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Hugh C. Macdonald, a member
of one of the honored pioneer families of Canada and a worthy scion of
his race, has chosen the practice of law as his life work, and that his
choice was a wise one is indicated by the success which has marked his
efforts, for he now ranks with Edmonton's most talented barristers. He
was born at Parry Sound, Ontario, October 19, 1881, and is of pure
Highland Scotch ancestry in both the paternal and maternal lines, his
parents being Duncan Fraser and Isabella (George) Macdonald. Immediately
after the battle of Culloden Moor in 1745 representatives of the
Macdonald family came to Canada, settling in Wellington county, in the
province of Ontario. The name figures prominently in connection with the
military history of Canada, Captain Macdonald of the Fraser Highlanders,
an ancestor of the subject of this review, being the first British
officer to scale the Heights of Abraham at the time of Wolfe's historic
night attack upon Montcalm.
Hugh Calais Macdonald
attended the grammar and high schools of Parry Sound and the Guelph
Collegiate Institute and was articled as a law student to the Hon. Hugh
Guthrie, K. C., M. P., from 1902 until 1905. In the latter year he
became a law student at Osgoode Hall of Toronto winning his LL. B.
degree in 1908, and he at once entered upon the active work of his
profession in that city as a partner of James Walter Curry, K. C., with
whom he was associated until 1914. Three years later lie came to this
province, locating at Edmonton, and was identified with the firm of
Short, Cross, McLean & Macdonald as counsel from 1917 until October,
1919, when he became a member of the firm of Robertson, Winkler,
Macdonald & Howe, with which he continued until July 1, 1922. He was
appointed King's Counsel in 1921 and is recognized as an able minister
in the temple of justice. In the trial of cases committed to his care he
has won many favorable verdicts, his success coming to him because of
his close reasoning, his logical argument, his correct application of
legal principles and his ability to present his contention in the
strongest possible light. He possesses marked oratorical ability and
since 1904 has been in great demand as a platform speaker, delivering
addresses at public gatherings in the provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan
and Alberta.
At Guelph, Ontario, on
the 2d day of August, 1910, Mr. Macdonald was married to Miss Mary
Pringle, a daughter of George D. Pringle. Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald have
three children: Fraser Pringle, who was born in Toronto and has reached
the age of ten years; and Hugh Patrick and Allisther Keith, both natives
of Edmonton, the former three years of age, while the latter is but a
year and a half old. Mr. Macdonald is a member of the Presbyterian
church and his political allegiance is given to the Liberal party. He is
connected with the Masonic order, Delta Chi, a legal fraternity, the
Edmonton Club, the Edmonton Golf and Country Club, the Scarborough Club
of Toronto and the Ontario Club of that city, being a charter member of
the last named organization. He is loyal to all those interests which
make for honorable manhood and progressive citizenship and exemplifies
in his life the sterling characteristics of the Scotch race. Merit has
gained him advancement and his fellow practitioners and the general
public accord him, a position of distinction in his profession. |
