Alexander Sproat facts for kids

Alexander Sproat (born June 19, 1834 – died August 20, 1890) was an important person in Ontario's history. He worked as a land surveyor, which means he measured and mapped land. He was also a businessman and a politician. He represented a part of Ontario called Bruce North in Canada's very first Parliament as a member of the Conservative party.

Alexander Sproat's Life Story

Early Life and Education

Alexander Sproat was born in 1834 near a town called Milton in Halton County, which was then known as Upper Canada (an older name for part of Ontario). His parents were Adam Sproat and Eleanor Brown. He went to college at Knox College and Queen's College.

Around 1856, Alexander moved to Southampton. He started working there as a surveyor for the government. He also became an agent for the Commercial Bank of Canada. In 1861, he married Eliza McNabb in Southampton. They had three children who lived: Marion, Adam, and Eleanor. Sadly, two other children, Margaret and Mary, died when they were babies and are buried in Southampton.

Public Service in Ontario

In 1864, Alexander Sproat was chosen to be the treasurer for Bruce County. This meant he managed the county's money. He held this job until 1873. He also served as a colonel with the Southampton Rifles. This was a group of volunteers who helped protect the area during the Fenian Raids. These raids were small attacks by Irish-American groups on Canadian borders in the 1860s.

In 1866, volunteer groups in Bruce County formed the 32nd Battalion of Infantry. Alexander was made the lieutenant colonel in charge of this group. The next year, in 1867, he was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for North Bruce. An MP is a person elected to represent their area in the House of Commons, where Canada's laws are made. He served in the very first Canadian Parliament after Confederation, which is when Canada became a country. He served from September 1867 to July 1872. In 1872, he tried to be re-elected but lost by only a few votes. He also served as the mayor of Walkerton in 1876 and held a local government role called a reeve.

Moving West and Later Years

By 1880, Alexander and his family had moved west to Prince Albert. In that year, he was named the registrar for the District of Prince Albert. A registrar is someone who keeps official records. He helped start the Curling Club of Saskatchewan and was its first president. He also helped organize the first Orange Lodge in the District of Alberta in 1882. This was a fraternal organization.

In 1885, a conflict known as the North-West Rebellion broke out. Alexander Sproat, who was a colonel, helped swear in the Prince Albert Volunteers. These volunteers were sent to a place called Duck Lake. His son, Adam, was among these volunteers. Sadly, Alexander's brother-in-law, Alexander McNabb, was hurt in the battle, and his friend, John Morton, was killed.

Alexander Sproat passed away in Prince Albert on August 17, 1890.