George Frederick Marter

The Honourable George Frederick Marter

Leader of the Ontario Conservative Party
In office 1894–1896
Preceded by	William Ralph Meredith
Succeeded by	James P. Whitney
Ontario MPP
In office 1894–1902
Preceded by	New riding
Succeeded by	William Beattie Nesbitt
Constituency	Toronto North
In office 1886–1894
Preceded by	Jacob William Dill^[a]
Succeeded by	George Langford
Constituency	Muskoka

Personal details
Born	6 June 1840 Brantford, Upper Canada
Died	May 10, 1907(1907-05-10) (aged 66) Toronto, Ontario
Political party	Conservative 1886–1894, Independent 1902
Occupation	Businessman

George Frederick Marter (6 June 1840 – 10 May 1907) was a politician in the Canadian province of Ontario. He led the Ontario Conservative Party from 1894 to 1896. Marter and Patrick Brown are the only permanent Ontario Conservative leaders who did not lead the party into an election.

Early career

After graduating from grammar school in Brantford Marter became a merchant and county councillor in Norfolk County, but later moved to operate a general store Bracebridge, Ontario.^[1]

Politics

Marter was elected for the riding of Muskoka from 1886 to 1894 and Toronto North from 1894 to 1902.

In 1894, Marter became Conservative leader following William Ralph Meredith's acceptance of the position of Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. The Conservative Party he led was aligned with the Protestant Protective Association in the legislature, and was divided by religious conflict and narrow bigotry. Marter was essentially an interim leader.

In 1896, he was replaced as leader by James P. Whitney. He was defeated when he ran as an Independent in the 1902 election.

Later life

Following his political career Marter became an insurance agent/manager of the London and Lancashire Insurance Company of Toronto and later co-founder of Marter Hall Company Limited with his son. Marter died in Toronto in 1907.^[1]

Legacy

Marter Township, Ontario is named for him.

References

Notes

^ Riding formerly named Muskoka and Parry Sound.

Citations

^ ^a ^b Dembski, Peter E. Paul (1994). "Marter, George Frederick". In Cook, Ramsay; Hamelin, Jean (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XIII (1901–1910) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.

External links

Works by or about George Frederick Marter at Internet Archive
Morgan, Henry James, ed. (1898). The Canadian Men and Women of the Time: A Handbook of Canadian Biography (first ed.). Toronto: William Briggs.
Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history

Leaders of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and its antecedents

Liberal-Conservative (1867–1873)