Profile Text
Harper in 2011, photo by PrPhotos
Birth Name: Stephen Joseph Harper
Place of Birth: Leaside, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Date of Birth: April 30, 1959
Ethnicity: English, Scottish, distant Welsh
Stephen Harper is a Canadian politician. He served as the twenty second Prime Minister of Canada , from February 6, 2006 to November 4, 2015. He has also been Chairman of the International Democracy Union, since February 21, 2018; as well as, Leader of the Canadian Alliance party, from March 20, 2002 to December 7, 2003, Leader of the Conservative Party, from March 20, 2004 to October 19, 2015, and Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian Parliament, from May 21, 2002 to January 8, 2004, and again, from March 20, 2004 to February 6, 2006. He was a Member of Parliament for Calgary West (AB), from October 25, 1993 to January 14, 1997, and for Calgary Southwest/Calgary Heritage (AB), from May 13, 2002 to August 26, 2016.
Prime Minister Harper is the son of Margaret Frances and Joseph Harris Harper, an accountant at Imperial Oil. His father was born in Moncton, Westmoreland, New Brunswick. He is married to Laureen (Teskey) Harper, with whom he has two children.
Prime Minister Harper has English and Scottish ancestry. Many of his father’s ancestral lines came from the United States to Canada in the mid to late 1700s, and date back to New England in the 1600s. His mother’s ancestry is more heavily Scottish than his father’s, and Prime Minister Harper’s matrilineal line traces back to Scotland.
Prime Minister Harper and Prime Minister Kim Campbell are the only Protestants to have served as Prime Minister of Canada since Lester B. Pearson in 1968 (all other Canadian Prime Ministers since have been Catholic).
Prime Minister Harper’s paternal grandfather was Harris Chapman Harper (the son of Joseph Crandall Harper and Agatha Blanche Chapman). Harris was born in Port Elgin, Westmoreland, New Brunswick. Joseph was born in Baie Verte, Westmoreland, the son of Joseph Crandall Harper and Susan Crane. Agatha was born in Point de Bute, Westmoreland, the daughter of Harris Tingley Chapman and Eliza Raworth.
Prime Minister Harper’s paternal grandmother was Lena Faye Coy (the daughter of George William Coy, Jr. and Josephine Rebecca Jones). Lena was born in Upper Gagetown, Queens, New Brunswick. George was born in Upper Gagetown, the son of George W. Coy and Mary Jane Estabrook. Josephine was born in New Brunswick, the daughter of Malcom Jones and Celia Jane Stiles.
Prime Minister Harper’s maternal grandfather was Rupert Fullerton Johnston (the son of Robert Johnston and Margaret/Maggie Henderson). Rupert was born in Grenville County, Ontario. Robert was born in Bentinck, Grey, Ontario, the son of Hinman Edmond Johnston, who was born in Lincolnshire, England; and of Ellen Fullerton, who was born in Campbellton, Argyleshire, Scotland. Priem Minister Harper’s great-grandmother Margaret was born in Normanby, Grey, the daughter of Scottish parents, George Henderson, who was born in Dumfrieshire; and Grace Milligan.
Prime Minister Harper’s maternal grandmother was Catharine Jane Herd (the daughter of Alexander Herd and Margaret/Maggie M. Geddes). Catharine was born in Bentinck, Grey, Ontario. Alexander was born in Bentinck, the son of English parents, William Herd and Sarah Edmunds. Margaret was born in Normanby, Grey, the daughter of Scottish parents, Thomas Geddes and Catherine Derby.
Sources: Genealogy of Stephen Harper – https://famouskin.com
Genealogy of Stephen Harper (focusing on his father’s side) – http://www.geni.com
Notes on Stephen’s genealogy (focusing on his father’s side) – http://heritage.tantramar.com
Notes on Stephen’s genealogy (focusing on his mother’s side) – http://boards.ancestry.ca