George Okill Stuart (clergyman)
Encyclopedia
George Okill Stuart was an Anglican
clergyman and educator who was born into a loyalist
family which came to Canada
in 1781. He was born at Fort Hunter near Amsterdam, New York
, the son of the Reverend John Stuart and Jane Okill. The family first settled in Montreal
but moved to Kingston
in 1785.
Stuart studied at his father's schools in Montreal and Kingston. He went on to study at Union College
in Schenectady, New York
and at King's College
in Windsor, Nova Scotia
. Stuart opened a school in Kingston in 1795. His formal education was completed at Harvard College
, which granted him an AB
in 1801. By that time, he had been ordained a deacon of the Anglican Church of Canada
. Stuart was sent to York (later Toronto
). He opened a school there which became the Home District Grammar School
and served as its first schoolmaster. He married Lucy, the daughter of John Brooks
, later governor of Massachusetts
, in 1803 and, in 1812, succeeded his father at Kingston. Stuart was also designated as the bishop's official in Upper Canada
. He was named archdeacon of York in 1821 and archdeacon of Kingston in 1827. Stuart was named to the council for Trinity College
in 1851 and became the first dean for the district of Ontario in 1862.
The street that divides the campus of Queen's University from the Kingston General Hospital compound was named in his honour, as were a cluster of four other small streets near the hospital. The former is Stuart and the others are Arch, Deacon, George and Okill.
He died at Kingston, Canada West in 1862.
His brothers Andrew
and James both settled in Lower Canada, where they practiced law and were active in politics.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman and educator who was born into a loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
family which came to Canada
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...
in 1781. He was born at Fort Hunter near Amsterdam, New York
Amsterdam (town), New York
Amsterdam is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 5,566 at the 2010 census. The town is named after Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.The town is adjacent to and borders the city of Amsterdam on three sides...
, the son of the Reverend John Stuart and Jane Okill. The family first settled in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
but moved to Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
in 1785.
Stuart studied at his father's schools in Montreal and Kingston. He went on to study at Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
and at King's College
University of King's College
The University of King's College is a post-secondary institution in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. King's is a small liberal arts university offering mainly undergraduate programs....
in Windsor, Nova Scotia
Windsor, Nova Scotia
Windsor is a town located in Hants County, Mainland Nova Scotia at the junction of the Avon and St. Croix Rivers. It is the largest community in western Hants County with a 2001 population of 3,779 and was at one time the shire town of the county. The region encompassing present day Windsor was...
. Stuart opened a school in Kingston in 1795. His formal education was completed at Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
, which granted him an AB
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1801. By that time, he had been ordained a deacon of the Anglican Church of Canada
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
. Stuart was sent to York (later Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
). He opened a school there which became the Home District Grammar School
Jarvis Collegiate Institute
Jarvis Collegiate Institute is a high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Jarvis is located on Jarvis Street. Founded in 1807 it is the second oldest high school in Ontario after the Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, and the oldest high school in Toronto.-History:Jarvis Collegiate was...
and served as its first schoolmaster. He married Lucy, the daughter of John Brooks
John Brooks
John Brooks was the 11th Governor of Massachusetts from 1816 to 1823; he was the last significant Federalist elected official in office in the United States....
, later governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
, in 1803 and, in 1812, succeeded his father at Kingston. Stuart was also designated as the bishop's official in Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
. He was named archdeacon of York in 1821 and archdeacon of Kingston in 1827. Stuart was named to the council for Trinity College
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
in 1851 and became the first dean for the district of Ontario in 1862.
The street that divides the campus of Queen's University from the Kingston General Hospital compound was named in his honour, as were a cluster of four other small streets near the hospital. The former is Stuart and the others are Arch, Deacon, George and Okill.
He died at Kingston, Canada West in 1862.
His brothers Andrew
Andrew Stuart (Canadian politician)
Andrew Stuart was a lawyer and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born at Cataraqui in 1785, the son of Anglican priest John Stuart, a United Empire Loyalist, and studied with the Reverend John Strachan and then at Union College in New York...
and James both settled in Lower Canada, where they practiced law and were active in politics.