George Rykert
Encyclopedia
George Rykert was a businessman, surveyor
and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Rhinebeck, New York in 1797 and came to the Niagara District with his family around 1810. He served with the local militia during the War of 1812
. After the war, he settled at St. Catharines
and taught school there. He trained as a surveyor and became a deputy land surveyor for the province in 1821. He undertook a number of projects, including laying out a plan for the expanding community at St. Catharines and helping prepare estimates for a canal system on the Saint Lawrence River
. He was involved in an unsuccessful contract to complete a section of the Rideau Canal
near the current site of Smiths Falls
in 1827. In 1829, he opened a general store and wharf at St. Catherines with his brother-in-law; he also became involved in a distillery
and a gristmill
. He became a justice of the peace in the Niagara District in 1832. In 1834, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
in the 2nd riding of Lincoln
; he was reelected in 1836.
Rykert supported the sale of the clergy reserves with the funds raised going to fund public works and schools as well as the needs of all religious groups represented in the province. He opposed the union of Upper and Lower Canada
and responsible government as described in Lord Durham
's report. He was defeated by William Hamilton Merritt
, a former political ally, in a bid for a seat in the legislative assembly
for the united province. In 1843, he became the agent in St. Catharines for the Commercial Bank of the Midland District. In 1845, he became a member of the police board for the town; he was elected to the town council in 1855 and served as reeve from 1856 to 1857. He also served as agent for a number of companies in the region and was president of the Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway.
He died in St Catharines in 1857 of a chest cancer
.
His son John Charles
later became a member of the Canadian House of Commons
.
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
and political figure 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...
.
He was born in Rhinebeck, New York in 1797 and came to the Niagara District with his family around 1810. He served with 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...
. After the war, he settled at St. Catharines
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
and taught school there. He trained as a surveyor and became a deputy land surveyor for the province in 1821. He undertook a number of projects, including laying out a plan for the expanding community at St. Catharines and helping prepare estimates for a canal system on the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
. He was involved in an unsuccessful contract to complete a section of the Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
near the current site of Smiths Falls
Smiths Falls, Ontario
Smiths Falls is a town in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is in the census division for Lanark County, but is considered a separated town and does not participate in county government...
in 1827. In 1829, he opened a general store and wharf at St. Catherines with his brother-in-law; he also became involved in 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....
and a 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 :...
. He became a justice of the peace in the Niagara District in 1832. In 1834, 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...
in the 2nd riding of Lincoln
Lincoln County, Ontario
Lincoln County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was formed in 1792. In 1845, the southern portion of Lincoln County was separated to form Welland County....
; he was reelected in 1836.
Rykert supported the sale of the clergy reserves with the funds raised going to fund public works and schools as well as the needs of all religious groups represented in the province. He opposed the union of Upper and 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...
and responsible government as described in Lord Durham
John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham
John George Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham GCB, PC , also known as "Radical Jack" and commonly referred to in history texts simply as Lord Durham, was a British Whig statesman, colonial administrator, Governor General and high commissioner of British North America...
's report. He was defeated by William Hamilton Merritt
William Hamilton Merritt
William Hamilton Merritt was an influential figure in the Niagara Peninsula of Upper Canada in early 19th century and one of the fathers of the Welland Canal....
, a former political ally, in a bid for a seat in the legislative assembly
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
for the united province. In 1843, he became the agent in St. Catharines for the Commercial Bank of the Midland District. In 1845, he became a member of the police board for the town; he was elected to the town council in 1855 and served as reeve from 1856 to 1857. He also served as agent for a number of companies in the region and was president of the Port Dalhousie and Thorold Railway.
He died in St Catharines in 1857 of a chest cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
.
His son John Charles
John Charles Rykert
John Charles Rykert was a lawyer and Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons. He represented Lincoln from 1878 to 1882 and Lincoln and Niagara from 1882 to 1891. He represented Lincoln in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1867 to 1878.He was born in St...
later became a member of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
.