John Wallace de Beque Farris, Knights of Columbus was a Canadian lawyer and politician.
Background
Born in White"s Cove, New Brunswick, the son of Laughlin P. Farris and Louise Hay, he was educated at Saint Martin"s Seminary, received his Bachelor of Arts from Acadia University and received his Bachelor of Law from the University of Pennsylvania.
Education
University of Pennsylvania Law School. Acadia University.
Career
In 1905, Farris married Evlyn Fenwick Keirstead of Windsor, Nova Scotia. They had four children: Katherine Hay, Donald Fenwick, Ralph Keirstead and John Lauchlan. He was called to the British Columbia Bar in 1903.
He founded the law firm now called Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy Limited Liability Partnership and was the first prosecutor of Vancouver.
In 1907, he ran unsuccessfully for the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for the riding of Vancouver. He lost again in 1909 for the riding of Richmond.
He was elected in 1916 as a Liberal Modern Language Association for the riding of Vancouver and was re-elected in 1920. From 1917 to 1922, he was the Attorney General and Minister of Labour.
Farris was active in the Canadian Bar Association, serving as President in 1937-1938.
In the 1930s and 1940s, Farris was instrumental in raising funds and persuading the provincial government to create the Faculty of Law at the University of British Columbia. In 1937, Farris was appointed to the Senate of Canada representing the senatorial division of Vancouver South, British Columbia. He served until his death in 1970.
John Wallace Debeque Farris
John Wallace deBeque Farris.