(23 Dec. 1866-8 Dec. 1952), municipal official, historical collector. (dates 22 Dec.1866 & 10 Dec. 1952 also found) (Alex McNaughton, Mr Mac) Born in 4th Concession, Lancaster Township, GC. Parents: John McNaughton and his wife Isabel or Margaret McDougall. When he was a youngster in GC, Alexander McNaughton’s right arm was badly injured in a sawmill accident, requiring him to learn to write with his left hand. When he was young also, his mother died, and the family moved to Gananoque, Ont. After primary and high school at Gananoque, he attended Queen’s University in pursuit of his father’s intention (with which he eventually broke) that he should become a Presbyterian clergyman. In the late 19th century (years stated vary), he was first a teacher in the Lakehead area of Ontario, then assistant postmaster at Port Arthur (since 1970, with Fort William, a part of the City of Thunder Bay). His most important period of employment now followed, for he was city clerk of Fort William for the impressive period of 45 years, from March 1900 till 27 March 1945. He appears to have been an exemplary city clerk: intelligent, a master of administrative detail, selflessly hard-working, and genial with the public, while exacting in imposing the highest standards on his office subordinates. On retirement at the age of 78, he was retained by the city as City Historian. He intended to collect and sort the documentary sources for the history of Fort William. Though illness overcame him before he had finished his task, materials he gathered survive as part of the Blake-McNaughton Collection held by the Thunder Bay Historical Museum. (Sidney H. Blake, 1913-1965, treasurer and civic administrator of Fort William, collected material on Fort William, and intended to write the history of the city.)

     Deeply interested in music, Alexander McNaughton was a popular figure in his early years in the Thunder Bay area as a musician (with a portable harmonium) at concerts, dances and other social events. Later, over many years, he was active as an organist and pianist. A year or two before he became city clerk, he was married to Minnie Mawhinney or MacWhinney (d. 1953) of Portage la Prairie, a vocalist who for many years performed in Fort William area Protestant and Roman Catholic church services.

     Alexander McNaughton was a Presbyterian elder, and a prominent Mason. He died in hospital at Fort William. There is an oil painting of him in Thunder Bay City Hall.

Information kindly supplied by City of Thunder Bay archivist and Thunder Bay Historical Museum * biog. sketch of McNaughton, short but warm and intimate, by fellow civic employee, Donald Murdo Martin, in Thunder Bay Historical Museum * obituary Glengarry News 19 Dec. 1952