Harry Don Mewhirter (July 30, 1874 – September 2, 1957) was a politician in

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

, Canada. He served in the

Legislative Assembly of Manitoba The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba () is the deliberative assembly of the Manitoba Legislature in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly at List of Manitoba genera ...

from 1914 to 1915 as a member of the Conservative Party.

Biography

Mewhirter was born in Sugar Grove,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

USA The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

, the son of Robert Mewhirter, and was educated in

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and at

Drake University Drake University is a private university in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. The University offers over 140 undergraduate and graduate programs, including professional programs in business, education, Legal education, law, and pharmacy. Drake U ...

Des Moines Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

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. He graduated in pharmacy and chemistry, and moved to Canada in 1906. He became manager of the Gutta Percha and Rubber Co., Ltd. in

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

, and resided in Dugald. In religion, Mewhirter was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

. He was married three times: first to Nancy during the 1890s, then to Mary Moe in 1897, and later to Alma. He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1914 provincial election, defeating Liberal

Thomas Glendenning Hamilton Thomas Glendenning Hamilton (November 27, 1873 – April 7, 1935) was a Canadian doctor, school board trustee, and member of the Manitoba legislature from 1915 to 1920. He was also a spiritualist and is best known for the thousands of photogr ...

by 364 votes in the Elmwood constituency. The Conservatives won this election, and Mewhirter sat as a backbench supporter of

Rodmond Roblin Sir Rodmond Palen Roblin (February 15, 1853 – February 16, 1937) was a businessman and politician in Manitoba, Canada. Early life and career Roblin was born in Sophiasburgh, in Prince Edward County, Canada West (later Ontario). The Robl ...

's government. In 1915, the Conservatives were forced to resign from office because a report commissioned by the

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

found the government guilty of corruption in the tendering of contracts for new legislative buildings. A new election was called, which the Liberals won in a landslide. Mewhirter was not a candidate. Harry Mewhirter died in

Elkton, Maryland Elkton is a town in and the county seat of Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,776 at the 2020 census, up from 15,443 in 2010. It was formerly called Head of Elk because it sits at the head of navigation on the Elk R ...

on September 2, 1957.

References

1874 births Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba MLAs 1957 deaths People from Dugald, Manitoba People from Sugar Grove, Illinois American emigrants to Canada 20th-century members of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba {{Manitoba-MLA-stub