 246.

• marriage notice

• https://web.archive.org/web/20191024070521/http://www.leighrayment.com/baronetage/baronetsT2.htm

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Eugene Quigley for starting this profile.