John William Gamble

Who was John William Gamble?

John William Gamble was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada and Canada West.

He was born in York in 1799 and grew up in Kingston. He was the son of John Gamble, a Loyalist surgeon with the Queen's Rangers. His mother, He operated a store with his brother William. He settled in Etobicoke Township, but later moved to Pine Grove in Vaughan, Township, where he set up a grist mill, a distillery and cloth factory. He served 14 terms as reeve for the township. He also served as justice of the peace in the Home District and served in the local militia. In 1838, he was elected in 1st York to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. He opposed the Union of the two Canadas in 1841, but later represented South York in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1851 to 1857. Originally supporting free trade, he later opposed reciprocity in trade with the United States.

He died in Pine Grove in 1873.