Edward William McBride
Encyclopedia
Edward William McBride was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake
) around 1791, the son of a United Empire Loyalist. He served in the local militia during the War of 1812
. He was assistant to King's Printer John Cameron and took over this function from the time when Cameron became ill in April 1815 until February 1816, several months after Cameron's death. After that, he ran an inn at Niagara. In 1824, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
for the town of Niagara as a Reformer
. He supported government funding for the Welland Canal
and defended those who supported Robert Gourlay
. For a time, with Bartemas Ferguson, he published the Niagara Herald, a newspaper owned by John Crooks. As a freemason, he was accused of being associated with the kidnapping and presumed murder of Captain William Morgan, who is said to have revealed secrets of the order. Although McBride denied these accusations, this contributed to his defeat in the 1828 election.
He died in Niagara in 1834.
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 Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake
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...
) around 1791, the son of a United Empire Loyalist. He served in the local militia 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 assistant to King's Printer John Cameron and took over this function from the time when Cameron became ill in April 1815 until February 1816, several months after Cameron's death. After that, he ran an inn at Niagara. In 1824, he 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...
for the town of Niagara as a Reformer
Reform Party (pre-Confederation)
The Reform movement, sometimes referred to as the Reform Party, began in the 1830s as the movement in the English speaking parts of British North America . It agitated for responsible government....
. He supported government funding for the Welland Canal
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
and defended those who supported Robert Gourlay
Robert Fleming Gourlay
Robert Gourlay was a Scottish-Canadian writer, political reform activist, and agriculturalist.-Biography:...
. For a time, with Bartemas Ferguson, he published the Niagara Herald, a newspaper owned by John Crooks. As a freemason, he was accused of being associated with the kidnapping and presumed murder of Captain William Morgan, who is said to have revealed secrets of the order. Although McBride denied these accusations, this contributed to his defeat in the 1828 election.
He died in Niagara in 1834.