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History General

James McGill of Montreal

by (author) Stanley Brice Frost

Publisher
McGill-Queen's University Press
Initial publish date
Sep 1995
Category
General, Pre-Confederation (to 1867)
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9780773565340
    Publish Date
    Sep 1995
    List Price
    $110.00

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Description

McGill came to Canada from Scotland in 1766 at the age of twenty-two. After ten years as a fur trader, he moved to Montreal and cofounded Todd, McGill & Co. He continued in the fur trade but also encouraged general trade and in later years pioneered the export of goods to Britain. Active in politics, McGill was a magistrate of Montreal and a member of the first parliament of Lower Canada. He also served for many years as a member of the Governor's Executive Council. During the War of 1812 he commanded the militia that defended Montreal, helping to foil the United States's attempts to annex Canada. Educated at Glasgow University, McGill never lost his love of learning, and his bequest of land and an endowment to found a college bearing his name was a gesture fully consistent with his generous character and strong commitment to the city he had made his own.

About the author