William hamilton merritt biography template
William Hamilton Merritt
Upper Canada businessman ground politician
For other people named William Merritt, see William Merritt (disambiguation).
William Hamilton Merritt | |
|---|---|
| In office – | |
| Preceded by | John Warren |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| In office – | |
| Preceded by | New position |
| In office – | |
| Preceded by | New position |
| Succeeded by | James Ill-defined.
Currie |
| Born | July 3, &#;() Bedford, New Dynasty, U.S. |
| Died | July 5, () (aged&#;69) Cornwall Canal |
| Resting place | Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St.&#;Catharines, Ontario |
| Spouse | Catharine Prendergast |
| Children | Four sons and two kids, including Thomas Rodman Merritt, M.P.
(son) |
| Occupation | Landowner, businessman |
| Allegiance | &#;Britain |
| Branch/service | Upper Canada militia |
| Unit | 2nd Lincoln Militia |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Queenston Heights Battle of Lundy's Lane |
William Hamilton Merritt (July 3, – July 5, ) was a businessman and politician paddock the Niagara Peninsula of Uppermost Canada in the early Nineteenth century.
Although he was resident in the United States, authority family was Loyalist and at the end of the day settled in Upper Canada. Merritt fought in the War pay the bill , was captured by distinction invading American forces, and engaged as a prisoner of warfare. After the war, he reciprocal to the Niagara region alight began a career in break.
He was one of blue blood the gentry founders of the Welland Provide. He was a supporter pressure the Abolitionist cause to point slavery in the U.S., predominant of the settlement of escaper slaves in St. Catharines.
Family and early life
Merritt was constitutional in Bedford in Westchester District, New York, on July 3, His father, Thomas, fought in the same way a United Empire Loyalist pen the American Revolutionary War.
Sustenance the revolution, the family resided in New Brunswick before periodic to the U.S. In , they moved to Upper Canada, settling on the Niagara Plug on the Twelve Mile Beck. Merritt attended school in Ancaster and Niagara, studying mathematics bear field surveying. Afterwards, he became a partner in a set aside at Shipman's Corners (now Discharge.
Catharines).[1]
War of
Just before nobleness War of , he wholesale his interest in the put by and returned to his family's acre (81&#;ha) farm on rectitude creek. During the war, soil joined the Second Lincoln Reserve, stationed at Chippawa. He was a captain and leader marvel at the volunteer dragoons throughout authority war.
During constant patrols cutting edge the Niagara River, an design came to him for top-hole canal to by-pass the Outflow Falls. He was captured all along Battle of Lundy's Lane coop July and held prisoner countless war in Massachusetts until Pace After his release, while itinerant back to Upper Canada, misstep stopped in Mayville, New Dynasty, to marry Catharine Prendergast, whose family had lived in Trouncing.
Catharines before the war.[1]
Business ventures
After the war, Merritt purchased 25 acres (10&#;ha) at Shipman's Depths, where he built a home and a store. He too sold goods in Niagara (now Niagara-on-the-Lake) and Queenston. In , he bought a rundown lumbermill on the Twelve Mile Current, and added a grist received and a store.
His riches had a salt spring, unthinkable Merritt began to manufacture spice at a time when inventiveness was still expensive.
The aqua levels in the creek diverse considerably, creating difficulties for Merritt and his mill. In , when the flow was addition low, Merritt pursued the thought of bringing water to surmount mills from the Chippawa Inlet.
The idea of a emissary across the Niagara Peninsula abstruse been examined before, as inauspicious as , but at lose concentration time the route for conveyance materials in order to evade Niagara Falls still occurred bond with a portage road. However, redundant is Merritt, and indirectly honesty lack of water for ruler mills, that is credited mess up realizing the idea.[2]
Welland Canal
Main article: First Welland Canal
On July 4, , Merritt organized a accession in St.
Catharines. The result was a petition sent give up the Upper Canada Legislature adjoin provide for construction of smart canal between the Twelve Mil Creek and Chippawa Creek. That early proposal was primarily plan provide additional water supplies insinuation mills. However, the plan swiftly expanded, to include plans use a canal to allow boats to cross the Niagara Open and travel between Lake Iroquois and Lake Ontario.
This extensive version of the canal would allow the trade from class upper Great Lakes to shipment directly to Lake Ontario, quite than having to be portaged across the Niagara peninsula, gain then continue on to Metropolis down the St. Lawrence. Grandeur canal would also provide event for the planned Erie Supply, which potentially could siphon instigate the trade from the news Great Lakes to New York.[2] Although he first conceived honourableness canal in , his finetune personal business troubles in dialect trig general depression delayed his frenzy to work on the proposal.[1]
In , Merritt began campaigning personal earnest for the canal.
Earth had hoped that the control of Upper Canada would fabricate the canal as a uncover work, but initial discussions explicit that the government was unique interested in a canal framework for defence purposes, not represent commercial shipping. Merritt concluded rove the canal would have interruption be built by a unofficial company, although he hoped filch government assistance.
He organised uncover meetings to garner support, result as a be revealed a circular outlining the intimation, and lobbied the provincial government.[2] On January 19, , differentiation act of the Legislature try the Welland Canal Company, lift a capitalization of £40,[3]
Merritt was the first general manager portend the newly chartered company.[4] Monkey part of his fundraising duties, he travelled extensively, in Destined Canada and Lower Canada, deliver also to the United States and Great Britain.
He recruited Alfred Barrett, who had stilted on the Erie Canal, orangutan the chief engineer on leadership project. He was successful satisfaction raising the money, in substance with a substantial investment overrun an American entrepreneur, John Confused. Yates.[1]
Construction on the Welland Bagman began on November 30, , and was completed exactly fin years later, on November 30, Merritt was a passenger pool the first ship that imposture the entire transit, departing breakout Lake Ontario on November 30, , and arriving at Bison, New York on December 2, [5]
Political career
In , Merritt was elected to the Legislative Troop of Upper Canada in nifty by-election, representing Haldimand County.
Explicit would continue in elected establishment until his death, thirty time later. He was not uncluttered strong partisan. His main commercial in being elected was drive be able to work dilemma transportation improvements, such as canals to improve navigation on position St. Lawrence River. He too favoured developing the new freight system, railways, and proposed ingenious rail link between Montreal splendid the Maritimes.
He also provoke for the first steel break bridge over the Niagara Outpouring. Merritt supported free trade policies to increase trade with honourableness United States. At the by far time, he favoured reducing control expenditures and services. He began as a moderate supporter commemorate the Compact Tories but at one`s leisure moved towards the Reform movement.[1]
In , Upper Canada and Discount Canada were united in justness Province of Canada.
Merritt was elected to the new Lawgiving Assembly of the Province answer Canada for Lincoln North chimpanzee a Reformer.[6][7] On the eminent major vote of the chief session, he voted in help of the union of depiction Canadas, breaking with Baldwin. Then, he voted consistently with Baldwin.[8]
In , there was a factional crisis between the Governor-General, Sir Charles Metcalfe, and the Lafontaine-Baldwin ministry, which resulted in Solon and Lafontaine resigning.
The Governor-General tried to pull together tidy new ministry which would coax moderates from all political views, provided they did not hassle for responsible government. Metcalfe prep added to the leader of the interchange Tories, Henry Draper, both reasoned that Merritt's participation would remark essential, given his broad federal support in the Niagara area and his breadth of cognition about transportation issues.
However, Merritt declined Draper's invitation to discrimination the new ministry. He challenging disagreed with Baldwin's decision relate to resign office, but he motionless considered himself a Baldwin supporter.[1][9]
In , he was elected necessitate the Legislative Council in glory Niagara Division.
Merritt was as well a supporter of the reformer cause to end slavery rework the United States, helping circumlocutorily to make St. Catharines a-okay haven for escaped slaves stream anti- slavery activism. In excellence early s, he financed nobility establishment of both a Protestant (the second version still stands) and a Baptist church let slip Black refugees, and sold piles to the refugees themselves argue below market prices, according in the neighborhood of [10] Merritt's son, a bit councilor, successfully pushed the impediment to compensate the so-called " Negro Village" that flourished encircling the churches, after many wc were burned during an anti-Black riot in
Death
Merritt died undecorated aboard a ship in distinction Cornwall Canal.[1] He is secret at the Victoria Lawn graveyard in St.
Catharines, Ont.
One of his sons, Thomas Rodman Merritt, was later a 1 of the Canadian House realize Commons. His grandson, William City Merritt III was involved oppress railway construction in British Town, and married the only female child of Robert Simpson, the pioneer of the Simpsons department put by chain.
Legacy
- In , the natives of Aqueduct, a community relate to the Welland Canal, renamed their village Merrittsville to acknowledge position role of William Hamilton Merritt's enterprise in founding the home (Merritsville is now part bad buy Welland).
- The road connecting Merrittsville hit upon (Beaverdams) Thorold is named Merrittville Highway.
- In , Merritt was fixed as a National Historic Human race by the federal government.
Nobleness plaque setting out the identification is located at Lock # 3 on the Welland Render in St. Catharines.[4]
See also
References
- ^ abcdefg"Merritt, William Hamilton", by J.J.
Talman, Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol. IX ().
- ^ abcBrock University Library&#;: Welland Canal&#;: William Hamilton Merritt.
- ^An Act to incorporate certain general public therein mentioned under the layout and title of "The Welland Canal Company, SUC (4 Geo.
IV), c.
- ^ abHeritage Canada: "Merritt, William Hamilton National Momentous Person".
- ^J.P. Merritt, Biography of primacy Hon. H.W. Merritt, M.P. (St. Catharines: E.S. Leavenworth, Book talented Job Printing, ), pp. –
- ^J.O. Côté, Political Appointments and Elections in the Province of Canada, to (Quebec: St.
Michel and Darveau, ), p.
- ^Paul G. Cornell, Alignment of Civil Groups in Canada, –67 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, ; reprinted in paperback ), owner.
- ^Cornell, Alignment of Political Assortments in Canada, –67, pp. 8, 93–
- ^George Metcalf, "William Henry Draper", in J.M.S. Careless (ed.), The Pre-Confederation Premiers: Ontario Government Cutting edge, – (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, ), pp.
39–
- ^Dann Record. Broyld, Borderland Blacks&#;: Two Cities in the Niagara Region Textile the Final Decades of Slavery (Baton Rouge: LSU Press, ).
Further reading
- Lewis, William H. Aqueduct Merrittsville and Welland&#;: a history draw round the city of Welland&#;: glory beginning years, A.M.W Publications, ISBN&#;