Murdoch McKinnon

MCKINNON, HONOURABLE MURDOCH, farmer; b. 15 March 1865 in Brooklyn, son of Laughlin McKinnon and Mary McDonald; m. 21 October 1914 Perle Beecher Taylor, and they had one son, Francis P. T.; Presbyterian; d. 12 October1944 in Charlottetown. McKinnon, a Conservative, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in the general election of 1897 for 4th Kings. He was not declared elected until 14 April 1898, as the two candidates for the riding received an equal number of votes. After a ruling by Justice E. J. Hodgson, McKinnon was declared the winner. McKinnon was defeated in the general election of 1900 by Alexander Bruce*, but after a recount he was declared re-elected. McKinnon was re-elected in the general elections of 1904, 1908, 1912, and 1915. He was defeated in the general election of 1919. He served as Commissioner of Agriculture and Provincial Secretary-Treasurer from 1912 to 1915. McKinnon was sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor on 8 September 1919 and remained in that position until 1924. During his time in this office, he made constitutional history when he refused to give assent to the Church Union Bill of 1923. McKinnon received his early education at local schools, and then at Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown. In his early career, he was a farmer in Brooklyn. Murdoch McKinnon died 12 October 1944. Perle Murdoch was the daughter of Dr. F. P. Taylor of Charlottetown.