George Hamilton (politician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the founder of Hamilton, Ontario. For other people with the same name, see George Hamilton.

George Hamilton merchant, politician; born October 1788 (1787 Dictionary of Hamilton Biography) in Queenston Heights. He founded the city of Hamilton, Ontario. married Maria Lavinia Jarvis 1811. died on February 20, 1836 in Hamilton, Ontario, buried in his family plot and later reinterred in Hamilton Cemetery.

The son of wealthy and influential Quenston merchant Robert Hamilton who later held important government offices, being a member of the Legislative Council and lieutenant of the County of Lincloln., and son of Mary McLean (nee Herkimer). Hamilton was educated in Edinburgh Scotland and appears to have possessed a keen mind for business and letters. The Scottish schooling of the era wouild have exposed him to moral philosophy and what later became the separate discipline of economics. It is likely that his education fostered scepticism as well as a commitment to freedom of religion and the right to hold dissenting opinions, attitudes that would surface in his political career.

Hamilton also served during the War of 1812 where he held the rank of captain with the Niagara Light Dragoons, participating in the capture of Detroit and the Battle of Queenston Heights and Lundy's Lane. During 1814, British troops billeted at his Queenston establishment burned the property. This loss, combined with a familiarity with the Head of the Lake acquired during the war when Burlington Heights was heavily garrisoned, may have prompted George Hamilton's purchase of 257 acres of Barton Township from James Durand, in January 1815. Well placed and shrewd, Hamilton likely knew of prewar discussions about creating a new administrative district with a judicial centre. Within a year of his land purchase, George reached agreement with the owner of adjacent property to the north, Nathaniel Hughson, on a scheme which they calculated would increase the possibility of having the court-house and gaol for new district located on Hamilton land's, to the benefit of values on both men's property. Together they empowered James Durand to lobby at the House of Assembly for the Hamilton townsite and to act as an agent selling town lots. The instructions coincided with the very week that the assembly and Legislative Council deliberated on the formation of the new district and the designation of a district town; the act was passed on 22 March 1816. The precise manoevres cannot be documented, but there is little doubt that the origins of the Hamilton townsite, and its location back from the waterfront, derived from a complicated private affair involving Messrs. Hamilton, Hughson, and Durand. The new town was to become the capital of the new Gore District. Hamilton provided land for a court house and jail. The police village of Hamilton was incorporated in 1833.

Hamilton represented the riding of Wentworth in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1821 to 1830, where he tended to support moderate reformers and encourage immigration to Canada. He helped set up a canal to link Hamilton harbour to Lake Ontario and worked to secure funding for the court house and jail.