Arthur Hill Gillmor

Who was Arthur Hill Gillmor?

Arthur Hill Gillmor was a Canadian farmer, lumberman and Liberal politician from New Brunswick. He was the son of Daniel and Purmelia Gillmor, both native of New Brunswick. He was educated at the St. Andrews Grammar School, St. Andrews, New Brunswick and later engaged in the local lumber and farming business. Mr. Gillmor married Hannah Dawes Howe, of Maine, in January 1846. They had four children: Daniel, Henry, Percy and Delia.

Mr. Gillmor sat in New Brunswick's House of Assembly for five terms, and gained a reputation for integrity. The last of these mandates was as provincial secretary in Albert James Smith's government, which had run on a platform opposing Confederation. When the Smith government was defeated in the 1866 election, Gillmor left politics for a time to concentrate on business.

After Confederation, he represented the riding of Charlotte, New Brunswick in the Canadian House of Commons from 1874 to 1896. He was a strong candidate for the office of Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick in 1899, being strongly endorsed by his former political opponents as well as supporters, but did not secure the appointment.