28 Facts About William Eakin

William Eakin was a farmer and political figure in the Northwest Territories, Canada.

William Eakin was a member and speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.

William Eakin was born at Markham Township in 1828, the son of a wagon maker and merchant.

William Eakin's term involved negotiations with the Government of Canada for provincial status for the Northwest Territories.

William Eakin was born June 14,1828 in Markham Township, York County, Upper Canada, the eldest of six children to Samuel Baxter William Eakin, wagon maker, farmer and merchant and Elizabeth Pingle, of Irish and Danish descent.

William Eakin's brother, George served as postmaster of Unionville, Markham Township from 1864 to 1875, and was a secretary-treasurer of the town council.

William Eakin attended school in his hometown; the schools being operated by the fathers of families in the community.

William Eakin spent his teenage years learning the trade of wagon making, in which his father was employed.

William Eakin later was sent to Toronto as an apprentice, and learned how to make cabinets and carriages.

William Eakin served in the military, receiving his commission as ensign with the Unionville Company of the 12th York Battalion of Infantry in 1866 and retiring from the military in 1872.

William Eakin bought a sawmill in 1854 that was later converted into a carriage manufacturing shop.

In 1873, along with his brother, George, William Eakin built a planing mill near a new Canadian Pacific Railway line, where they manufactured doors, sashes, wagons, carriages, agricultural implants, cabinets, furniture, and coffins.

William Eakin served as a councillor on the Markham Township Council on three separate occasions: 1867,1871 and 1872, and later served as the reeve of the council in 1873 and from 1879 to February 1883, when he resigned.

William Eakin served on the public works commission of that same county.

William Eakin relocated to the North-West Territories in 1883; he set up homestead at Crescent Lake, near Saltcoats, Saskatchewan and worked for the Saskatchewan Land and Homestead Company.

William Eakin was one of the first European settlers in the area.

William Eakin later used the carpentry skills learned in his younger years to assist in building a school building as supplies became available the next year.

William Eakin later ran in 1894 for the new district of Saltcoats and won election to the legislative assembly of the Northwest Territories, as a Liberal.

Toward this issue, William Eakin was of the belief that the talks were premature, stating the belief that the citizens were content with the current situation and did not see any advantage to provincial status.

William Eakin was a proponent of the education system, giving his support in using government funds for the school systems within the territory.

On one occasion was William Eakin required to use his casting vote as speaker, to break a deadlock on an 1899 bill regarding land titles and offices.

William Eakin continued as speaker until April 26,1902, when the assembly was dissolved.

William Eakin continued farming until 1911, moving to Saltcoats some time after.

William Eakin died at this home in Saltcoats on March 14,1918, one week after celebrating his 65th wedding anniversary with his wife.

William Eakin's wife died later in the year, on September 9,1918.

In 1853, William Eakin married Margaret Hunter, daughter of Alexander and Lucy Hunter of Markham Township.

In Markham Township, William Eakin was a member and president of the Markham and East York Agricultural Society.

William Eakin was one of the first members of the Saltcoats Presbyterian Church when it was founded in 1890.