Archibald McLelan

Who was Archibald McLelan?

Archibald Woodbury McLelan, PC was a Canadian shipbuilder and politician, the sixth Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.

McLelan was born in Londonderry, Nova Scotia, the son of member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly member Gloud Wilson McLelan. Archibald McLelan was educated in Great Village and joined his father's shipping and retail business. On his father's death in 1858 he succeeded him in the House of Assembly.

Strongly opposed to confederation with Canada, McLelan was elected as the first federal member of parliament for Colchester as an Anti-Confederate.

He reconciled himself to Confederation and was summoned to the Canadian Senate in 1869 where he sat as a Liberal-Conservative.

He resigned from the Upper House to run again for the Canadian House of Commons in the 1881 federal election and was returned to parliament as a Conservative.

McLelan served from 10 December 1885–26 January 1887 as the Minister of Finance in the second administration of Sir John A. Macdonald.

In 1842, he married Caroline Metzler. McLelan died in Halifax at the age of 65.