Article

George Luther Hatheway

Published Online February 14, 2008

Last Edited December 15, 2013

George Luther Hatheway, farmer, lumberman, politician, premier of NB (b at Musquash, NB 4 Aug 1813; d at Fredericton 5 July 1872). Elected in 1850 as Reform MLA for York and defeated in 1857, he was re-elected in 1861 and named chief commissioner of public works by S.L. TILLEY.

Hatheway, George Luther

George Luther Hatheway, farmer, lumberman, politician, premier of NB (b at Musquash, NB 4 Aug 1813; d at Fredericton 5 July 1872). Elected in 1850 as Reform MLA for York and defeated in 1857, he was re-elected in 1861 and named chief commissioner of public works by S.L. TILLEY. Opposed to the Québec Resolutions, Hatheway left Tilley's pro-Confederation government and was elected in 1865 as an anti-confederate. He declined to lead the government, preferring to be commissioner of public works for A.J. SMITH, and retired in 1866. On accepting the reality of Confederation, he was re-elected in 1870 and in 1871 agreed to form a coalition government. As premier and provincial secretary (1871-72), he and G.E. KING passed the Common Schools Act, thereby introducing a free, tax-supported, non-sectarian school system.