STRACHAN, John, Canadian bishop: b. Aberdeen, Scotland, 12 April 1778; d. To ronto, Canada, 1 Nov. was edu cated at grammar school, then (1793) at King's College, Aberdeen. While continuing his stud ies at the college he taught at schools, till he was graduated in 1797. In 1799 he went to Canada to take charge of a new college pro jected by Governor Simcoe at York (near To ronto). The project failing, he took to teach ing at a private school at Kingston which he established. He abjured his adherence to the free church and joined the Church of England and was ordained minister in 1803, becoming curate at Cornwall. In 1807 he was made LL.D. of Saint Andrew's and (1811) D.D. of Aberdeen. He was made (1812) rector of York (Toronto) and chaplain to the troops as well as master of the grammar school and promoted (1825) to archdeacon. In 1839 he was made first bishop of Toronto. He made great success during his visitations which were an annual episode. He had more than
doubled the number of churches in five years, also establishing common schools throughout the province and a statute was passed estab lishing 20 grammar schools affording classi cal education. He obtained 500,000 acres (1827) to endow a university at Toronto, and, after difficulties, succeeded in its foundation. In 1850 it was taken from the Anglican Church and made non-sectarian. Strachan made ve hement appeals to the laity and, assisted by a royal charter, formed another university un der the name Trinity College. He was Canada's greatest advocate of the Church of England, for which sect he gave business energy, diplo matic talent and a devoted zeal. Consult Bethune, 'Memoir of Bishop Strachan' (To ronto 1870) • Mockridge, C. H., (The Bishops of the Church of England in Canada and New foundland> (Toronto 1896).