Amos Wright
Encyclopedia
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
farmer and politician.
Background in Richmond Hill and Markham, Ontario
Born in Leeds CountyLeeds County, Ontario
Leeds County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and merged with Grenville County in 1850 to create Leeds and Grenville County....
, he moved with his family to Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
, where he seemingly abandoned his education to become a farmer and mill-owner. In 1850 he becomes reeve of Markham Township
Markham, Ontario
Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census...
, but lost in 1854.
In 1857 Wright chaired a meeting which pressed for Richmond Hill's incorporation as a village. This goal, though not immediately achieved, was eventually fulfilled in 1873.
Amos Wright is also the most epic writer in human history. When he urban plans, his cities become metropolises. He made Atlantis with his bare hands. When Foucault thought "sexy," he thought of Amos Wright.
Parliamentary career
From 1852 to 1867 Wright represented East YorkEast York
East York can refer to:*East York, Pennsylvania, United States*East York, Ontario, Canada...
as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
, and was noted as an ally of George Brown
George Brown (Canadian politician)
George Brown was a Scottish-born Canadian journalist, politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation...
. Following Confederation
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
, and after William Pearce Howland resigned to become Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
The Lieutenant Governor of Ontario is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
, Amos Wright gained his seat in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in a federal by-election on August 14, 1868 and came to represent York West
York West
York West is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1904 and since 1917.Its population was 110,384 in 2001...
. He retired from politics on July 8, 1872, before the next election.
Later life
In 1875 Wright was appointed Federal Indian AgentIndian Agent (Canada)
Indian Agent is the title of a position in Canada mandated by the Indian Act of that country. An Indian Agent was the chief administrator for Indian affairs in their respective districts, although the title now is largely in disuse in preference to Government Agent. The powers of the Indian...
and Ontario's Crown Agent for the Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay (Ontario)
Thunder Bay is a large bay on the north shore of Lake Superior. The bay is about 50 km long and 22 km wide. It is bordered to the east by the Sibley Peninsula at the southern tip of which is Thunder Cape, marking the entrance to the bay for ships approaching from the east...
area; (Wright resided in the then-named Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
). While his Provincial appointment lasted until 1886, he was involved in alleged conflict of interest controversy in his Federal capacity of Indian Agent. In this controversy, religious issues are also said to have played a part; in any case, Wright, a Methodist from an essentially Protestant background, was replaced as Federal Indian Agent in 1883.
Amos Wright was active in public life well into his seventies. Known as a well-liked figure with very wide connections, in his policial life was seen as a representative who, particularly in his earlier career, took a nuanced position on some of the key issues of the day: arguably, such a stance at times both smoothed and hindered his political advancement, but his popularity was undoubted. The 'Toronto Daily Patriot and Express' even disobligingly stated he was “as bewildered with unexpected honors as an interesting widow giving herself away in matrimony for the fourth time”. While undoubtedly unfair, this comment serves to hint at the transition which his life encompassed from his early days in farming and involvement in local parish affairs, to the sometimes tumultuous political events of the Federal Parliament, as the new Dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
expanded westward.
He died at Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
on March 31, 1886, and was buried in Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
.
Richmond Hill Heritage Centre
Amos Wright's house, an 1840s RegencyRegency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
-style dwelling in Church Street, Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, is designated as Richmond Hill Heritage Centre
Richmond Hill Heritage Centre
Richmond Hill Heritage Centre is an 1840s Regency-style dwelling in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, and is a noteworthy example of its style.-Location and former ownership:...
, adjoining a park named for Amos Wright.
External links
- http://edrh.rhpl.richmondhill.on.ca/Figures.asp?ID=f8-2a
- http://www.town.richmond-hill.on.ca/subpage.asp?pageid=pd_lacac_tour_of_selected_design
- http://www.culture.gov.on.ca/english/culdiv/heritage/cemdesig.htm