Who was George Montagu Dunk, 2nd earl of Halifax?

George Montagu Dunk, 2nd earl of Halifax (1716–1771), was an English statesman for whom the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, is named.1

He served as president of the Board of Trade starting in 1748, where he took an active interest in colonial development and helped found the city of Halifax. Throughout his career, he held several high-ranking government positions, including lord lieutenant of Ireland, first lord of the Admiralty, and secretary of state for both the northern and southern departments. He also served as lord privy seal during the ministry of his nephew, Lord North.1

It is important to distinguish him from George Savile, 1st marquess of Halifax, a separate 17th-century statesman and political writer known as "The Trimmer," who is not the individual for whom the city in Nova Scotia was named.12