Alexander Duncan McRae

General A.D. McRae
Senator Major General A.D. McRae, Photographer: Arthur Roy, Library and Archives Canada
Member of Parliament
In office 1926–1930
Preceded by	Dugald Donaghy
Succeeded by	Albert Edward Munn
Constituency	Vancouver North
Senator
In office 1931–1946
Constituency	Vancouver
Personal details
Born	November 17, 1874 Glencoe, Ontario
Died	June 26, 1946 Ottawa, Ontario
Political party	Conservative Party of Canada
Spouse(s)	Blaunche Lattimer McRae (Howe), Louise Rhodes
Children	Blanche (1903-1945), Lucile (1905-1955), Margaret "Peggy" (1906-1972)
Residence	Vancouver and later Qualicum Beach, British Columbia
Occupation	Businessman

Photographer: Arthur Roy,

Alexander Duncan McRae, C.B., (November 17, 1874, in Glencoe, Ontario – June 26, 1946, Ottawa, Ontario) was a successful businessman, a Major General in the Canadian Army in First World War, a Member of Parliament, a Canadian Senator and a farmer.

Alexander Duncan McRae was born and raised on a farm in Ekfrid Township, Middlesex County, Ontario. His father was Duncan Alexander McRae and his mother was Mary (Mahwhinney) McRae. His cousin and longtime business partner, Andrew Davidson (b. May 18, 1853) came from the same area. The two of them each went on to study at a Business school in Chatham, Ontario.

In search of opportunities, at age 18 he went to work for his cousins, the brothers Alexander and Andrew Davidson of Duluth, Minnesota. The Davidsons had started in Little Falls, Minnesota, working for a railway company and moved into banking. Andrew had become mayor and they were involved in the business of buying, marketing and financing railway land to homesteaders. Minnesota made Andrew an honorary colonel. Their banking business spread through the region. In 1892, at 18 Alexander McRae joined them in Duluth and learned under Andrew.

McRae's first business venture on his own account started when his father put up $1,500 and McRae became a partner with the Davidsons in a company that insured grain elevators. The Davidson-McRae company sold fire and liability insurance and surety bonds. By the 1890s they had invested in various businesses and McRae became vice president of First National Bank of Hibbing. By age 25 he had $50,000 of his own earnings accumulated. He invested in other businesses including a granite quarry.

He married Blaunche Latimer Howe, of Pennsylvania who was the daughter of wealthy a forest industry father. They married in Minneapolis on February 23, 1900. They would eventually have three daughters, Blanche, Lucile, and Margaret ("Peggy").