John McGregor (Upper Canada politician)

John McGregor (ca. 1751 – February 12 1828) was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.

He was born in Scotland around 1751 and came to Detroit in 1784. When the British withdrew from that area, he moved to Sandwich (Windsor). He became a merchant there in partnership with his cousin. He had a boat built to transport grain and took over a gristmill from Thomas Clark in 1810 when Clark defaulted on a loan. In 1800, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Western District. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada for Kent in 1804 and reflected in 1808 and 1812. He served as road commissioner for the Western District. During the War of 1812, he served with the local militia, becoming lieutenant. Some of his supplies were stolen by American troops; he agreed to sell them grain while they occupied Sandwich since, otherwise, they would have taken it anyway. He apparently received nothing more than a promissory note. The British Army also used wood from his houses for firewood. Two of his mills were burned to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Americans. McGregor later lost an arm during the war. In 1815, he was accused of collaborating with the enemy, because of his sale of supplies to them.

He received compensation for some of his losses and was able to reestablish his business. He died in Amherstburg in 1828.

External links

* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=3016 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]