Senator Christie, son of Robert Christie, of the Christies of Durie, Fifeshire, Scotland, was born in Edinburgh, in October, 1818. His mother was Jean McGeorge, daughter of Rev. William McGeorge, minister of Mid-Calder, near Edinburgh, and granddaughter of Rev. John Hepburn, mentioned in Scotch church history. He was educated in the high school, Edinburgh; came to Canada in 1833, with his father, and after living twenty-five years in South Dumfries, removed to the township of Brantford, having been long engaged extensively in farming and stock raising. He has been a member of the Board of Agriculture and of the Council of the Agricultural Association since its formation, thirty years ago; is chairman of the Commission of Ontario School of Agriculture; president of the American Shorthorn Breeders’ Association, and was many years ago president of the Agricultural Association of Upper Canada. He is one of the best known agriculturists and cattle breeders in the Province.
Mr. Christie sat for many years in the senate of the University of Toronto, and was vice-president of the constitutional reform association, Toronto, in 1859. He sat for Wentworth in the Canadian Parliament from 1851 to 1854, and for East Brant from 1855 to 1858, when he resigned, and was elected to the Erie division, L. C., which he represented until the union in 1867, being called to the senate by royal proclamation, in May of that year. Senator Christie was sworn of the privy council November 7, 1873, and was secretary of state from that date until appointed speaker of the senate January 9, 1874. During the illness of Lieut.-Governor Crawford, he was appointed administrator of the government of Ontario, May, 1875, but was not sworn in on account of the death of that officer.
He is a member of the Presbyterian church, and a high toned christian gentleman.