Hugh Christopher Thomson
Encyclopedia
Hugh Christopher Thomson (1791 – April 23, 1834) was a businessman, newspaper publisher and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Kingston
in Upper Canada in 1791, the son of a Scottish
immigrant who served with Joseph Brant
during the American Revolution
. The family moved from Kingston to Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake
) and then York (Toronto
), where Thomson began work as a clerk in a general store. In 1810, he was transferred to Kingston. Although a member of the local militia, he did not serve in the War of 1812
due to poor health. In 1815, his employer returned to France
and Thomson purchased the Kingston store. In 1819, he became editor and owner of the Upper Canada Herald, a weekly newspaper, which soon had the largest circulation of any newspaper in Upper Canada. He also printed pamphlets, books and reports, including The statutes of the province of Upper Canada in 1831.
In 1824, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
as a moderate reformer; he was reelected in 1828 and 1830. He supported the freedom of the press, opposed the control of the clergy reserves by the Church of England and supported granting the same rights as British subjects to American
-born settlers in Upper Canada. With the replacement of Sir Peregrine Maitland
by Sir John Colborne
as lieutenant governor, Thomson began to support the government's positions in the legislative assembly. He also withdrew his support from William Lyon Mackenzie
as Mackenzie adopted more radical views. In 1831, he seconded James Hunter Samson
's motion to expel Mackenzie from the house. He helped establish the provincial penitentiary at Kingston, later the Kingston Penitentiary
.
He died in Kingston in 1834, after suffering several occurrences of bleeding in his lungs.
His second wife, Elizabeth Ruttan, who had taken over the operation of the newspaper in 1824 while Samson was in York, continue to run it until 1837, thus becoming the first woman to publish a newspaper in the province.
His brother Edward William Thomson
was also a member of the legislative assembly of the province.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
in Upper Canada in 1791, the son of a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
immigrant who served with Joseph Brant
Joseph Brant
Thayendanegea or Joseph Brant was a Mohawk military and political leader, based in present-day New York, who was closely associated with Great Britain during and after the American Revolution. He was perhaps the most well-known American Indian of his generation...
during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. The family moved from Kingston to Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
) and then York (Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
), where Thomson began work as a clerk in a general store. In 1810, he was transferred to Kingston. Although a member of the local militia, he did not serve in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
due to poor health. In 1815, his employer returned to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Thomson purchased the Kingston store. In 1819, he became editor and owner of the Upper Canada Herald, a weekly newspaper, which soon had the largest circulation of any newspaper in Upper Canada. He also printed pamphlets, books and reports, including The statutes of the province of Upper Canada in 1831.
In 1824, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
as a moderate reformer; he was reelected in 1828 and 1830. He supported the freedom of the press, opposed the control of the clergy reserves by the Church of England and supported granting the same rights as British subjects to American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-born settlers in Upper Canada. With the replacement of Sir Peregrine Maitland
Peregrine Maitland
Sir Peregrine Maitland, KCB, GCB was a British soldier and colonial administrator who played first-class cricket from 1798 to 1808....
by Sir John Colborne
John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton
Field Marshal John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, GCB, GCMG, GCH, PC was a British field marshal and colonial governor.-Early service:...
as lieutenant governor, Thomson began to support the government's positions in the legislative assembly. He also withdrew his support from William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie was a Scottish born American and Canadian journalist, politician, and rebellion leader. He served as the first mayor of Toronto, Upper Canada and was an important leader during the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion.-Background and early years in Scotland, 1795–1820:Mackenzie was...
as Mackenzie adopted more radical views. In 1831, he seconded James Hunter Samson
James Hunter Samson
James Hunter Samson was a lawyer and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Ireland around 1800 and came to Canada with his father's unit of the British Army in 1813. He studied at York , where he became close friends with Robert Baldwin...
's motion to expel Mackenzie from the house. He helped establish the provincial penitentiary at Kingston, later the Kingston Penitentiary
Kingston Penitentiary
Kingston Penitentiary is a maximum security prison located in Kingston, Ontario between King Street West and Lake Ontario....
.
He died in Kingston in 1834, after suffering several occurrences of bleeding in his lungs.
His second wife, Elizabeth Ruttan, who had taken over the operation of the newspaper in 1824 while Samson was in York, continue to run it until 1837, thus becoming the first woman to publish a newspaper in the province.
His brother Edward William Thomson
Edward William Thomson
Edward William Thomson was a farmer and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Kingston in 1794 and settled in Scarborough Township in 1808. He served with the York militia during the War of 1812 and the Rebellions of 1837, eventually commanding the 5th militia district in Canada West...
was also a member of the legislative assembly of the province.