Morris, Alexander

Alexander Morris (1826-1889) was born at Perth, Upper Canada. His education took place at Madras College, St. Andrews, Scotland and at the University of Glasgow. He returned to Canada and enrolled at McGill University where he became the first graduate in Arts. His professional career began with the study of law in the office of John A. Macdonald in 1847. In 1851 he was called to the bar in Upper Canada and in Lower Canada. He was elected as a Conservative for Lanark in the Legislative Assembly of Canada, a seat he held until 1872. During this time he was Minister of Inland revenue in the government of John A. Macdonald from 1869 to 1872. He was appointed chief justice of the Court of the Queen's Bench in Manitoba. During his time there he was instrumental in achieving the federation of St. John's College, the College of St. Boniface, and Manitoba College through which the University of Manitoba was founded in 1877. After his return to Ontario he represented East Toronto in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1878 to 1886. He died at Toronto in 1889.