Thomas Urquhart (1858-1931) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Thomas Urquhart

Born 16 Apr 1858 in Wallacetown, Dunwich Township, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Son of Alexander Urquhart and [mother unknown]

[sibling(s) unknown]

[spouse(s) unknown]

[children unknown]

Died 16 Feb 1931 at age 72 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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Profile last modified 11 Jul 2023 | Created 4 Apr 2017

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Preceded by
Oliver Aiken Howland

32nd Mayor of Toronto
1903 - 1905

Succeeded by
Emerson Coatsworth

Biography

This profile is part of the Urquhart Name Study.

Thomas Urquhart is a member of Clan Urquhart.

Thomas Urquhart is Notable.

Thomas Urquhart was a Canadian politician and mayor of Toronto.

He was a son to Alexander Cameron Urquhart and Sarah McCallum. His father was a pioneer tailor and storekeeper in Wallacetown, who was born in Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, and came to Canada in 1847.

In 1886 he graduated from Osgoode Hall as barrister and solicitor, and entered into different partnerships over the next many years, including one with his brother Daniel Urquhart.

He took a strong role in civic affairs, and was elected alderman in Toronto’s Ward 4 in 1900 and re-elected in 1901-1902, prior to being elected to the mayor’s chair for three successive years. Thomas was elected mayor in 1903 over Oliver Howland and Daniel Lamb. In 1904 he was re-elected by acclamation, and in 1905 he defeated George Horace Gooderham.

The Great Toronto fire of 1904 occurred during his time as mayor.

Thomas was also a leader in the Toronto Baptist community, active in both the Walmer Road Baptist Church and the Aurora Baptist Church.

He was first married on 5 Jul 1899 in Peterborough to Margaret S. McDonald (1857-1925) of Peterborough, Ontario; she was the daughter of Duncan Mcdonald and Janet Robertson. In the 1911 census, Margaret's older sister Grace (b. ~1853) was living with them. Thomas and Margaret had a daughter Isabel, who died at birth (29 Nov 1902).

After her death he married (in 1927) Mary Ellen Hall (1888-1951). She was the daughter of Scottish immigrants Robert R. Hall (1848-1926) and Ellen Hunter (1845-1912), and the widow of Isaac Kunsenhause (1879-1918).

After becoming ill with influenza at his office, Thomas Urquhart was taken to his home at 136 Hillsdale Avenue where he died; he was buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery (Plot G, Section 4, Lot 6) on February 18.

Sources

Wikipedia:Thomas_Urquhart_(politician)
"Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZB4-654 : 10 April 2015), Thomas Urquhart and Margaret S Mcdonald, 05 Jul 1899; citing registration , Peterborough, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,871,075.
"Recensement du Canada de 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27XS-NLL : 2 March 2015), Thomas Urquhart, 1911; citing Census, Toronto North Sub-Districts 11-84, Ontario, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,418,527.
Thomas Urquhart on Find A Grave: Memorial #8014696 retrieved 4 Apr 2017