# Antigonish (federal electoral district)

Antigonish was a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1917. It was created in the British North America Act, 1867. The federal riding was dissolved in 1914 into the riding of Antigonish—Guysborough. It consisted of the County of Antigonish.

## Geography

This riding was set by the British North America Act, 1867 to consist of Antigonish County. The boundaries were not changed during the electoral redistributions of 1872, 1882, 1892 or 1903. This riding was dissolved into Antigonish—Guysborough during the 1914 redistribution. The county was legally defined in 1828 (as Sydney County) as: Commencing at a slate rock, on the Eastern side of the falls of the River Ekimsegam, and at a post and pile of stones marked on the west side CH on the Eastern side CS from thence running North twenty five miles and a quarter of a mile to a square post surrounded by a pile of stones marked SC on the east and HC on the west side from thence running south eighty five degrees, east fourteen miles to a square post and pile of stones marked CS on the Eastern side and CH on the western side, thence running north twenty six miles to the shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to a square post surrounded by a pile of stones and marked on the east side CS on the west side CH thence easterly along the shore to the entrance of the Gut of Canso, and by a line drawn through the centre of said Gut southerly to the southern entrance of the same, thence westerly and southerly along the shores of Chedabucto Bay, and easterly along the shore of said bay, and westerly by the southern shore of the province, to Ekimsegum aforenamed comprehending all the Islands in front of the foregoing limits save the Island of Cape Breton, and its appendant Isles.

## Members of Parliament

| Parliament | Years | Member | Party |
| Antigonish |||||
| 1st | 1867–1869 | Hugh McDonald | Anti-Confederation |
| 1st | 1869–1872 | Hugh McDonald | Liberal–Conservative |
| 2nd | 1872–1873 | Hugh McDonald | Liberal–Conservative |
| 2nd | 1873–1873 | Hugh McDonald | Liberal–Conservative |
| 2nd | 1873–1874 | Angus McIsaac | Liberal |
| 3rd | 1874–1878 | Angus McIsaac | Liberal |
| 4th | 1878–1882 | Angus McIsaac | Liberal |
| 5th | 1882–1885 | Angus McIsaac | Liberal |
| 5th | 1885–1887 | John Sparrow David Thompson | Liberal–Conservative |
| 6th | 1887–1891 | John Sparrow David Thompson | Liberal–Conservative |
| 7th | 1891–1894 | John Sparrow David Thompson | Liberal–Conservative |
| 7th | 1895–1896 | Colin Francis McIsaac | Liberal |
| 8th | 1896–1900 | Colin Francis McIsaac | Liberal |
| 9th | 1900–1904 | Colin Francis McIsaac | Liberal |
| 10th | 1904–1905 | Colin Francis McIsaac | Liberal |
| 10th | 1905–1908 | William Chisholm | Liberal |
| 11th | 1908–1911 | William Chisholm | Liberal |
| 12th | 1911–1917 | William Chisholm | Liberal |
| Riding dissolved into Antigonish—Guysborough |||||

## Election results

1911 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | William Chisholm | 1,468 |
| | Conservative | John J. Cameron | 987 |
1908 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | William Chisholm | 1,291 |
| | Conservative | E. Lavin Girroir | 1,271 |
By-election on 22 November 1905
On Mr. McIsaac being appointed Railway Commissioner, 3 July 1905 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | William Chisholm | 1,325 |
| | Conservative | E. Lavin Girroir | 1,090 |
1904 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Colin Francis McIsaac | 1,619 |
| | Conservative | Hugh Cameron | 810 |
1900 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Colin Francis McIsaac | 1,403 |
| | Conservative | E. Lavin Girroir | 1,137 |
1896 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Colin Francis McIsaac | 1,341 |
| | Conservative | J.A. Chisholm | 1,224 |
By-election on 17 April 1895
On Mr. Thompson's death, 12 December 1894 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Colin Francis McIsaac | acclaimed |
1891 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal–Conservative | John Sparrow David Thompson | 1,346 |
| | Unknown | Angus McGillivray | 1,119 |
1887 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal–Conservative | John Sparrow David Thompson | 1,247 |
| | Liberal | Angus McGillivray | 1,207 |
By-election on 16 October 1885
On Mr. McIsaac being appointed County Court Judge for District No. 6, 24 September 1885 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal–Conservative | John Sparrow David Thompson | 1,020 |
| | Independent Conservative | Alexander McIntosh | 792 |
1882 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Angus McIsaac | 1,068 |
| | Unknown | Charles B. Whidden | 735 |
1878 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes |
| Liberal | Angus McIsaac | 833 |
| Unknown | Charles B. Whidden | 702 |
| Unknown | John J. McKinnon | 315 |
1874 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Angus McIsaac | acclaimed |
By-election on 20 December 1873
On Mr. McDonald being appointed Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, 5 November 1873 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal | Angus McIsaac | acclaimed |
By-election on 7 July 1873
On Mr. McDonald being appointed Minister of Militia and Defence, 1 July 1873 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal–Conservative | Hugh McDonald | acclaimed |
1872 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal–Conservative | Hugh McDonald | acclaimed |
vte1867 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Anti-Confederation | Hugh McDonald | 1,238 | 76.04 |
| | Conservative | William A. Henry | 390 | 23.96 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 1,628 | 100.00 |
| This electoral district was created by the British North America Act, 1867 from the colonial Province of Nova Scotia's Antigonish electoral district. William Alexander Henry was one of the incumbents, along with John McKinnon. |||||||
| Source: Library of Parliament |||||||