William McMaster

Who was William McMaster?

William McMaster was a Canadian wholesaler, Senator and banker in the 19th century. A director of the Bank of Montreal from 1864 to 1867, he was a driving force behind the creation of the Canadian Bank of Commerce of which he served as the founding president from 1867 to his death in 1887.

He served in the Canadian Senate from 1867 to 1887 as a Liberal. He also helped found McMaster University in Toronto, Ontario.

Born in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, McMaster immigrated to York, Upper Canada in 1833. He was married for the first time to Mary Henderson. He married a second time to Susan Fraser on July 18, 1871.

He died in 1887 and is buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.