William Harty

Background

He was born in Biddulph Township, Canada West in 1847, the son of John Harty, an Irish immigrant, and was educated in Kingston.

Career

He represented Kingston in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1892 to 1894 and from 1895 to 1901 and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1902 to 1911 as a Liberal member. Harty was president of the local Board of Trade in 1873. He was a director of the Kingston and Pembroke Railway from 1875 to 1879.

In 1881, Harty helped establish the Kingston Charcoal and Iron Company.

With others, including George Airey Kirkpatrick and Richard John Cartwright, he helped bring the Canadian Locomotive and Engine Company back to Kingston from Montreal and Harty became its managing director Several years later, the company was sold to a Scottish firm and Harty become general manager in Canada for the Equitable Life Assurance Society.

In 1900, he was part of a group that purchased Canadian Locomotive and Engine Company after the company went into receivership. lieutenant was renamed the Canadian Locomotive Company Limited in 1901.

Harty served as company president until 1911 when it was purchased by a group of Toronto investors.

In 1892, he was elected to the provincial assembly in a by-election held after James Henry Metcalfe was elected to the House of Commons. Harty served as Commissioner of Crown Lands from 1894 to 1896 and Commissioner of Public Works from 1896 to 1899. In 1892, he was elected to the House of Commons after Byron Moffatt Britton was named a judge.

Harty retired from politics in 1911.

He died in Kingston in 1929.

Achievements

• He lost the seat by one vote in 1894 and won the by-election that followed in 1895.

Membership

In 1879, Harty became a member of Kingston city council. He also was a trustee for Queen"s University and a member of the senate for the University of Toronto.