(23 June 1861-18 April 1924), lawyer, political figure. (A. Claude Macdonell, A. C. Macdonell, Claude Macdonell, Senator Macdonell) Born in Toronto. Parents: Angus Duncan Macdonell and his wife Pauline Rosalie De-la-Hay (de Lahaye, De La Haye). He attended Toronto Model School and Trinity College, Toronto, before Trinity College was a part of the University of Toronto (B. C. L., 1885, D. C. L., 1902). Called to the Ontario bar, 1885, he became a K. C., 1908. He belonged to the Toronto law firm of Macdonell and Boland. He was a director of the Home Bank. He was one of the founders of the Catholic Review (or Catholic Weekly Review) and was on its editorial committee; this publication which began in Feb. 1887 was merged in Jan. 1893 with the Catholic Register. Also he was one of the founders of The Barrister, a monthly publication, and was its editor. And he was joint editor of the Canadian Law List.

     Active in the affairs of the Conservative Party in Toronto, he was Conservative MP for Toronto South from 1904-1917, being elected 1904, 1908 and 1911. He was appointed to the Senate 1 Aug. 1917, and resigned from the Senate in 1921, on account of ill health. In political life, he favoured public ownership of service provision and utilities, and fought for the interests of Toronto; he was a strong supporter of Toronto Harbour development. He died in Toronto. Roman Catholic. He was unmarried. He was not a Glengarrian, but was a prominent member of one of the great GC family connections. General Archibald Hayes Macdonell, who was also a senator, from 1921, was his brother. For the ancestry and connections of the family, see the entry this dictionary for General Macdonell.

Obituaries (with portraits), reports on funeral, from Toronto press, in UTA, Accession A1973-0026 (also includes his sister Miss Pauline Marie Macdonell, d. 29 Oct. 1930) * Morgan (1898) 685 & Morgan (1912) 685 * Johnson (1968) 403 * Who’s Who and Why, 1921 p. 1560