In 1848, John A. Macdonald, who was then a lawyer and politician, rented Bellevue House. His wife Isabella was chronically ill and he hoped that fresh air would aid in her recovery. He chose the property because of the ?...complete and quiet seclusion of the house, which is completely surrounded with trees and has a fresh breeze ever blowing on it from Lake Ontario...?. Sadly, it was in this house that Macdonald's first-born son died at just a year old. With financial issues plaguing them and no improvement to Isabella?s health, the Macdonalds left Bellevue House in 1849.
