William Stewart (Canada West politician)
Encyclopedia
William Stewart was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada
and Canada West.
He was born in Carbost on the Isle of Skye, Scotland
in 1803 and came to Glengarry County
in Upper Canada with his family in 1816. He moved to Bytown
, later Ottawa
, in 1827, where he opened a store and tavern. He was elected to the first town council in 1828. He helped found the Carleton General Protestant Hospital, later the Ottawa Civic Hospital.
During the 1830s, he was part of the timber trade on the Ottawa River
and was a founding member of the Ottawa Lumber Association. He sold land in the Sandy Hill
area of the town on behalf of Louis-Théodore Besserer
. Stewart also operated a large farm along the Rideau River
.
In 1841, he ran against Stewart Derbishire
, the candidate sponsored by Governor Lord Sydenham
, to represent Bytown in the Legislative Assembly
. Sydenham had persuaded all other candidates to withdraw. In 1843, he was elected to represent Russell
in a by-election
and he represented Bytown in the 2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada
from 1844 to 1847.
He proposed a canal
linking the Ottawa River to Georgian Bay
and drafted the bill incorporating Bytown. He was a member of the Bytown board of trade and a director for the Bank of British North America
. He was a founding member of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
in Ottawa.
He became ill and died in Toronto
in 1856 while representing the city of Ottawa there.
His son, McLeod Stewart
, was mayor of Ottawa from 1887 to 1888. His brother Neil
also served in the assembly for the Province of 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...
and Canada West.
He was born in Carbost on the Isle of Skye, 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 1803 and came to Glengarry County
Glengarry County, Ontario
thumb|right|Glengarry located within OntarioGlengarry County , an area covering , is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario, and is historically known for its settlement of Scottish Highlanders due to the Highland Clearances.Glengarry was founded in 1792 by Scottish loyalists, mainly from...
in Upper Canada with his family in 1816. He moved to Bytown
Bytown
Bytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
, later Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, in 1827, where he opened a store and tavern. He was elected to the first town council in 1828. He helped found the Carleton General Protestant Hospital, later the Ottawa Civic Hospital.
During the 1830s, he was part of the timber trade on the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
and was a founding member of the Ottawa Lumber Association. He sold land in the Sandy Hill
Sandy Hill
Sandy Hill is a bilingual neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario located just east of downtown. The neighbourhood is bordered on the west by the Rideau Canal and on the east by the Rideau River. To the north it stretches to Rideau Street and the Byward Market area while to the south it is bordered by...
area of the town on behalf of Louis-Théodore Besserer
Louis-Théodore Besserer
Louis-Théodore Besserer was a businessman, notary and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born at Château-Richer, Quebec in 1785. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec and later became a notary. During the War of 1812, he was a lieutenant in the Quebec City militia, later becoming captain...
. Stewart also operated a large farm along the Rideau River
Rideau River
thumb|Rapids on the Rideau River opposite [[Carleton University]].The Rideau River is a Southern Ontario river which flows north from Upper Rideau Lake and empties into the Ottawa River at Rideau Falls in Ottawa, Ontario. Its length is 146 km...
.
In 1841, he ran against Stewart Derbishire
Stewart Derbishire
Stewart Derbishire was the first elected representative for Bytown for the Province of Canada.He was born in England around 1794. He studied law and was called to the bar in 1830. He later worked for a time as a journalist and fought in the Spanish Civil War in 1837...
, the candidate sponsored by Governor Lord Sydenham
Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham
Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham PC was a British politician and the first Governor of the united Province of Canada.-Background:...
, to represent Bytown in 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...
. Sydenham had persuaded all other candidates to withdraw. In 1843, he was elected to represent Russell
Russell County, Ontario
Russell County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.It was created in 1800 from a portion of Stormont County. It later merged with Prescott County to form Prescott and Russell United Counties....
in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
and he represented Bytown in the 2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada
2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada
The 2nd Parliament of the Province of Canada was in session from November 28, 1844 to December 1847. Elections were held in the Province of Canada in October 1844...
from 1844 to 1847.
He proposed a canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
linking the Ottawa River to Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
and drafted the bill incorporating Bytown. He was a member of the Bytown board of trade and a director for the Bank of British North America
Bank of British North America
The Bank of British North America was founded in 1835 in London, England with offices in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Saint John, New Brunswick, Halifax and St. John's, Newfoundland. It also operated agencies in New York City and San Francisco. Like the other Canadian chartered banks, it issued...
. He was a founding member of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Ottawa)
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church is the oldest Presbyterian church in Ottawa, Canada.-Creation:St. Andrews is Ottawa's oldest Protestant [Presbyterian Church in Canada] congregation, with the original church opening in 1828...
in Ottawa.
He became ill and died in 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...
in 1856 while representing the city of Ottawa there.
His son, McLeod Stewart
McLeod Stewart
McLeod Stewart was an Ottawa lawyer and mayor of Ottawa from 1887 to 1888. He was born in Ottawa in 1847, the son of William Stewart, who represented Bytown in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1847....
, was mayor of Ottawa from 1887 to 1888. His brother Neil
Neil Stewart (Canadian politician)
Neil Stewart was a Scottish-born merchant and political figure in Canada West. He represented Prescott in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1848....
also served in the assembly for the Province of Canada.