Howard P. Whidden
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Howard Primrose Whidden (born July 12, 1871 in Antigonish Harbour, Nova Scotia, died March 30, 1952 in Toronto, Ontario and buried 2 April 1952 Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto) was a Canadian churchman, member of Parliament, educator, scholar and editor of Canadian Baptist.
He was Baptist minister in Dayton, Ohio and likely knew John D. Rockefeller and may have been instrumental, along with Cyrus' Uncle Charles Aubrey Eaton, in his meeting Cyrus S. Eaton, president of Brandon College, Brandon, Manitoba.
He sat in parliament for four years as a member of the Borden/Conservative led Union government of 1917 (which gave women the right to vote). He was appointed in 1923 sixth Chancellor of McMaster University, then in Toronto, Ontario; and served for 18 years to 1941, making him the longest-serving chancellor or president, to that time. Whidden Hall at McMaster University is named after Chancellor Whidden, as is the Whidden scholarship at McMaster University.
[edit] Timeline:
- ca 1880 educated in the public schools, Antigonish, Nova Scotia
- 1891 BA, graduate Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia
- 1894 theology, McMaster University, Toronto, Ontario
- ca 1895 University of Chicago, Illinois
- 1894-96 Baptist Church, Morden, Manitoba
- 1897-1900 Baptist Church, Galt, Ontario
- 1898-1900 lecturer, McMaster University, Toronto, Ontario
- 1900-1903 professor of Biblical literature and English, Brandon College, Brandon, Manitoba
- 1904-1912 pastor, First Baptist Church, Dayton, Ohio
- 1912-1923 president, Brandon College, Brandon, Manitoba
- 1917 first elected to House of Commons, Brandon riding, supporter Unionist government
- 1923-1941 Chancellor, McMaster University, Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, longest serving chancellor or president
- 1936 honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD), Victoria University (now Victoria College, University of Toronto), Toronto, Ontario
[edit] Family
He was the son of Charles Blanchard and Eunice Caroline (Graham) Whidden.
Howard married Katherine "Kit" Louise Ganong (daughter of James Harvey and Susan E. (Brittain) Ganong) b. February 14, 1870 in St. Stephan, NB. She died April 4, 1959 at the home of her son in Wolfville, NS and bur. 8 April 1959 beside her husband and daughter Susan in Mt. Pleasant cemetery, Toronto.
Howard and Catherine had eight children:
- Charles Ganong b. 22 August 1895 and d. 27 July 1978.
- Susan Gwendolyn b. 5 January 1897 in Waterloo, Ontario, d. 1963 and bur. in Mt. Pleasant cemetery, Toronto, Ontario.
- Dr. Rev. Evan McDonald Whidden b. 9 July 1898 and d. 11 March 1980.
- James Gilbert b. 13 January 1901 in Brandon, Manitoba and d. 15 April 1901.
- William Francis b. 19 March 1902 in Brandon, Manitoba and d. 4 July 1905.
- Prof. Reginald Wilbur b. 18 December 1904.
- Bruce Cuthbert b. 29 March 1909 and d. 17 March 1972.
- Howard Primrose, Ph.D., LL.D. b. 4 August 1910 and d. 12 March. 1977. He was a senior editor of [[Business Week] magazine.
