Donald Guthrie (politician)

Donald Guthrie, KC (May 8, 1840 – October 31, 1915) was a Scottish-born Ontario lawyer and political figure. He represented Wellington South in the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal member from 1876 to 1882 and Wellington South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1886 to 1894.[1]

Donald Guthrie
Ontario MPP
In office 1886–1894
Preceded by	James Laidlaw
Succeeded by	John Mutrie
Constituency	Wellington South
Member of Parliament for Wellington South
In office 1876–1882
Preceded by	David Stirton
Succeeded by	James Innes
Personal details
Born	May 8, 1840 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	October 31, 1915 (aged 75) Guelph, Ontario
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Eliza Margaret ​ (m. 1863)​
Occupation	Lawyer

He was born in Edinburgh in 1840,[1] the son of Hugh Guthrie and Margaret McGregor, and educated there; he came to Canada West in 1854 and finished his education in Toronto. In 1863, he married Eliza Margaret daughter of John McVicar and Janet McTavish and a sister of Montreal Presbyterian minister Donald Harvey MacVicar. He studied law with Oliver Mowat and Adam Johnston Fergusson Blair and was called to the Ontario bar in 1866; he was later named Queen's Counsel. He set up practice at Guelph and served as solicitor for Wellington County and the city of Guelph. Guthrie also was president of the Guelph Gas Light Company.[2] He was first elected to the House of Commons in an 1876 by-election held when David Stirton was named postmaster for Guelph.[1] In 1895, he was named inspector of registry offices for Ontario. Guthrie died in Guelph at the age of 75.[3]

His son Hugh also represented Wellington South in the House of Commons.[1]

Guthrie's former home later became part of the Homewood Sanitarium, the first psychiatric facility in Ontario.[4]

Electoral record

By-election, 5 July 1876: Wellington South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Donald GUTHRIE	1,366	51.5	-26.6
	Conservative	James GOLDIE	1,288	48.5	26.6
Total valid votes			2,654	100.0

1878 Canadian federal election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Donald GUTHRIE	1,832	54.5	3.0
	Conservative	James GOLDIE	1,529	45.5	-3.0
Total valid votes			3,361	100.0

References

1. Donald Guthrie – Parliament of Canada biography
2. • The Canadian biographical dictionary and portrait gallery of eminent and self-made men ... (1880)
3. Johnson, J.K. (1968). The Canadian Directory of Parliament 1867-1967. Public Archives of Canada.
4. "History". Homewood Health Centre. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2009-09-24.

External links

• Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history (archived)
• The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1891 JA Gemmill