SIVEWRIGHT, JOHN JR (1843-1898)

SIVEWRIGHT, JOHN JR, principal of Harkins Academy, 1870-73; b. Newcastle, 23 Sep 1843, s/o John H. Sivewright and Elizabeth Murray; unmarried; d. Bathurst, N.B., 28 Jan 1898.

John Sivewright Jr studied under his father at the Gloucester County Grammar School and followed him into the field of teaching. In 1870 he succeeded John Harper as principal of Harkins Academy. In the 1871-72 school year his staff consisted of himself, Cecilia Alexander, and John Flanagan.

Sivewright, who was remembered by one of his former students as "a little red-headed Scotchman," was interested in sports and was himself a championship runner. He was a competent school administrator but was not especially attracted to classroom work. In the winter of 1873 he relinquished his position at Harkins to Crawford M. Hutchison and left the profession. He returned to Bathurst, where he became the secretary-treasurer of Gloucester County and secretary of the Bathurst Board of School Trustees. In 1882 he was appointed agent, or manager, for the Merchants Bank of Halifax at Bathurst. He was also the Swedish and Norwegian vice-consul there for many years.

Sivewright made an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the House of Assembly in 1878. He did not reoffer until 1892, at which time he was elected. He was successful again in the election of 1895 and was a sitting member at the time of his early death. He was plagued by financial problems in the 1890s but remained a favorite of his constituents. He was described in the Acadian press as "un politicien habile et éclairé, un député aimé et respecté de tout le monde et un orateur d'une force peu commune."