Background
He was born in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, the son of James and Margaret Macdonald, Scottish immigrants, came to Huron County, Canada West with his parents in 1846 and was educated in Toronto.
He was born in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, the son of James and Margaret Macdonald, Scottish immigrants, came to Huron County, Canada West with his parents in 1846 and was educated in Toronto.
He represented Huron East in the Canadian House of Commons from 1887 to 1904 as a Liberal member. He graduated from Trinity College in medicine in 1872 and set up practice in Wingham. He also served as chairman of the school board and coroner for Huron County.
Macdonald was deputy speaker and chairman of Committees of the Whole from 1901 to 1904.
He ran unsuccessfully for reelection to the House of Commons in 1904. Macdonald"s daughter Annie Caroline went to Japan in 1904 as a representative of the Young Women’s Christian Association and later became involved in prison reform there.
Macdonald served as a member of the town council for Winham. He was reeve in 1879 and mayor in 1881.