John Esson was a merchant and politician in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

. He represented Halifax County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

Nova Scotia House of Assembly

The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...

 from 1851 to 1863 as a Reformer.

He was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, the son of Charles Esson and Elizabeth Whyte, and came to Halifax

City of Halifax

Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...

around 1823. He learned the grocery trade from his uncle and later set up his own store, going on to establish a wholesale grocery firm. In 1836, he married Harriet Ann Leonard. Esson was president of the Halifax Fire Insurance Company from 1858 to 1863; he also served as president of the Halifax Agricultural Society. Esson was chair of the province's public accounts committee from 1856 to 1863. He died in office in Halifax at the age of 58.