William Christopher Macdonald

William Christopher Macdonald was a Canadian tobacco manufacturer and philanthropist who was born in 1831 in Prince Edward Island. He moved to Montreal in 1857 and started a tobacco business with his brother. He became the owner of the Macdonald Tobacco Company, which produced popular brands such as Macdonald's Gold Standard and Export. He amassed a large fortune and became one of the richest men in Canada. He was also a generous donor to various educational causes, especially McGill University. He funded the construction of several buildings on the McGill campus, such as the Macdonald Engineering Building, the Macdonald Chemistry Building, and the Macdonald Physics Building. He also established the Macdonald Campus of McGill University in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, which was dedicated to agricultural and environmental education. He supported other institutions, such as the Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Macdonald College of Teachers. He was knighted by King Edward VII in 1905 and served as the chancellor of McGill University from 1914 to 1917. He died of heart failure in 1917 at the age of 86. He was buried in Mount Royal Cemetery in Montreal. He left behind a legacy of innovation and excellence in the tobacco industry and education sector.