Alexander Thom (military surgeon)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Thom was a military surgeon, judge and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Scotland
in 1775, the son of a farmer named Alexander Thom, and studied at King's College
in Aberdeen
. He joined the British Army
and became a surgeon in 1799. He served with the 41st Foot in Lower Canada
from 1803 to 1813. He married Harriet E. Smythe (Hannah Smith?) at Niagara
in 1811. Thom was taken prisoner during the War of 1812
. He was chosen as the surgeon for the military settlement at Perth
in Upper Canada
in 1815 and served as the doctor there until 1822. Thom built a sawmill
and gristmill
on the Tay River
at Perth. After the death of his first wife, he married Eliza Montague and then Betsy Smythe after Eliza died in 1820. He was named a justice of the peace and became a judge in the district court in 1835. Thom was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
in a February 1836 by-election but defeated in the general election that followed later that year.
He died at Perth in 1845.
His daughter Harriett married Perth lawyer James Boulton, the son of judge Henry John Boulton
. Another daughter Catherine Rosamund married Chief Justice John Godfrey Spragge.
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...
.
He was born in 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 1775, the son of a farmer named Alexander Thom, and studied at King's College
King's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. He joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and became a surgeon in 1799. He served with the 41st Foot in Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
from 1803 to 1813. He married Harriet E. Smythe (Hannah Smith?) at Niagara
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
in 1811. Thom was taken prisoner during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. He was chosen as the surgeon for the military settlement at Perth
Perth, Ontario
Perth is a town in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada . It is located on the Tay River, 83 km southwest of Ottawa, and is the seat of Lanark County.-History:...
in 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 1815 and served as the doctor there until 1822. Thom built a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
and gristmill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
on the Tay River
Tay River (Ontario)
The Tay River is a river in Eastern Ontario which empties into the Rideau River.This river starts in Bobs Lake and flows through Christie Lake. The river then travels through Glen Tay, continuing to Perth. The river splits into two main channels as it flows through downtown Perth. The two...
at Perth. After the death of his first wife, he married Eliza Montague and then Betsy Smythe after Eliza died in 1820. He was named a justice of the peace and became a judge in the district court in 1835. Thom was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
in a February 1836 by-election but defeated in the general election that followed later that year.
He died at Perth in 1845.
His daughter Harriett married Perth lawyer James Boulton, the son of judge Henry John Boulton
Henry John Boulton
Henry John Boulton, QC was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born at Little Holland House, Kensington, England, the son of D’Arcy Boulton, in 1790. Some time later, the family settled in New York state and then moved to Upper Canada around 1800. He studied law at York ...
. Another daughter Catherine Rosamund married Chief Justice John Godfrey Spragge.