George Jackson was a Canadian

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 mill owner and politician from Durham, Ontario

Durham, Ontario

Durham is a community in the municipality of West Grey, Grey County, Ontario, Canada. Durham is located near the base of the Bruce Peninsula.-Location:...

. He served as a representative in the Canadian Assembly

Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada

The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...

 and, after Confederation

Canadian Confederation

Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...

, as a Member of Parliament for the electoral district

Electoral district (Canada)

An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...

 of Grey South

Grey South

Grey South was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1876 to 1917. It was located in the province of Ontario...

.

Jackson was born in Fearby

Fearby

Fearby is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located south-west of Bedale and west of Masham. Nearby settlements include Healey, High Ellington and Swinton....

, Yorkshire

Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...

, was educated in Yorkshire and became a merchant in the city of Durham

Durham

Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...

 in England. In 1844, he immigrated to Canada and purchased a mill near Hurontario (now Collingwood

Collingwood, Ontario

Collingwood is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is situated on Nottawasaga Bay at the southern point of Georgian Bay.-History:...

). He expanded and built other mills at the site.

In 1832, he married Susan Merritt.

Jackson served from 1848 to 1854 as the crown land agent for both Grey

Grey County, Ontario

Grey County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. The county seat is in Owen Sound. The population was 92,411 in 2006. It is located in the subregion of Southern Ontario named Southwestern Ontario...

 and Bruce Counties

Bruce County, Ontario

Bruce County is a county in western Ontario, Canada, and includes the Bruce Peninsula. As of 2006, the population was 65,349. The area was . The county seat is Walkerton, Ontario. It is located at ....

. In 1854, he was elected to represent Grey in the Canadian Assembly

Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada

The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...

, and reelected several times. Jackson also served as warden for Grey County from 1858 to 1860 and reeve of Bentinck (later Durham

Durham, Ontario

Durham is a community in the municipality of West Grey, Grey County, Ontario, Canada. Durham is located near the base of the Bruce Peninsula.-Location:...

). When the colonies of Canada were confederated, he was elected to represent the Grey South district as an MP in the Canadian House of Commons

Canadian House of Commons

The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...

 in 1867. He was defeated by George Landerkin

George Landerkin

George Landerkin was a Canadian physician and political figure. He represented Grey South in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal member from 1872 to 1878 and from 1882 to 1900...

 in 1872 but was later returned to parliament, serving from 1878 until 1882.

Jackson first entered politics as a Liberal

Liberal Party of Canada

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

, but chose to support John A. Macdonald

John A. Macdonald

Sir John Alexander Macdonald, GCB, KCMG, PC, PC , QC was the first Prime Minister of Canada. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, his political career spanned almost half a century...

 and became a Conservative

Conservative Party of Canada (historical)

The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...

, although from 1878 he caucused as a Liberal-Conservative. He retired from politics after being defeated in 1882 and died in 1885 at Durham.