William Alexander Thomson
Encyclopedia
William Alexander Thomson (November 1, 1816 – October 1, 1878) was a Canadian
author, railway promoter and political figure. He represented Welland
in the Canadian House of Commons
from 1872 to 1878 as a Liberal
member.
He was born in Wigtownshire
, Scotland
and educated there. He immigrated to New York
state before moving to Queenston
, Upper Canada
in 1834. He helped establish the Erie and Niagara Railway, later serving as its president. Thomson was an unsuccessful candidate for the Niagara federal seat, losing to Angus Morrison
. He was elected in Welland in an 1872 by-election held after the death of Thomas Clark Street
; he did not run in 1878 because of poor health and died later that year near Queenston.
Thomson published an economic treatise, An essay on production, money, and government; in which the principle of a natural law is advanced and explained, whereby credit, debt, taxation, tariffs, and interest on money will be abolished; and national debt and the current expenses of government will be paid in gold, in 1863.
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...
author, railway promoter and political figure. He represented Welland
Welland (electoral district)
Welland is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1988, and since 2004. Its population in 2006 was 112,875....
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...
from 1872 to 1878 as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
member.
He was born in Wigtownshire
Wigtownshire
Wigtownshire or the County of Wigtown is a registration county in the Southern Uplands of south west Scotland. Until 1975, the county was one of the administrative counties used for local government purposes, and is now administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway...
, 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...
and educated there. He immigrated to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state before moving to Queenston
Queenston, Ontario
Queenston is located 5 km north of Niagara Falls, Ontario in the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The community is bordered by Highway 405 and the Niagara River; its location on the Niagara Escarpment led to the establishment of the now-defunct Queenston Quarry in the area...
, 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. He helped establish the Erie and Niagara Railway, later serving as its president. Thomson was an unsuccessful candidate for the Niagara federal seat, losing to Angus Morrison
Angus Morrison
Angus Morrison, QC was an Ontario lawyer and political figure. He represented Niagara in the Canadian House of Commons as a Conservative member from 1867 to 1874...
. He was elected in Welland in an 1872 by-election held after the death of Thomas Clark Street
Thomas Clark Street
Thomas Clark Street was an Ontario lawyer, businessman and political figure. He was a Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons who represented Welland from 1867 to 1872....
; he did not run in 1878 because of poor health and died later that year near Queenston.
Thomson published an economic treatise, An essay on production, money, and government; in which the principle of a natural law is advanced and explained, whereby credit, debt, taxation, tariffs, and interest on money will be abolished; and national debt and the current expenses of government will be paid in gold, in 1863.