Thomas Simpson Sproule
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The Hon. Thomas Simpson Sproule P.C. |
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| 13th Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons | |
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In office November 15, 1911 – December 2, 1915 |
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| Monarch | George V |
| Governor General | Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn |
| Prime Minister | Robert Laird Borden |
| Preceded by | Charles Marcil |
| Succeeded by | Albert Sévigny |
| Senator for Grey, Ontario | |
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In office 1915–1917 |
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| Appointed by | Robert Borden |
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Grey East |
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In office 1878–1915 |
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| Preceded by | William Kingston Flesher |
| Succeeded by | District was abolished in 1914 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
October 25, 1843 King Township, Upper Canada |
| Died | November 10, 1917 (aged 74) Markdale, Ontario |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
Thomas Simpson Sproule (October 25, 1843 – November 10, 1917) was a Canadian parliamentarian, Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons from 1911–1915, and a member of the Canadian Senate from 1915–1917.
Sproule was born to James and Jane (née Mitchell) Sproule, farmers who had emigrated to King Township, Canada West from County of Tyrone, Ireland.
His parents moved to Grey County when he was young, and he attended public schools there before studying at University of Michigan and Victoria University in Cobourg. He left school for two years before returning to Victoria University, graduating in 1868 with a degree in medicine.
After graduation, Sproule first practised medicine at Craighurst, Ontario before moving to Galesburg, Michigan. He moved back to Grey County, settling in Markdale, Ontario, where in addition to his medical practice, he also opened a drug store, bought a large cattle farm, and invested in local businesses such as a flour mill and lumber yard.
He turned to politics and succeeded the retiring William Kingston Flesher as MP of Grey East in the 1878 election as a Conservative MP. He also fell in love with Flesher's daughter, Mary Alice, and wooed her by having a beautiful Italianate house that he called Knarsboro Hall built for her in Markdale. The couple was married in 1881, and had a daughter, Lillian.
T.S. Sproule was also related to the famous NHL Toronto St. Patricks owner Harvey Sproule. T.S. Sproule's niece was Mary Elizabeth Sproule Head, of Milton, Ontario, who along with her husband John Head, cared for her young nephew Harvey Sproule and his sister.
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