Charles Fothergill
Encyclopedia
Charles Fothergill was a businessman, journalist and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in York
, England
in 1782, a member of a Quaker family. He developed an interest in natural history
at an early age and he published the Ornithologia Britannica at the age of 17. In 1813, he published Essay on the philosophy, study, and use of natural history. In 1817, partly to escape his debts, he came to Upper Canada and settled near Smith's Creek (Port Hope
). He opened a general store and became the first postmaster at Port Hope in 1817. In 1818, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Newcastle District. He built a distillery
at Port Hope and a sawmill
and gristmill
at Peterborough
. At this point, however, he encountered financial problems and his properties were seized.
In 1822, he was appointed King's Printer and moved to York (Toronto
). He also published a newspaper, the Weekly Register, and an almanac
. The newspaper became involved in controversy when William Lyon Mackenzie
claimed that a letter published in his own newspaper, which criticized Chief Justice William Dummer Powell
, had been praised in Fothergill's paper; Fothergill denied that he had been referring to the same letter. In 1824, he ran against George Strange Boulton
for the seat in Durham
in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
; Boulton was elected after the returning officer cancelled 3 of Fothergill's votes. Fothergill appealed and won the seat in a by-election. In parliament, he was critical of the administration and he was dismissed as King's Printer in January 1826. He was reflected in Durham in 1828.
After being unsuccessful in gaining reelection in 1830, he attempted to start a number of businesses. During the 1830s, he also published An essay descriptive of the quadrupeds of British North America and another paper on the situation of the salmon
in Lake Ontario
; these works were well received but did not provide any income. He took over the ownership of two Toronto newspapers in 1837; however, this financial venture also failed. He died penniless in Toronto in 1840.
Fothergill wrote the first nature column to appear in an Upper Canada newspaper and is considered to be Ontario
's first resident ornithologist
.
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 York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1782, a member of a Quaker family. He developed an interest in natural history
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
at an early age and he published the Ornithologia Britannica at the age of 17. In 1813, he published Essay on the philosophy, study, and use of natural history. In 1817, partly to escape his debts, he came to Upper Canada and settled near Smith's Creek (Port Hope
Port Hope, Ontario
Port Hope is a municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, about east of Toronto and about west of Kingston. It is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County...
). He opened a general store and became the first postmaster at Port Hope in 1817. In 1818, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Newcastle District. He built a distillery
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
at Port Hope and 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 :...
at Peterborough
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
. At this point, however, he encountered financial problems and his properties were seized.
In 1822, he was appointed King's Printer and moved to York (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...
). He also published a newspaper, the Weekly Register, and an almanac
Almanac
An almanac is an annual publication that includes information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, and tide tables, containing tabular information in a particular field or fields often arranged according to the calendar etc...
. The newspaper became involved in controversy when William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie was a Scottish born American and Canadian journalist, politician, and rebellion leader. He served as the first mayor of Toronto, Upper Canada and was an important leader during the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion.-Background and early years in Scotland, 1795–1820:Mackenzie was...
claimed that a letter published in his own newspaper, which criticized Chief Justice William Dummer Powell
William Dummer Powell
William Dummer Powell was a Loyalist lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.-Early life and education:...
, had been praised in Fothergill's paper; Fothergill denied that he had been referring to the same letter. In 1824, he ran against George Strange Boulton
George Strange Boulton
George Strange Boulton was a lawyer and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born near Albany, New York, in 1797, the son of D’Arcy Boulton, and came to Upper Canada with his family around 1800. He studied at John Strachan's school in Cornwall. He served during the War of 1812...
for the seat in Durham
Durham County, Ontario
Durham County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was named from the English County and city.Durham County was created in 1792. It was composed of the townships of Cartwright, Manvers, Cavan, Darlington, Clarke and Hope, and portions of what is now Peterborough County,...
in 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...
; Boulton was elected after the returning officer cancelled 3 of Fothergill's votes. Fothergill appealed and won the seat in a by-election. In parliament, he was critical of the administration and he was dismissed as King's Printer in January 1826. He was reflected in Durham in 1828.
After being unsuccessful in gaining reelection in 1830, he attempted to start a number of businesses. During the 1830s, he also published An essay descriptive of the quadrupeds of British North America and another paper on the situation of the salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
in Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
; these works were well received but did not provide any income. He took over the ownership of two Toronto newspapers in 1837; however, this financial venture also failed. He died penniless in Toronto in 1840.
Fothergill wrote the first nature column to appear in an Upper Canada newspaper and is considered to be Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's first resident ornithologist
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
.