One thing that is very noticeable when looking at a list of Canadian prime ministers is the high number of then named "John". Seriously, it would almost seem as if Canadians will be more willing to vote for you because you're name is John.

That's not the case with John Abbott, as he never ran in an election. He became prime minister after JAM died in office in 1891. He was in office for one year and five months, which is not much time to move political mountains. However, Abbott was interesting as he was the first PM to step into shoes he never really wanted - but he wouldn't be the last.

Ah, I'm getting ahead of myself. First the basics.

John Joseph Caldwell Abbott (I haven't thought of a good nickname for him yet...) was born in Canada - he was the first PM to be born in the nation he once governed. He was born in Saint Andre, in Lower Canada, which is just outside of Montreal. He had a well-to-do upbringing, which enabled him for the professional success he would reap over his long career.

Unlike some of the other PMs, Abbott also had a long and successful marriage - of the three PMs so far, he is the only one wasn't a young widower. He married Mary Bethune, who was from a well-to-do family herself. Her father John (another John) was the acting principal of McGill University. John and Mary had eight children, and are the maternal great-grandparents of Canadian actor Christopher Plummer (who my mother also claims to be related to).

By the age of 34, Abbott was dean of the law department at McGill University (c'mon - I mean I'm 32 and still plant trees for a living...) Wilfred Laurier, future PM and face on the $5 bill was actually one of his students. And Abbott was a very successful lawyer in that time - some reports cite him as the most successful lawyer in Canada and the highest paid in his field! He represented big banks and business in Montreal and... giant railway conglomerates. He was Hugh Allan's lawyer during the Pacific Scandal, when Allan bribed JAM with $350,000 for control of the cross-country railroad. Abbott was the person that received JAM's telegram, asking for another $10,000 and incriminating him in the entire incident. This guy was everywhere.

Abbott hung around politics enough that when John A. died suddenly from a stroke, the Conservative Party asked him to take over (this was after another guy, John Thompson, declined the role). As Pierre Berton said in one of his detailed books: "In 1891, he would enjoy a brief and not too glorious moment as the first native-born prime minister of Canada, in spite of his late leaders declared belief that he had not a single qualification for the office." Apparently John A said of Abbott that he has "A sweet smile, all form the teeth outward..." I think that means John A. though Abbott was ugly, but I can't confirm that.

Abbott, arguably, is the most interesting PM I've covered yet - the one I would most like to take for coffee and ask questions to anyways. He was the choir director of the Christ Church Cathedral, and apparently had a voice that could rival the angels. He represented every big player in Canada at that time, from the Hudson's Bay Company to the Bank of Montreal. He just seems interesting - and yet I can't really think of a topic to go into detail for the next blog. Maybe I'll re-examine that "from the teeth outward" comment....