John Valentine Ellis
Who was John Valentine Ellis?
Canadian politician (1835–1913)
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on John Valentine Ellis (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
John Valentine Ellis (14 February 1835 – 10 July 1913) was a Canadian journalist, editor, and politician born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He mainly worked in Saint John, New Brunswick, where he became well-known in both the media and public sectors. Ellis worked as a journalist and editor, becoming one of the leading voices in New Brunswick's Liberal political circles during the late 1800s. His career combined writing and politics in a way typical for educated men of his time, as newspapers were a common medium for political advocacy.
Before Fame
Ellis grew up during Confederation, when the British North American colonies were discussing joining together to form a new nation. Born in Halifax in 1835, he was part of the generation that saw the scattered colonial setups turn into the Dominion of Canada in 1867. His work in journalism gave him a public voice and a web of political connections. In mid-nineteenth century Canada, the press was openly partisan, and Ellis, as an editor with Liberal leanings, would have been closely involved in the activities and ideas of the party.
Key Achievements
- Elected to the House of Commons as a Liberal MP for City of St. John in the 1887 general election and re-elected in 1896
- Appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1900, representing the senatorial division of Saint John, New Brunswick
- Co-founded the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick in 1867 and served as its Grand Master during two separate terms
- Served as Supreme Grand Master of the Masonic Knights Templar of Canada, 1899–1901
- Held the office of Sovereign Grand Commander of Scottish Rite for the Dominion of Canada
Did You Know?
- 01.Ellis was one of the founding participants in the creation of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick in 1867, the same year Canada became a confederation.
- 02.He served two separate terms as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick, first from 1872 to 1874 and again from 1884 to 1886.
- 03.He held the position of Supreme Grand Master of the Masonic Knights Templar of Canada from 1899 to 1901, one of the highest Masonic offices in the country.
- 04.Ellis lost his House of Commons seat in the 1891 federal election but returned to Parliament by winning the 1896 election, the same election that brought Wilfrid Laurier to power as Prime Minister.
- 05.He was appointed to the Senate of Canada on 3 September 1900 on the recommendation of Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and he represented the senatorial division of Saint John until his death.