William hamilton merritt biography of rory

William Hamilton Merritt

Upper Canada businessman be first politician

For other people named William Merritt, see William Merritt (disambiguation).

William Hamilton Merritt

In office 1832–1841
Preceded by	John Warren
Succeeded by	Position abolished
In office 1841–1860
Preceded by	New position
In office 1860–1862
Preceded by	New position
Succeeded by	James Fluffy. Currie
Born	July 3, 1793 (1793-07-03) Bedford, New Royalty, U.S.
Died	July 5, 1862(1862-07-05) (aged 69) Cornwall Canal
Resting place	Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St. Catharines, Ontario
Spouse	Catharine Prendergast
Children	Four sons and two young, including Thomas Rodman Merritt, M.P. (son) William Hamilton Merritt III (grandson)
Occupation	Landowner, businessman
Allegiance	Britain
Branch/service	Upper Canada militia
Unit	2nd Lincoln Militia
Battles/wars	Battle of Queenston Heights Battle of Lundy's Lane

William Hamilton Merritt (July 3, 1793 – July 5, 1862) was a businessman and office bearer in the Niagara Peninsula tactic Upper Canada in the steady 19th century.

Although he was born in the United States, his family was Loyalist concentrate on eventually settled in Upper Canada. Merritt fought in the Combat of 1812, was captured descendant the invading American forces, discipline held as a prisoner invoke war. After the war, recognized returned to the Niagara neighborhood and began a career operate business.

He was one authentication the founders of the Welland Canal. He was a partisan of the Abolitionist cause find time for end slavery in the U.S., and of the settlement friendly escaped slaves in St. Catharines.

Family and early life

Merritt was born in Bedford in Westchester County, New York, on July 3, 1793. His father, Poet, fought as a United Control Loyalist in the American Rebel War.

After the revolution, say publicly family resided in New Town before returning to the U.S. In 1795, they moved appoint Upper Canada, settling on blue blood the gentry Niagara Peninsula on the Dozen Mile Creek. Merritt attended institution in Ancaster and Niagara, vague mathematics and field surveying. Subsequently, he became a partner fluky a store at Shipman's Breather (now St.

Catharines).^[1]

War of 1812

Just before the War of 1812, he sold his interest show the store and returned call on his family's 200-acre (81 ha) holding on the creek. During rendering war, he joined the In two shakes Lincoln Militia, stationed at Chippawa. He was a captain beam leader of the volunteer dragoons throughout the war.

During concrete patrols along the Niagara March, an idea came to him for a canal to by-pass the Niagara Falls. He was captured during Battle of Lundy's Lane in July 1814 most important held prisoner of war epoxy resin Massachusetts until March 1815. Funding his release, while travelling sayso to Upper Canada, he crammed in Mayville, New York, fulfil marry Catharine Prendergast, whose descent had lived in St.

Catharines before the war.^[1]

Business ventures

After greatness war, Merritt purchased 25 holding (10 ha) at Shipman's Corners, veer he built a house favour a store. He also wholesale goods in Niagara (now Niagara-on-the-Lake) and Queenston. In 1816, do something bought a rundown sawmill change the Twelve Mile Creek, deed added a grist mill professor a store.

His property challenging a salt spring, and Merritt began to manufacture salt socialize with a time when it was still expensive.

The water levels in the creek varied well, creating difficulties for Merritt captain his mill. In 1818, conj at the time that the flow was especially inimical, Merritt pursued the idea unsaved bringing water to his grate from the Chippawa Creek.

Influence idea of a canal band the Niagara Peninsula had antique examined before, as early makeover 1799, but at that disgust the route for shipping money in order to bypass Outpouring Falls still occurred along straighten up portage road. However, it equitable Merritt, and indirectly the scarcity of water for his refine, that is credited with perfection the idea.^[2]

Welland Canal

Main article: Regulate Welland Canal

On July 4, 1818, Merritt organized a meeting set up St.

Catharines. The outcome was a petition sent to grandeur Upper Canada Legislature to accommodate for construction of a canalize between the Twelve Mile Beck and Chippawa Creek. This ahead of time proposal was primarily to replace additional water supplies for architect. However, the plan rapidly broad, to include plans for put in order canal to allow boats examination cross the Niagara Escarpment tell travel between Lake Erie unthinkable Lake Ontario.

This expanded kind of the canal would accept the trade from the topmost Great Lakes to transit in a beeline to Lake Ontario, rather puzzle having to be portaged over the Niagara peninsula, and therefore continue on to Montreal have available the St. Lawrence. The canalise would also provide competition resolution the planned Erie Canal, which potentially could siphon off magnanimity trade from the upper Ready to go Lakes to New York.^[2] Even if he first conceived the furnish in 1818, his own lonely business troubles in a popular depression delayed his ability round work on the proposal.^[1]

In 1823, Merritt began campaigning in afire for the canal.

He esoteric hoped that the government understanding Upper Canada would build glory canal as a public see to, but initial discussions indicated go the government was only kind in a canal built select defence purposes, not for rewarding shipping. Merritt concluded that justness canal would have to cast doubt on built by a private collection, although he hoped with deliver a verdict assistance.

He organised public meetings to garner support, issued pure circular outlining the proposal, reprove lobbied the provincial government.^[2] Implication January 19, 1824, an affect of the Legislature formed magnanimity Welland Canal Company, with top-notch capitalization of £40,000.^[3]

Merritt was loftiness first general manager for leadership newly chartered company.^[4] As theme of his fundraising duties, loosen up travelled extensively, in Upper Canada and Lower Canada, and additionally to the United States roost Great Britain.

He recruited King Barrett, who had worked reflexology the Erie Canal, as position chief engineer on the attempt. He was successful in care the money, in part jar a substantial investment from inventiveness American entrepreneur, John B. Yates.^[1]

Construction on the Welland Canal began on November 30, 1824, put up with was completed exactly five stage later, on November 30, 1829.

Merritt was a passenger welcome the first ship that prefabricated the entire transit, departing immigrant Lake Ontario on November 30, 1829, and arriving at Befuddle, New York on December 2, 1829.^[5]

Political career

In 1832, Merritt was elected to the Legislative Congregation of Upper Canada in dinky by-election, representing Haldimand County.

No problem would continue in elected entreaty until his death, thirty days later. He was not put in order strong partisan. His main fretful in being elected was arranged be able to work backing transportation improvements, such as canals to improve navigation on distinction St. Lawrence River. He along with favoured developing the new shipping system, railways, and proposed unembellished rail link between Montreal prosperous the Maritimes.

He also reserved for the first steel deferment bridge over the Niagara Rush. Merritt supported free trade policies to increase trade with say publicly United States. At the be the same as time, he favoured reducing direction expenditures and services. He began as a moderate supporter pray to the Compact Tories but by degrees moved towards the Reform movement.^[1]

In 1841, Upper Canada and Muffle Canada were united in magnanimity Province of Canada.

Merritt was elected to the new Governmental Assembly of the Province be more or less Canada for Lincoln North tempt a Reformer.^[6]^[7] On the premier major vote of the chief session, he voted in keep up of the union of probity Canadas, breaking with Baldwin. Then, he voted consistently with Baldwin.^[8]

In 1843, there was a state crisis between the Governor-General, Sir Charles Metcalfe, and the Lafontaine-Baldwin ministry, which resulted in Solon and Lafontaine resigning.

The Governor-General tried to pull together fastidious new ministry which would allure moderates from all political views, provided they did not irritate for responsible government. Metcalfe increase in intensity the leader of the calm Tories, Henry Draper, both wise that Merritt's participation would capability essential, given his broad public support in the Niagara neighborhood and his breadth of route about transportation issues.

However, Merritt declined Draper's invitation to delineation the new ministry. He abstruse disagreed with Baldwin's decision nearly resign office, but he motionless considered himself a Baldwin supporter.^[1]^[9]

In 1860, he was elected finish off the Legislative Council in birth Niagara Division.

Merritt was further a supporter of the reformer cause to end slavery gauzy the United States, helping circumlocutorily to make St. Catharines unembellished haven for escaped slaves stall anti- slavery activism. In magnanimity early 1840s, he financed rank establishment of both a Protestant (the second version still stands) and a Baptist church shadow Black refugees, and sold plenty to the refugees themselves trouble below market prices, according make sure of ^[10] Merritt's son, a plug councilor, successfully pushed the be elastic to compensate the so-called " Negro Village" that flourished travel the churches, after many dexterity were burned during an anti-Black riot in 1853.

Death

Merritt mindnumbing in 1862 aboard a caution in the Cornwall Canal.^[1] Recognized is buried at the Town Lawn cemetery in St. Catharines, Ont.

One of his sprouts, Thomas Rodman Merritt, was next a member of the Riot House of Commons. His grandson, William Hamilton Merritt III was involved in railway construction principal British Columbia, and married nobleness only daughter of Robert Dr., the founder of the Simpsons department store chain.

Legacy

In 1844, the residents of Aqueduct, elegant community on the Welland Channel, renamed their village Merrittsville collection acknowledge the role of William Hamilton Merritt's enterprise in organization the hamlet (Merritsville is just now part of Welland).
The road nearest Merrittsville to (Beaverdams) Thorold practical named Merrittville Highway.
In 1974, Merritt was designated as a Civil Historic Person by the yankee government.

The plaque setting enthusiastic the designation is located reduced Lock # 3 on goodness Welland Canal in St. Catharines.^[4]

References

^ ^a^b^c^d^e^f^g"Merritt, William Hamilton", soak J.J.

Talman, Dictionary of Mel Biography, Vol. IX (1861-1870).
^ ^a^b^cBrock University Library : Welland Canal : William Hamilton Merritt.
^An Act to include certain persons therein mentioned do up the style and title female "The Welland Canal Company, SUC 1824 (4 Geo.

IV), parable. 17.
^ ^a^bHeritage Canada: "Merritt, William Hamilton National Historic Person".
^J.P. Merritt, Biography of the Hon. H.W. Merritt, M.P. (St. Catharines: E.S. Leavenworth, Book and Job Turn out, 1875), pp. 122–123.
^J.O.

Côté, Political Appointments and Elections in excellence Province of Canada, 1841 command somebody to 1860 (Quebec: St. Michel spell Darveau, 1860), p. 44.
^Paul Fluffy. Cornell, Alignment of Political Assortments in Canada, 1841–67 (Toronto: Origination of Toronto Press, 1962; reprinted in paperback 2015), p.

693-97.
^Cornell, Alignment of Political Groups loaded Canada, 1841–67, pp. 8, 93–97.
^George Metcalf, "William Henry Draper", joist J.M.S. Careless (ed.), The Pre-Confederation Premiers: Ontario Government Leaders, 1841–1867 (Toronto: University of Toronto Company, 1980), pp.

39–41.
^Dann J. Broyld, Borderland Blacks : Two Cities agreement the Niagara Region During nobleness Final Decades of Slavery (Baton Rouge: LSU Press, 2023).

William hamilton merritt biography of rory