John McGregor (Upper Canada politician)
Encyclopedia
John McGregor was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Scotland
around 1751 and came to Detroit in 1784. When the British
withdrew from that area, he moved to Sandwich (Windsor
). He became a merchant there in partnership with his cousin. He had a boat built to transport grain and took over a gristmill
from Thomas Clark
in 1810 when Clark defaulted on a loan. In 1800, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Western District
. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
for Kent
in 1804 and reflected in 1808 and 1812. He served as road commissioner for the Western District. During the War of 1812
, he served with the local militia, becoming lieutenant. Some of his supplies were stolen by American
troops; he agreed to sell them grain while they occupied Sandwich since, otherwise, they would have taken it anyway. He apparently received nothing more than a promissory note. The British Army
also used wood from his houses for firewood. Two of his mills were burned to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Americans. McGregor later lost an arm during the war. In 1815, he was accused of collaborating with the enemy, because of his sale of supplies to them.
He received compensation for some of his losses and was able to reestablish his business. He died in Amherstburg
in 1828.
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 born in 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...
around 1751 and came to Detroit in 1784. When the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
withdrew from that area, he moved to Sandwich (Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
). He became a merchant there in partnership with his cousin. He had a boat built to transport grain and took over a gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
from Thomas Clark
Thomas Clark (Upper Canada)
Thomas Clark was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Scotland and came to Upper Canada in 1791 to seek employment with his cousin, Robert Hamilton. In 1796, he opened a store in Queenston. He then formed a partnership with Samuel Street to transport goods around...
in 1810 when Clark defaulted on a loan. In 1800, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Western District
Western District, Upper Canada
Western District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District and partitioned in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada. Known as Hesse District until 1792, it was abolished in 1849...
. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
for Kent
Kent County, Ontario
Kent County, area 2,458 sq km is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. Population in 2006 was 108,589.The county was created in 1792 and named by John Graves Simcoe in honour of the English County. The county is in an alluvial plain between Lake St...
in 1804 and reflected in 1808 and 1812. He served as road commissioner for the Western District. During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, he served with the local militia, becoming lieutenant. Some of his supplies were stolen by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
troops; he agreed to sell them grain while they occupied Sandwich since, otherwise, they would have taken it anyway. He apparently received nothing more than a promissory note. The British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
also used wood from his houses for firewood. Two of his mills were burned to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Americans. McGregor later lost an arm during the war. In 1815, he was accused of collaborating with the enemy, because of his sale of supplies to them.
He received compensation for some of his losses and was able to reestablish his business. He died in Amherstburg
Amherstburg, Ontario
Amherstburg is a Canadian town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario. It is approximately south of the U.S...
in 1828.