William McGregor

Who was William McGregor?

William McGregor was a Canadian businessman and political figure. He represented Essex in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal member from 1874 to 1878 and from 1891 to 1900.

He was born in Sarnia, Upper Canada in 1836 and educated in Amherstburg. He supplied horses to the Union Army during the American Civil War. McGregor was president of the Walkerville Wagon Company Limited. He also owned the street railway in Windsor, a bank, a mill and a fence company. In 1866, he married Jessie L. Peden. McGregor served as reeve of Windsor for 6 years and as warden for Essex County from 1869 to 1870 and from 1872 to 1873. He also served as customs collector at Windsor. He died in Windsor at the age of 66.

His son Gordon took over his father's wagon factory and later became the first president of the Ford Motor Company of Canada. The town of McGregor, now part of Essex, Ontario, was named after William McGregor.