William Allan (banker)
William Allan | |
---|---|
Chairman of the Home District Council | |
In office 1829โ1831 | |
Preceded by | Thomas Ridout |
Succeeded by | Alexander Macdonell |
Constituency | York, Upper Canada |
Personal details | |
Born | c.1770 Huntly, Scotland |
Died | July 11, 1853 Toronto, Province of Canada |
Political party | Family Compact |
Spouse | Leah Tyrer Gamble |
Children | 11, including George W. Allan |
Occupation | Businessman and politician |
William Allan,
Life and career
Allan was born at "the Moss", near
In 1800, Allan was named a justice of the peace in the
Allan served as an associated judge at the 1818 trial of several members of the North West Company charged with the murder of Governor Robert Semple after the Battle of Seven Oaks. In 1818, he became the agent for the Bank of Montreal at York. In 1821, he was part of the group that established the Bank of Upper Canada, and he was its first president (from 1822 to 1835).
During the Types Riot Allan watched from his property immediately east of the printing press, speaking with Stephen Heward. Multiple witnesses reported that Allan did not assist in ending the riots and recognised some of the perpetrators.[3]
Allan also served as a director of the Canada Company, which was formed to develop and sell property within the province. In 1834, he became governor of the British America Fire and Life Assurance Company. From 1829 to 1831, he was chairman of the Home District Council.
Allan was a friend of the Reverend John Strachan, and his close connections to the Family Compact led to an appointment on the Legislative Council in 1825. He became the first president of the Toronto Board of Trade in 1834. In 1836, he was named to the Executive Council for the province after the existing council resigned en masse to protest new Lieutenant Governor Francis Bond Head's autocratic style of government. Allan retired from the two councils after the union of Upper and Lower Canada in 1841.
Allan died in Toronto in 1853.[1] His one surviving son, George William Allan, would become mayor of Toronto and a senator.
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-896219-94-3.
- ^ Halpenny, Francess G, ed. (1985). "Allan, William". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. VIII (1851โ1860). In collaboration (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- ISBN 978-0-9696418-0-3.
External links
- Moss Park Home of William Allan โ Lost Rivers