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Charles Dalton

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Sir Charles Dalton (June 9, 1850[1]-1933) was a Prince Edward Island businessman, politician and philanthropist.

He was born at Tignish, Prince Edward Island, the son of Patrick Dalton and Margaret McCarthy.[1]

He first worked as a farmer and then a druggist. He married Anne Gavin in 1874. Dalton earned his fortune through silver fox breeding, in the process making the island the centre of the world's trade in the fur-bearing animal.[1]

Dalton used his fortune to purchase the Charlottetown Guardian newspaper.[2] He served as a Conservative[2] provincial cabinet minister[3] and then lieutenant-governor of the province from 1930 until his death in 1933.

During World War I, he donated a motor ambulance to the Canadian government. He also built a school in his home town of Tignish. In 1916, he was named a Knight Commander in the Order of St. Gregory the Great[1]

Dalton became devoted to the fight against tuberculosis after losing a daughter to the disease, donating funds to allow for the construction of a sanatorium on the island which was named in his honour.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b Gary MacDougall, "Our History", Charlottetown Guardian, accessed May 6, 2008
  2. ^ "Fox Thieves Caught", TIME Magazine, March 17, 1930
  3. ^ "Tuberculosis History in Canada: Sir Charles Dalton", Canadian Lung Association