Charles Tupper

Date of Birth: July 2, 1821

Place of Birth: Amherst, Nova Scotia

Date of Death: October 30, 1915

Place of Death: Bexleyheath, England, U.K.

Ethnicity: English, some Ulster-Scots/Irish Protestant

Charles Tupper was a Canadian physician, lawyer, politician, and Father of Confederation. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as the sixth Prime Minister of Canada, from May 1, 1896 to July 8, 1896. He was also Premier of Nova Scotia, from May 11, 1864 to July 3, 1867, Canadian High Commissioner to the U.K., from May 30, 1883 to January 15, 1896, Minister of Finance and Receiver General, from January 27, 1887 to May 22, 1888, Secretary of State for Canada, from January 15, 1896 to July 8, 1896, and Leader of the Official Opposition, from July 11, 1896 to February 5, 1901. He was a Member of Parliament for Cumberland (NS), from September 20, 1867 to May 1884, and again, from 1887 to 1888, and for Cape Breton (NS), from 1896 to 1900.

Prime Minister Tupper was the son of Miriam (Lockhart) and The Rev. Charles Tupper, Jr., a Baptist minister. His father was born in Cornwallis, Annapolis, Nova Scotia. All of his grandparents were American. Most of his ancestry was English, descending from immigrants to New England in the 1600s. He also had Ulster-Scots [Irish Protestant] roots. He was married to Frances (Morse) Tupper, with whom he had six children.

Prime Minister Tupper’s patrilineal line can be traced to Thomas Tupper, who was born, c. 1578, in Bury, Sussex, England.

Prime Minister Tupper’s paternal grandfather was Charles Tupper (the son of Eliakim Tupper, Jr. and Mary Bassett). Charles was born in Plymouth, Plymouth Co., Massachusetts. Eliakim was the son of Eliakim Tupper and Joanna. Mary was the daughter of William Bassett IV and Abigail Bourne. Prime Minister Tupper’s great-great-grandfather Eliakim’s grandfather, Thomas Mayhew, who was from Tisbury, Wiltshire, England, was Governor of Martha’s Vineyard.

Prime Minister Tupper’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth West (the daughter of William West and Jane West). Elizabeth was born in Rochester, Plymouth, Massachusetts. William was the son of Thomas West and Mary Presbury. Jane was the daughter of Abner West and Jane Looke.

Prime Minister Tupper’s maternal grandfather was James Lockhart (the son of James Lockhart and Rebecca Mitchener). Prime Minister Tupper’s maternal grandfather James was born in Ashford, Windham, Connecticut. Prime Minister Tupper’s great-grandparents James and Rebecca were born in Ireland; James was the son of James Lockhart.

Prime Minister Tupper’s maternal grandmother was Miriam Wadkins Knowlton (the daughter of Daniel Knowlton and Zerviah Watkins). Miriam was born in Ashford, Windham, Connecticut. Daniel was the son of Robert Knowlton and Hannah Robison. Zerviah was the daughter of William Watkins and Mehetable Humphrey.

Sources: Genealogies of Charles Tupper – http://www.geni.com
http://famouskin.com