Isaac Buchanan
Encyclopedia
Isaac Buchanan was a businessman and political figure in Canada West. He was also an international merchant, first president of the Hamilton Club, founder of Hamilton and Toronto boards of trade
- forerunners to modern chambers of commerce - and founder of the regiment that later became the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
He was born in Glasgow
, Scotland
in 1810 and became an apprentice to a firm of Glasgow merchants in 1825. He became a junior partner in a new Montreal
wholesale business opened by the firm; Buchanan moved to York (Toronto
) to be closer to clients in Upper Canada
. In 1834, with his brother Peter, he bought the business in York and set up an office in Glasgow. He served in the local militia during the Upper Canada Rebellion
. In 1840, he set up a new company in Hamilton
; a Montreal branch was also established. In 1841, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly
for the city of Toronto; he resigned his seat in 1843. In 1844, the Toronto branch of his business was closed and the operation in Hamilton was expanded. He helped establish the Free Church of Scotland
in Canada West. In 1844, he moved to Hamilton, where he helped set up the Board of Trade, becoming its first president. In 1848, upset by the repeal of the Corn Laws
in Britain, he left the business and moved back to Scotland, where he campaigned against free trade in Britain. In 1851, he rejoined the business and returned to Hamilton. He was a director in the Great Western Railway
and he attempted to promote its development over those of the competing Grand Trunk Railway
. In 1857, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for Hamilton. While in office, he attempted to promote his railway interests but also negotiated refinancing of the city of Hamilton's debts after it borrowed heavily to finance infrastructure improvements. Buchanan also served as lieutenant-colonel in the local militia. He supported protectionist trade policies and opposed representation by population. His political interests distracted him from his business interests and, although he resigned his seat in 1865, the business failed in 1867. He sold his estate in Hamilton. Buchanan received a government appointment in 1879 which sustained him through his later years. He died in Hamilton in 1883.
", Clairmont Park, Hamilton. In 1862, when Mr. Buchanan was appointed the first commanding officer of the 13th Militia Regiment, Mrs. Buchanan presented to it a stand of colours. Mr. Buchanan died at Hamilton, October, 1883, aged 73. Mrs. Buchanan died in Hamilton, May 7, 1896, aged 71.
One of the couple`s sons, James Isaac Buchanan, Esquire, worked as a banker in Pittsburg, Pa.
mountain was named after him. It is bounded by Fennell Avenue West
(north), Mohawk Road West
(south), Garth Street
(west), and West 5th Street
(east). Landmarks in this neighbourhood include Mohawk College
, Hillfield-Strathallan College, Mohawk Trail School Museum and Buchanan Park, which was also named after him.
His original estate, the Claremont Lodge and Auchmar Estate, a house and gate lodge in the Carpenter Gothic
Cottage style of architecture were built for the Honourable Isaac Buchanan in 1855. The buildings still stand at the corner of Fennell Avenue West
and West 5th Street
and are currently a Hamilton Heritage site.
In Markham
, York Region
, a local street named as Buchanan Drive is named after him.
Toronto Board of Trade
The Toronto Board of Trade is Toronto's chamber of commerce, the largest local chamber of commerce in Canada, representing more than 10,000 business and individual members with about 500,000 employees across Canada and annual revenues of more than $200 billion .It is a non-profit organization with...
- forerunners to modern chambers of commerce - and founder of the regiment that later became the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
He was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1810 and became an apprentice to a firm of Glasgow merchants in 1825. He became a junior partner in a new 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...
wholesale business opened by the firm; Buchanan moved to York (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...
) to be closer to clients 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...
. In 1834, with his brother Peter, he bought the business in York and set up an office in Glasgow. He served in the local militia during the Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
. In 1840, he set up a new company in Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
; a Montreal branch was also established. In 1841, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly
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...
for the city of Toronto; he resigned his seat in 1843. In 1844, the Toronto branch of his business was closed and the operation in Hamilton was expanded. He helped establish the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
in Canada West. In 1844, he moved to Hamilton, where he helped set up the Board of Trade, becoming its first president. In 1848, upset by the repeal of the Corn Laws
Corn Laws
The Corn Laws were trade barriers designed to protect cereal producers in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland against competition from less expensive foreign imports between 1815 and 1846. The barriers were introduced by the Importation Act 1815 and repealed by the Importation Act 1846...
in Britain, he left the business and moved back to Scotland, where he campaigned against free trade in Britain. In 1851, he rejoined the business and returned to Hamilton. He was a director in the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway (Ontario)
The Great Western Railway was a historic Canadian railway that operated in Canada West and later the province of Ontario, following Confederation...
and he attempted to promote its development over those of the competing Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
. In 1857, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for Hamilton. While in office, he attempted to promote his railway interests but also negotiated refinancing of the city of Hamilton's debts after it borrowed heavily to finance infrastructure improvements. Buchanan also served as lieutenant-colonel in the local militia. He supported protectionist trade policies and opposed representation by population. His political interests distracted him from his business interests and, although he resigned his seat in 1865, the business failed in 1867. He sold his estate in Hamilton. Buchanan received a government appointment in 1879 which sustained him through his later years. He died in Hamilton in 1883.
Family
Isaac Buchanan married Agnes Jarvie, daughter of Robert Jarvie, on January 27, 1843. The couple had eleven children. The couple entertained at the family home, "AuchmarAuchmar (Hamilton, Ontario)
Auchmar is an historic site and one-time Estate of Isaac Buchanan, who founded both the Hamilton and the Toronto Board of Trade.Auchmar House is the centrepiece of Clairmont Park, the estate of the Honourable Isaac Buchanan , one of Hamilton's most influential citizens. It was built between 1852...
", Clairmont Park, Hamilton. In 1862, when Mr. Buchanan was appointed the first commanding officer of the 13th Militia Regiment, Mrs. Buchanan presented to it a stand of colours. Mr. Buchanan died at Hamilton, October, 1883, aged 73. Mrs. Buchanan died in Hamilton, May 7, 1896, aged 71.
One of the couple`s sons, James Isaac Buchanan, Esquire, worked as a banker in Pittsburg, Pa.
Tribute
The Buchanan neighbourhood on the Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
mountain was named after him. It is bounded by Fennell Avenue West
Fennell Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario)
Fennell Avenue, is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts of just West Garth Street on the West mountain and is a two-way street throughout that extends eastward and ends at Mountain Brow Boulevard, a road that wraps around the edge of the Niagara Escarpment on...
(north), Mohawk Road West
Mohawk Road (Hamilton, Ontario)
Mohawk Road, is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It is a two-way street throughout that starts just West of Highway 403 & Meadowlands and travels eastward linking up with the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway. Mohawk Road east of Highway 403 resumes again in front of Iroquoia...
(south), Garth Street
Garth Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Garth Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Beckett Drive, a mountain-access road in the north, and extends southward where it ends at Twenty Road just east of the Glancaster Golf and Country Club...
(west), and West 5th Street
West 5th Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
West 5th Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off in the north at James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road, and extends southward past Rymal Road where it ends just south of Christopher Drive...
(east). Landmarks in this neighbourhood include Mohawk College
Mohawk College
Mohawk College is a public College of Applied Arts and Technology located in the Golden Horseshoe of Ontario, Canada. Mohawk has three main campuses: the Fennell Campus located in Hamilton, the Brantford Campus located in Brantford and the STARRT Institute located in Stoney Creek, as well as the...
, Hillfield-Strathallan College, Mohawk Trail School Museum and Buchanan Park, which was also named after him.
His original estate, the Claremont Lodge and Auchmar Estate, a house and gate lodge in the Carpenter Gothic
Carpenter Gothic
Carpenter Gothic, also sometimes called Carpenter's Gothic, and Rural Gothic, is a North American architectural style-designation for an application of Gothic Revival architectural detailing and picturesque massing applied to wooden structures built by house-carpenters...
Cottage style of architecture were built for the Honourable Isaac Buchanan in 1855. The buildings still stand at the corner of Fennell Avenue West
Fennell Avenue (Hamilton, Ontario)
Fennell Avenue, is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts of just West Garth Street on the West mountain and is a two-way street throughout that extends eastward and ends at Mountain Brow Boulevard, a road that wraps around the edge of the Niagara Escarpment on...
and West 5th Street
West 5th Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
West 5th Street is an Upper City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off in the north at James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road, and extends southward past Rymal Road where it ends just south of Christopher Drive...
and are currently a Hamilton Heritage site.
In Markham
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...
, York Region
Regional Municipality of York, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of York, also called York Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Simcoe and Toronto. It replaced the former York County in 1971, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area and the inner ring of the Golden Horseshoe...
, a local street named as Buchanan Drive is named after him.