Robert MacFarlane (March 23, 1835 – June 1, 1872) was a lawyer and

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

member of the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada () is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of Ca ...

representing

Perth South Perth South was a federal electoral district represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1935. It was located in the province of Ontario. It was created by the British North America Act 1867, which divided the County of Perth in ...

from 1867 to 1872. He was born in Pakenham in

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada () was a Province, part of The Canadas, British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the Province of Queb ...

in 1835, the son of William MacFarlane and Isabella Dickson, was educated in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

and was called to the Upper Canada bar in 1857. MacFarlane practised law in

Stratford, Ontario Stratford is a city on the Avon River (Ontario), Avon River within Perth County, Ontario, Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, with a 2021 Canadian census, 2021 population of 33,232 in a land area of . Stratford is the County seat, s ...

. He married Mary Elizabeth Wood in 1870. In 1862, he ran unsuccessfully against

Thomas Mayne Daly Thomas Mayne Daly, (August 16, 1852 – June 24, 1911) was a Canadian politician. Born in Stratford, Canada West (now Ontario), the son of Thomas Mayne Daly (1827–1885) and Helen McLaren (Ferguson) Daly, his father was a member of ...

in a by-election in Perth County; in 1863, he defeated Daly and represented Perth in the

8th Parliament of the Province of Canada The 8th Parliament of the Province of Canada was summoned in August 1863, following the general election for the Legislative Assembly in August 1863. The Parliament was abolished when the ''British North America Act, 1867'' (now the ''Constitution ...

. When the county was split into two parts after

Confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

, he was elected federally in the south riding. He died in

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

while still in office in 1872.

References

1835 births 1872 deaths Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from Canada West Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario Liberal Party of Canada MPs 19th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada {{Liberal-Ontario-MP-stub