John Lees (politician)
Encyclopedia
John Lees was a businessman, judge and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in Scotland
around 1740 and came to the town of Quebec
with his family around 1761. With Alexander Dawson, he formed a company in 1773 that was involved in importing goods and supplying the British Army
; they also speculated in land. In 1774, he signed a petition requesting a legislative assembly for the province. Lees served in the militia during the siege of the town by the American
army during the American Revolution
. In 1787, his company acquired the lease for the Saint-Maurice ironworks
at Trois-Rivières
. In 1792, Lees was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Trois-Rivières; he was reelected in 1796, 1800 and 1804. He was also an honorary member of the Executive Committee from 1794 to 1804, becoming an active member in 1804 and serving until his death. He was named storekeeper general for the Department of Indian Affairs at Lachine
and a justice of the peace for the District of Quebec in 1795. In 1806, Lees was appointed a judge in the provincial Court of Appeals.
He died in Lachine in 1807.
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...
.
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...
around 1740 and came to the town of Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
with his family around 1761. With Alexander Dawson, he formed a company in 1773 that was involved in importing goods and supplying 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...
; they also speculated in land. In 1774, he signed a petition requesting a legislative assembly for the province. Lees served in the militia during the siege of the town by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
army during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. In 1787, his company acquired the lease for the Saint-Maurice ironworks
Forges du Saint-Maurice
Forges du Saint-Maurice , just outside of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, is a National Historic Site of Canada, and birthplace of the country's iron industry....
at Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
. In 1792, Lees was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
for Trois-Rivières; he was reelected in 1796, 1800 and 1804. He was also an honorary member of the Executive Committee from 1794 to 1804, becoming an active member in 1804 and serving until his death. He was named storekeeper general for the Department of Indian Affairs at Lachine
Lachine, Quebec
Lachine was a city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is now a borough within the city of Montreal.-History:...
and a justice of the peace for the District of Quebec in 1795. In 1806, Lees was appointed a judge in the provincial Court of Appeals.
He died in Lachine in 1807.