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Happy Birthday Sir John A Macdonald


Sir John A. Macdonald (1815-1891) was born on January 11th.  To celebrate, we’re sharing a draft of a letter Sir James R. Gowan, first judge of Simcoe District, wrote to his long-time friend and correspondent on the occasion of Macdonald’s 76th (and last) birthday.

A resident of Barrie, Gowan was a lawyer, judge, senator, and author of an unknown number of pieces of draft legislation that Macdonald presented in both the provincial and federal legislatures. 

While undated, the incomplete draft letter below was written in early January 1891.

1891 draft letter from J.R. Gowan to J.A. Macdonald
1891 draft letter J.R. Gowan to J.A. Macdonald p2

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