Archibald Esplen (January 29, 1864
He was born in Port Elgin, Canada West, the son of John Esplen and Sarah McLean, and was educated in Bruce County. Esplen came to Manitoba in 1882, working as a farmhand near Minnedosa. He served in the Minnedosa company during the North-West Rebellion of 1885. Esplen received a military grant near Dauphin, where he operated his own farm. In 1887, he married Mary Carmichael. He was a member of the council for the Rural Municipality of Dauphin, also serving as reeve.
He won elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1922 provincial election, defeating Labour incumbent George Palmer