William Johnston Tupper

Who was William Johnston Tupper?

William Johnston Tupper, was a politician and office holder in Manitoba, Canada. He served as the province's 12th Lieutenant Governor from 1934 to 1940.

Tupper was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the son of Charles Tupper and Frances Amelie Morst. He was named in honour of his father's mentor James William Johnston. He was educated at Upper Canada College and Harvard Law School but returned to Nova Scotia to practice law, being called to the bar in 1885. Later in the same year, Tupper enlisted as a private in the Canadian army to assist in putting down the Northwest Rebellion, and remained in Manitoba afterwards. He was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1886, and worked in a Winnipeg law firm with Hugh John Macdonald, son of Prime Minister John A. Macdonald. In 1887, he married Margaret, the daughter of James McDonald. He was named a King's Counsel in 1912. Tupper also served as president of the Army and Navy Veterans in Canada.

Tupper entered political life in the 1914 provincial election, running as a Conservative in the rural provincial riding of Morden and Rhineland. He lost to incumbent Liberal Valentine Winkler, 1,073 votes to 971. Tupper ran against Winkler again in the 1915 election, and lost again by an increased margin amid a disastrous provincial defeat for his party.