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Alberta, Past and Present, Historical and Biographical
Vol 2
Hugh Calais MacDonald, K. C., LL. B.


Hugh C. Macdonald, a member of one of the honored pioneer families of Canada and a worthy scion of his race, has chosen the practice of law as his life work, and that his choice was a wise one is indicated by the success which has marked his efforts, for he now ranks with Edmonton's most talented barristers. He was born at Parry Sound, Ontario, October 19, 1881, and is of pure Highland Scotch ancestry in both the paternal and maternal lines, his parents being Duncan Fraser and Isabella (George) Macdonald. Immediately after the battle of Culloden Moor in 1745 representatives of the Macdonald family came to Canada, settling in Wellington county, in the province of Ontario. The name figures prominently in connection with the military history of Canada, Captain Macdonald of the Fraser Highlanders, an ancestor of the subject of this review, being the first British officer to scale the Heights of Abraham at the time of Wolfe's historic night attack upon Montcalm.

Hugh Calais Macdonald attended the grammar and high schools of Parry Sound and the Guelph Collegiate Institute and was articled as a law student to the Hon. Hugh Guthrie, K. C., M. P., from 1902 until 1905. In the latter year he became a law student at Osgoode Hall of Toronto winning his LL. B. degree in 1908, and he at once entered upon the active work of his profession in that city as a partner of James Walter Curry, K. C., with whom he was associated until 1914. Three years later lie came to this province, locating at Edmonton, and was identified with the firm of Short, Cross, McLean & Macdonald as counsel from 1917 until October, 1919, when he became a member of the firm of Robertson, Winkler, Macdonald & Howe, with which he continued until July 1, 1922. He was appointed King's Counsel in 1921 and is recognized as an able minister in the temple of justice. In the trial of cases committed to his care he has won many favorable verdicts, his success coming to him because of his close reasoning, his logical argument, his correct application of legal principles and his ability to present his contention in the strongest possible light. He possesses marked oratorical ability and since 1904 has been in great demand as a platform speaker, delivering addresses at public gatherings in the provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

At Guelph, Ontario, on the 2d day of August, 1910, Mr. Macdonald was married to Miss Mary Pringle, a daughter of George D. Pringle. Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald have three children: Fraser Pringle, who was born in Toronto and has reached the age of ten years; and Hugh Patrick and Allisther Keith, both natives of Edmonton, the former three years of age, while the latter is but a year and a half old. Mr. Macdonald is a member of the Presbyterian church and his political allegiance is given to the Liberal party. He is connected with the Masonic order, Delta Chi, a legal fraternity, the Edmonton Club, the Edmonton Golf and Country Club, the Scarborough Club of Toronto and the Ontario Club of that city, being a charter member of the last named organization. He is loyal to all those interests which make for honorable manhood and progressive citizenship and exemplifies in his life the sterling characteristics of the Scotch race. Merit has gained him advancement and his fellow practitioners and the general public accord him, a position of distinction in his profession.


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