John Wilson (Ontario politician)
Encyclopedia
John Wilson was an Ontario
lawyer, judge and political figure. He shot and killed Robert Lyon
in what is believed to have been the last duel fought in Ontario and the last fatal duel in Canada
.
He was born in Paisley
, Renfrewshire
, Scotland
in 1807 and settled in Perth
, Upper Canada
with his family around 1823. He studied law in Perth with James Boulton. The duel was fought on June 13, 1833 over comments that Lyon, another law student, had made against the character of a Miss Elizabeth Hughes ( Whom he later married ). Wilson and his second were charged with murder but acquitted. He was called to the Upper Canada bar in 1835, joined Boulton's practice at Niagara
and later set up his own practice at London
. He helped organize local resistance against the Upper Canada Rebellion
and was named a captain in the militia in 1838. Wilson served as warden for the London District from 1842 to 1844 and also served as solicitor for the city of London. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
in an 1847 by-election as a Conservative and then was reelected in 1848 and 1854. In 1856, Wilson was named Queen's Counsel
. He was elected to the Legislative Council
for St. Clair division in 1863 but was named judge in the Court of Common Pleas a few months later. He sentenced seven Fenian
s captured during the Fenian raids
to death, but these sentences were commuted.
Wilson died in Westminster Township in 1869.
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....
lawyer, judge and political figure. He shot and killed Robert Lyon
Robert Lyon (duellist)
Robert Lyon , the son of a British officer, was the last fatality in Canadian duelling history, shot by a fellow law student, John Wilson in 1833....
in what is believed to have been the last duel fought in Ontario and the last fatal duel in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
He was born in Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, 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...
in 1807 and settled in Perth
Perth, Ontario
Perth is a town in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario, Canada . It is located on the Tay River, 83 km southwest of Ottawa, and is the seat of Lanark County.-History:...
, 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...
with his family around 1823. He studied law in Perth with James Boulton. The duel was fought on June 13, 1833 over comments that Lyon, another law student, had made against the character of a Miss Elizabeth Hughes ( Whom he later married ). Wilson and his second were charged with murder but acquitted. He was called to the Upper Canada bar in 1835, joined Boulton's practice at Niagara
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...
and later set up his own practice at London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
. He helped organize local resistance against the Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
and was named a captain in the militia in 1838. Wilson served as warden for the London District from 1842 to 1844 and also served as solicitor for the city of London. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
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...
in an 1847 by-election as a Conservative and then was reelected in 1848 and 1854. In 1856, Wilson was named Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
. He was elected to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house 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 province of Ontario...
for St. Clair division in 1863 but was named judge in the Court of Common Pleas a few months later. He sentenced seven Fenian
Fenian
The Fenians , both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood , were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Irish Republic in the 19th and early 20th century. The name "Fenians" was first applied by John O'Mahony to the members of the Irish republican...
s captured during the Fenian raids
Fenian raids
Between 1866 and 1871, the Fenian raids of the Fenian Brotherhood who were based in the United States; on British army forts, customs posts and other targets in Canada, were fought to bring pressure on Britain to withdraw from Ireland. They divided many Catholic Irish-Canadians, many of whom were...
to death, but these sentences were commuted.
Wilson died in Westminster Township in 1869.