Donald Farquharson (politician)

Donald Farquharson
8th Premier of Prince Edward Island
In office August 1, 1898 – December 29, 1901
Monarch	Victoria Edward VII
Lieutenant Governor	George William Howlan Peter Adolphus McIntyre
Preceded by	Alexander B. Warburton
Succeeded by	Arthur Peters
Leader of the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party
In office August 1, 1898 – December 29, 1901
Preceded by	Alexander B. Warburton
Succeeded by	Arthur Peters
Member of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island for 2nd Queens
In office August 10, 1876 – December 13, 1893 Serving with Donald McKay, Joseph Wise
Preceded by	Augustus Holland
Succeeded by	district abolished
MLA (Councillor) for 2nd Queens
In office December 13, 1893 – January 15, 1902
Preceded by	himself
Succeeded by	Samuel E. Reid
Member of the Canadian Parliament for West Queen's
In office January 15, 1902 – June 26, 1903
Preceded by	Louis Henry Davies
Succeeded by	Horace Haszard
Personal details
Born	(1834-07-27)July 27, 1834 Mermaid, Prince Edward Island
Died	Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Nationality	Canadian
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Dopsin May Edwards Smith (m. 1860) Sarah Moore (m. 1870)
Children	Laura, Seymour, Alfred, May (died in 1901), Fanny, Lauretta, and Charles
Residence	Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Alma mater	University of Prince Edward Island
Occupation	teacher, merchant, and newspaper director
Profession	Politician
Cabinet	Minister without Portfolio (1878–1879) (1891–1898)
Religion	Presbyterian

Donald Farquharson (July 27, 1834 – June 26, 1903) served as the eighth Premier of Prince Edward Island.

A native of Mermaid, Farquharson had been a teacher and then a businessman involved in wholesale and shipping. He was elected to the legislature as a Liberal in 1876 and joined the government of Louis Henry Davies in 1878 until the Davies administration fell the next year. Farquharson sat in opposition until the Liberals won the 1891 election. He became Premier in August 1898 but, in 1901, he was persuaded to run in a by-election to the federal House of Commons since PEI Liberals hoped that as a former Premier, he would be elevated to the Canadian cabinet guaranteeing the island's representation in government. Farquharson won the by-election but Sir Wilfrid Laurier appointed a westerner to cabinet instead leaving Farquharson on the backbenches until his death in 1903.

During Farquharson's premiership the provincial legislature passed the Prohibition Act (or Scott Act) which implemented a complete ban on alcohol sales and production in the province starting in 1901. It would not be repealed until 1948.

See also

• Canada Temperance Act

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online