Alexander Ferguson MacLaren
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Perth North
In office
1896–1908
Preceded byJames Nicol Grieve
Succeeded byJames Palmer Rankin
Personal details
Born(1854-02-03)February 3, 1854
Lanark, Canada West
DiedApril 19, 1917(1917-04-19) (aged 63)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political partyConservative

Alexander Ferguson MacLaren (February 3, 1854 April 19, 1917) was a Canadian manufacturer, exporter and politician.

Born in Perth, Lanark County, Canada West, the son of John MacLaren, a native of Perthshire, Scotland, MacLaren moved to Cromarty in Perth County with his family while still young. He was employed with a dairyman to learn cheese making but soon joined Thomas Ballantyne, a major cheese manufacturer and exporter. In 1890, MacLaren established his own cheese exporting business in Stratford. He was one of the judges at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and was the sole judge for the dairy products at the Toronto and Ottawa fairs. He was also President of the Ontario Dairymen's Association. MacLaren's company established offices in Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, New York City, London (England), Mexico, China, Japan and Africa. He was also president of the Imperial Wood Fibre Plaster Company, president of the Imperial Veneer Company and served on the board of directors of a number of other companies. In 1895, he married Janet McLeod.

He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the electoral district of Perth North at the general elections of 1896. A Conservative, he was re-elected in 1900 and 1904. He was defeated in 1908. MacLaren died in Toronto from kidney problems.

In 1920, his company was purchased by J. L. Kraft and Brothers Company.

1896 Canadian federal election: Perth North
Party Candidate Votes
  Conservative Alex. F. MacLaren 2,916
  Liberal James N. Grieve 2,870
1900 Canadian federal election: Perth North
Party Candidate Votes
  Conservative A. F. MacLaren 3,118
  Liberal George Goetz 2,838
1904 Canadian federal election: Perth North
Party Candidate Votes
  Conservative Alexander Ferguson MacLaren 3,618
  Liberal James P. Mabee 3,298
1908 Canadian federal election: Perth North
Party Candidate Votes
  Liberal James Palmer Rankin 3,514
  Conservative Alexander Ferguson MacLaren 3,473

References


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