Here we are profiling
the major personalities that helped to build Canada into the country
it is today. We are also adding a sub section for biographies of
other people that made a difference. When we add a book we also add
its author and publication date. In our Makers of Canada section
below we have listed the people in chronological order.
As always in a project of this nature
we rely mainly on antiquarian resources but we'd love to hear from
any of our visitors who feel they could contribute information by
way of text, pictures or videos of any significant Canadians that
contributed to making Canada what it is today.
- Champlain
By N E Dionne (1909)
- Bishop Lavel
By A. Lebond de Brumath (1909)
- Count Frontenac
By William D. Le Sueur (1909)
- Wolfe and Montcalm
By The Abbé H. R. Casgrain (1909)
- Lord
Dorchester
By A. G. Bradley (1909)
- William Lyon MacKenzie
By Charles Lindsey (1912)
- Louis-Joseph
Papineau
By Alfred D Decelles (1912)
- John Graves Simcoe
By Duncan Campbell Scott (1909)
- MacKenzie, Selkirk,
Simpson
By The rev. George Bryce D.D. (1909)
- General Brock
By Lady Edgar (1909)
- Papineau & Cartier
By Alfred D. DeCelles (1909)
- The Life of General The Hon. James Murray
With a Biographical Sketch of the Family of Murray of Elibank by
Major-Gen R. H. Mahon
-
Joseph Howe
By Hon. J. W. Longley (1909)
-
Egerton Ryerson
By Nathanael Burwash (1909)
-
Baldwin, LaFontaine, Hincks
By Stephen Leacock (1909)
- Lord Sydenham
By Adam Shortt (1909)
- Lord Elgin
By John George Bourinot (1903)
- Wilmot and Tilley
By James Hannay (1909)
- Sir John A MacDonald
By George R. Parkin (1908)
- George Brown
By John Lewis (1909)
- Sir James
Douglas
By Robert Hamilton Coats and R. E. Gosnell (1908)
-
Biography of Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal
By Rev. J. W. Pedley
-
The Father of British Canada:
A Chronicle of Carleton
By William Wood
-
Index and Dictionary of Canadian History
Edited by Lawrence J. Burpee. F.R.G.S. Librarian of the Carnegie
Library, Ottawa and Arthur G. Doughty, C.M.G., Litt.D., Dominion
Archivist, Ottawa (1911) (pdf)
-
Sir Frederick Haldimand
By Jean N. McIlwraith (pdf)
-
Sir Charles Tupper
By the Hon. J. W. Longley (pdf)
-
William Lyon Mackenzie King
-
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Leaders of Confederation
This book provides sketches on each of the
Fathers of Confederation
A Cyclopedia of Canadian Biography
Being Chiefly Men of the Time, A Collection of Persons Distinguished in
Professional and Political Life; Leaders in the Commerce and Industry of
Canada, and Successful Pioneers. Edited by Geo. MacLean Rose (1888)
Series II
A
Cyclopedia of Canadian Biography
Edited by Hector Charlesworth (1919) Series III
The Marquis of Dufferin
and Ava
By Sir Alfred Lyall, P.C. in two volumes (pdf) (1905). Was for two terms
Governor General of Canada
Volume 1 |
Volume 2
Men and Women of the Time
A handbook of Canadian Biography edited by Henry James Morgan (1912)
Canadian Who's Who
First Edition, Edited by Elizabeth Lumley (1910) (pdf)
Types of Canadian Women
And of Women who are or have been connected with Canada edited by Henry
James Morgan, LL.D., F.R.S.N.A. (1903) (pdf)
Canadian Portraits
C.B.C. Broadcasts Edited by R. G. Riddell (1940)
The Canadians
A video Series of 59 Canadian Biographies
Heroines of Canadian History
By W. S. Herrington (1910) (pdf)
Women of Red River (1923) (pdf)
The Canadian Pioneers
By Abbé H. R. Casgrain Translated from the French by A. W. L. Gompertz
(1896) (pdf)
The Canadian
Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-made
Men
Ontario
volume (1880) (pdf)
Quebec and the
Maritime provinces volume (1881) (pdf)
Portraits of British Americans
By W. Notman, Photographer to Her Majesty with Biogaphical Sketches by
Fennings Taylor, Deputy Clerk and Clerk Assistant to the Legislative
Council of Canada in three volumes (1865)
Builders of the Canadian
Commonwealth
By George H. Locke with an Introduction by A. H. U. Colquhoun (1926)
(pdf)
Significant Canadians
-
Sir Oliver Mowat
A Biographical Sketch by C. R. W. Biggar, M.A., in two volumes
(1905)
-
Sandford Fleming
The
most prominent and original of Canadian engineers
-
John Turner, PM
And Liberal leader who battled free trade with U.S. [External Link]
- Principal Grant
Queens University
- Alexander Milton Ross
Philanthropist and Scientist
- Sir George W. Ross
Politician
-
Father Lacombe
Who spent more than sixty years of work among the Indians of Western
Canada. (pdf)
- Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt
- David Thompson
- Dr John Rae
- Samuel Hearne
- Bar to Bar to Bench: a Memoir
The Honourable Gregory T. Evans, C.M., Ont., Q.C., LL.B. (pdf)
- Gaasenbeek
An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian.
-
Alexander Fraser
[1860-1936]
- Scobie, Hugh, newspaperman,
publisher, justice of the peace
- The Father of St. Kilda
Twenty Years in Isolation in the Sub-Arctic Territory of the
Hudson's Bay Company by Roderick Campbell, F.R.G.S. (1901).
Essentially this is an account of a young lad growing up in the
Western Islands of Scotland and then at 16 joining the Hudson
Bay Company as an apprentice and sailing to Canada and then an
account of his life for the next 20 years or so.
- Major Thomas Campbell CB
Throughout his 63
years was a well respected military officer, a politician and a
developer of the Seigneury in the county of Rouville, Quebec and
most of all a much loved husband and father.
- The Canadian Album
Men of Canada; or, Success by example, in religion, patriotism,
business, law, medicine, education and agriculture; containing
portraits of some of Canada's chief business men, statesmen,
farmers, men of the learned professions, and others; also, an
authentic sketch of their lives; object lessons for the present
generation and examples to posterity (1891)
- Jack L. Cooke
A Barber for some 40 years in South London, Ontario. A really
excellent book taking us around Canada in his early years and
giving us a real insight to Canada in the 20th century. Jack
lost his hearing when only 12 years of age due to scarlet fever
- John Milne
This is a book about the Life of John Milne.
John Milne understood the value of his contribution to the
building of our nation. His stories are interesting, informative
and are filled with humanity. Reading the autobiography gives us
a very real representation of what life was like in his time
when our country was young and virtually anything was possible.
- Currie, Sir Arthur William
Teacher, insurance salesman, militia officer, real-estate developer,
army officer, office holder, and university administrator.
- George A. Fierheller, C.M.,
B.A., D.S.Litt., LL.D.
A mover and shaker in the telecommunications industry in Canada
with many charitable actives.
- Premier Ralph Klein of Alberta
A Canadian icon
- One Life in the 20th Century
By Heinz Muller
- The True Makers of Canada
The Narrative of Gordon Sellar who emigrated to Canada in 1825.
- Chris Hadfield
Canadian Astronaut
-
Donald McCaig
Famous
educationist in 19th Century Canada
- Ian Angus Michael
Munro
President of CASSOC
- Paul Desmarais
A key member of Canada's financial elite, and friend to premiers and
prime ministers.
- Dr Norman Bethune
China's Hero, Canada's Traitor.
- Malcolm MacLeod
Influential in creating the CPR and building Western Canada
- Conrad Black
Media Mogul and Historian
- Philip Gray
A gifted & brave WW2 pilot, author and friends to
many around the world.
- Diefenbaker
Prime Minister of Canada
- Jim Flaherty
Finance Minister of Canada
-
Farley Mowat Acclaimed Canadian author
-
Charles Fenerty Inventor of Paper from Wood
-
MacLean Father and Son
-
Ralph Connor Author and Minister
-
Bruce MacKinnon Canadian editorial cartoonist
-
William Osler, The Man By Harvey Cushing
-
Alfred Fitzpatrick Known nationally and internationally as a pioneer in education.
-
Constable Daniel Woodall Commemorating his life and death
-
Flora MacDonald Politician
-
John Hillyard Cameron (1817-1876)
Canadian Scot and Orange Grand Master
-
Barbara Boles-Davis The hardest working Templar in the Grand Priory of Canada
-
The Life of John Mockett Cramp, D.D.
1796-1881. Late President of Acadia College; Author of "The
Council of Trent," "Baptist History," Etc. by Rev. T. A. Higgins D.D.
(1887)
-
Murdo McIvar A mainstay of the Gaelic Society of Vancouver
-
BGen (Ret'd) Garry S. Thomson Garry Thomson was commissioned in The Royal Regiment of Canada in
Toronto in 1963 and commanded the Regiment from 1976 to 1979.
-
Life of Colonel Talbot and the Talbot Settlement by Edward Ermatinger (1859)
-
Family of Eric Liddell
-
Pierre Berton The historian who shaped Canadian identity more than any other
-
Duncan McIntyre Businessman
-
Armory and Lineages of Canada
Comprising the Lineage of Prominent and Pioneer Canadians
with Descriptions and Illustrations of their Coat Armor, Orders of
Knighthood, or other Official Insignia by Herbert George Todd (1913)
-
Dent, John
Charles Lawyer, journalist, author, and
historian
-
John Wallace Baird (1869-1919)
Professor of Psychology
-
Across an Ocean and Time
The World as Seen by Harry Nash by John C. Nash (2014)
-
Life of Thomas McCulloch By His Son William McCulloch, D.D. edited by his granddaughters
(1920) (pdf)
-
William Christie Largest biscuit maker in Canada
- John Bethune
Ontario's pioneer Presbyterian preacher (pdf)
- Father Lancombe
Founder, priest and peacemaker
- Angus, Richard Bladworth
Banker, railway executive, and businessman
- Canada and Canadians
By Sir Richard Henry Bonnycastle, Kt. Lieutenant-Colonel Royal
Engineers and Militia of Canada West in two volumes (1849)
- Grey Owl
The Ojibwa taught Archie their ideas about life and nature. He
became angry at the “white man” for treating Indians and nature
badly.
- Sir John Murray
Pioneer in Oceanography
- William McNab, m.e.i.c.
Chairman of the Valuation Committee of the Grand Trunk Railway
System
- William
Renwick Riddell
Lawyer, judge, historian, and author.
- Arthur St. Clair
Governor of the Northwest Territory 1787-1802 by Rachel Marian
Jarrold (1906) (pdf)
- Lord Shaughnessy, K.C.V.O.,
Hon.M.E.I.C.
- Lord Dufferin
- Alexander (Sandy) Craig
- The United Empire Loyalists of Canada.
Illustrated by Memorials of the Servis Family by William Kirby
(1884) (pdf)
- Edward William Thomson
By M. O. Hammond
- Douglas Brymner
Archivist
- Descendants of James
Leslie, Capt 1Sth Reg. of Foot
Provided by Barrie Leslie (pdf)
- William Notman
Photographic Pioneer
- Wes Hall
Documentary
- Roy Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of
Fleet
A Canadian newspaper proprietor who became one of the moguls of
Fleet Street.
- John Walter Grant MacEwan
Canadian farmer, Professor at the University of Saskatchewan, Dean
of Agriculture at the University of Manitoba, the 28th Mayor of
Calgary and both a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and the
ninth Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Canada.
- James Richardson
Leading grain merchant in central Ontario
- Helen Armstrong
That impassioned woman at the heart of the 1919 Winnipeg General
Strike
- Autobiography of John Macoun , M.A.
Canadian Explorer and Naturalist, Assistant Director and Naturalist
to the Geological Survey of Canada 1831-1920, With Introduction by
Ernest Thompson Seton, A memorial volume published by the Ottawa
Field-Naturalist Club (1922) (pdf)
- Robert Campbell
Chief Factor of the Hon. Hudson's Bay Company
- Joyce Wieland Life & Work
By Johanne Sloan (2014) (pdf)
- William Coaker
Clerk, businessman, farmer, office
holder, editor, labour leader, and politician
- Desmond Morton
Canadian Historian
- John Crosbie
Politician
- Taylor, William
Businessman and Politician
- A Woman of Valour
The Biography of Marie-Louise Bochard Labelle by Claire Trépanier
(2010) (pdf)
- Canadian Folk-Lore Society, First
Annual Report 1911
Includes a brief Bio of David Boyle, LL.D., F.F.S.C., the well known
Canadian archaeologist and Honorary President of this Society, who
died February 14, 1911, aged sixty-nine years, was born in Greenock,
Renfrewshire, Scotland, in 1842, and came to Canada in 1856. (pdf)
- James Brown
Businessman and Politician. His importance lay instead in his
contributions to the social and economic development of the province
through his concern for education, agriculture and land policy,
transportation, and immigration. Perhaps it was inevitable that the
practical Scottish immigrant should give leadership as a builder
rather than as a constitutional authority.
- Sir William Mulock
Postmaster General
- W. H. Fraser
Pioneer of the Spanish movement in Canada
- Frank Baines 1877 - 1968
Conservationist and an important link with pioneer origins of
Saskatchewan (pdf)
- William Davidson
Lumber merchant, shipbuilder, and office-holder. See video
about him on the page about him on our index page at the link above.
- Life of Sir William E. Logan
First director of the geological survey of Canada by Bernard J.
Harrington (1883) (pdf)
-
Sir John William Dawson
By Frank Dawson Adams, M.Sc., Ph.D. (pdf)
- The
Canadians: Joshua Slocum
- The McLoughlin Empire and its
Rulers
Doctor John McLoughlin, Doctor David McLoughlin, Marie Louise
(Sister St. Henry). An account of their personal lives, and of their
parents, relatives and children; in Canada’s Quebec Province, in
Paris, France, and in the West of the Hudson’s Bay Company with
documents, letters, maps, and illustrations by Burt Brown Barker,
LL.D., Vice President Emeritus, University of Oregon (!959) (pdf)
- Roderick Ross MacFarlane,
1833-1920
by Edward A. Preble (pdf)
- The White Chief of the
Ottawa
A sketch of the life experiences of Philemon Wright and his family,
the first settlers in the district of Ottawa By Bertha Wright
Carr-Harris (1903) (pdf)
-
A List of
the Members of the House of Assembly for Upper Canada
From 1792, to the Union in 1841, By Wilfred Campbell, LL.D. (pdf)
-
Governor Musgrave and Confederation
By His Honour Judge F. W. Howay (pdf)
- Thomas John Thomson, painter
Article by Joan Murray
-
The Analytical Study
of Canadian History
Article by John Lesperance (1887) (pdf)
-
Cummer Memoranda
A Record of the Progenitors and Descendants of Jacob Cummer, a
Canadian Pioneer by Wellington Willson Cummer and Clyde Lottridge
Cummer, PH. B., M.D. (1911) (pdf)
- The Revd. John Stuart, D.D.,
U.E.L.
Of Kingston, U. C. and His Family, A Genealogical Study by A. H.
Young (1920) (pdf)
- Brief Sketch of Life and Work of Rev.
James Evans
Inventor of the Syllabic System of the Cree Indians in Northwestern
Canada 1801—1846 By Rev. John Maclean (pdf)
-
Stephen Leacock
Canadian teacher, political scientist, writer, and humorist.
- Marie Anne Gaboury
First Canadian Woman in the Northwest (pdf)
- The Story of Laura Secord
And Canadian Reminiscences by Emma A. Currie (1900) (pdf)
- William Watt
(1830-1916) One of five brothers from Stromness in the Orkney
Islands who joined the Hudson’s Bay Company in the mid-nineteenth
century.
- Lucy Margaret Baker
A Biographical Sketch of the first Missionary of our Canadian
Presbyterian Church to the North-West Indians by Elizabeth A. Byers
(1920)
- Gaelic
Scholar Alexander Maclean Sinclair (1840-1924)
A dissertation presented by Michael David Linkletter (pdf)
-
Herbert Symonds
A Memoir compiled by friends (1921) (pdf)
- Garrett VanDusen
Chatham native’s route to film success had many detours
- Rev William Wye Smith
Minister, poet and writer
- John R. Booth
A Father of Canada and Industrialist
- Thomas McMurray
Author, journalist, temperance worker, and settler
-
William Beatty
A short biography of the Businessman, Methodist lay minister, and
politician by Adrian Eric Hayes
- Life and Work of Donald
Harvey MacVicar, D.D., LL.D.
By his son, John H. MacVicar, B.A., Melville Church, Fergus, Ontario
(1904) (pdf)
-
Jordan B.
Peterson
Clinical Psychologist
-
Angus William Rugg MacKenzie
Founder of the Gaelic College in Cape Breton
-
A Family
Record
Embracing a Sketch of the history of the Scratch, Wigle, Fox, Friend,
Wilkinson, Shepley, McCormick, Malotte, Coatsworth, Iler families and
other early Settlers of the country of Essex. The Sketch gives an
account of their early settlement in America and the final settlement of
their descendants in Western Canada By Mrs. Mary J. Burch (1880) (pdf)
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