William McMaster

William McMaster (December 24, 1811 – September 22, 1887) was a Canadian wholesaler, Senator and banker in the 19th century. A director of the Bank of Montreal from 1864 to 1867, he was a driving force behind the creation of the Canadian Bank of Commerce of which he served as the founding president from 1867 to his death in 1887.

For other people named William McMaster, see William McMaster (disambiguation).

The Honourable
William McMaster
Senator for Midland, Ontario
In office
1867–1887
Appointed byRoyal Proclamation
Personal details
Born(1811-12-24)December 24, 1811
County Tyrone, Ireland (now Northern Ireland)
DiedSeptember 22, 1887(1887-09-22) (aged 75)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political partyLiberal

He served in the Senate of Canada from 1867 to 1887 as a Liberal. He also helped found McMaster University in Toronto (later moved to Hamilton), Ontario.

Biography

Born in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, McMaster immigrated to York, Upper Canada (now Toronto) in 1833. He was married for the first time to Mary Henderson (18??–1869) of New York. He married a second time on July 18, 1871 to Susan Fraser (née Moulton), the widow of an American businessman.

He died in 1887 and is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.

Philanthropy

During his lifetime, McMaster supported a number of causes with large donations. As a member of Bond Street Baptist Church McMaster helped finance their building of larger facilities at Jarvis Street Baptist Church. He also helped finance Beverley Street Baptist Church, which is now Toronto Chinese Baptist Church and a number of other Baptist churches in the Toronto area as well as the building of Toronto Baptist College in McMaster Hall on Bloor Street, later renamed McMaster University and funded by a large endowment upon his death. Through his wife, financing was also provided for the Hospital for Sick Children.

See also

References
  • Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
  • "William McMaster: 1811-1887". Canada's Digital Collections. Retrieved 11 March 2005.
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