Robert Hamilton

Judge

1753 – 1809

81

Who was Robert Hamilton?

Robert Hamilton was a businessman, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.

He was born in Bolton, East Lothian, Scotland in 1753, the son of John Hamilton and Jane Wright. He came to Canada as part of a contract with a fur trading company operating west of the Great Lakes. In 1780, he formed a partnership with Richard Cartwright to supply goods to the British army at Fort Niagara which later expanded to include the transportation of goods across the province. Around 1784, he settled at Queenston. In 1791, with others, he won the contract for transporting military goods through the portage at Niagara. In 1788, he was named to the land board of the Nassau District and a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He opened a general store at Queenston and also acquired extensive land holding on the Niagara peninsula with his profits.

In 1792, he became a member of the Legislative Council for the province.

He was married twice: first to Catherine Robertson, née Askin, with whom he had five sons, and secondly to Mary Herkimer, with whom he had three sons and a daughter. He died at Queenston in 1809.

His sons, Alexander, Robert, George and John, went on to become important political figures in the province.

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Born
Sep 14, 1753
Scotland
Nationality
  • Canada
Profession
Died
Mar 8, 1809

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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