Series 53 - Samuel Pritchard Matheson correspondence

Assistant Bishop of Rupert's Land; Second Metropolitan of Rupert's Land (third Bishop and second Archbishop of Rupert's Land); Fourth Primate of All Canada.

Samuel Pritchard Matheson was born in Kildonan, Manitoba in 1852, and educated at St. John's College School in Winnipeg. He became a Master at St. John's College School in 1874, and remained there until 1882. He was ordained deacon in 1875, and priest in 1876. He was the Priest in Charge of services in Township of Victoria, Manitoba from 1875 - 1878, as well as Chaplain of the Provincial Penitentiary at Stony Mountain, Manitoba from 1875 to 1880. He married Seraphina Marie Fortin in 1879, and was a founding member of the Manitoba Scientific and Historical Society. He was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba from 1879 - 1880. In 1881, he became the Incumbent of St. Paul's Church in Middlemarch, Manitoba, which he held until 1886. He obtained a B.D. from St. John's College in 1882, where then taught Exegetical Theology until 1906. He was also a Canon of St. John's Cathedral from 1882 to 1902, and Secretary of the Synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land from 1883 to 1902. In 1892, he was made the Dean of Rupert's Land. He found the Havergal Ladies' College in Winnipeg in 1901, and was its first president. He became the Prolocutor of the Lower House of the General Synod of the Church of England in Canada in 1902, as well as as Prolocutor of the Lower House of the Synod of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land from 1902 - 1903. He was Deputy Warden of of St. John's College and Dean of Rupert's Land from 1902 to 1905. He was elected Assistant Bishop of to the Archbishop of Rupert's Land in 1903, then was consecrated Bishop that same year. He was the headmaster of St. John's College School from 1903 to 1905. In 1905, he became the Warden and Chancellor of St. John's College, and was elected to the See of Rupert's Land, thereby becoming the Archbishop and Metropolitan. He was also chairman of the Board of Education of the Province of Manitoba. He married Alice Talbot in 1906, and the couple had seven children. He was appointed honourary Captain and Chaplain of the 90th Regiment Winnipeg Rifles in 1908, as well as Chancellor of the University of Manitoba that same year. In 1909, he became the Primate of All Canada, a post he held until 1931. He passed away in 1942.

He was granted several honourary degrees, including a D.D. (1903) from St. John's College; a D.C.L. (1908) from Cambridge; a D.C.L. (1908) from Durham; a D.D. (1910) from the University of King's College, Windsor, Nova Scotia; a D.D. (1914) from the University of Trinity College; a D.D. (1917) from the Wycliffe College); and an LL.D. (1927) from the University of Manitoba.