Alexander Grant (Upper Canada politician)

Alexander Grant (20 May 1734 – 8 May 1813) was a Royal Navy officer, businessman, and politician in Upper Canada. During his service with the Royal Navy Grant saw action in the Seven Years' War before becoming a naval superintendent. He then embarked on a career in the ship building industry before losing much of his wealth during the American Revolution. Grant recovered, however, and rose to prominence in civil society, becoming the administrator of Upper Canada in 1805.

02nd Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada Alexander Grant
Administrator of the Government
In office 11 August 1805 – 24 August 1806
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Peter Hunter
Succeeded by	Francis Gore
Constituency	Upper Canada
Justice of the Peace
In office 3 January 1786 – 8 May 1813
Constituency	Western District, Upper Canada
Deputy Superintendent General of Indian affairs
In office 15 January 1799 – March 1799 Serving with Thomas McKee and James Baby
Preceded by	Alexander McKee
Succeeded by	William Claus
Member of the Executive Council of Upper Canada
In office 9 July 1792 – 8 May 1813
Monarch	George III
Governor	John Graves Simcoe
Member of the Legislative Council of Upper Canada
In office 12 July 1792 – 8 May 1813
Monarch	George III
Governor	John Graves Simcoe
Personal details
Born	(1734-05-20)20 May 1734 Glenmoriston, Scotland
Died	8 May 1813(1813-05-08) (aged 78) Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Resting place	St. John's Churchyard, Sandwich, Upper Canada
Occupation	Royal Navy officer, Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Naval superintendent, businessman
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	77th Regiment of Foot (Montgomery's Highlanders) Royal Navy
Rank	Ensign
Battles/wars	Seven Years' War

Naval career

Grant entered the Royal Navy in 1755 and saw service in North America, on Lake Champlain, during the Seven Years' War. Grant became a naval superintendent in 1763, with his headquarters on Navy Island (in the Niagara River), before moving to Detroit, Michigan. His headquarters again changed, every winter, during which time the regiment was in New York City, up to 1774.[1]

Merchant career

He began to build his own vessels, essentially selling them to himself at a considerable profit. He built a commercial empire by also selling or renting ships to merchants and this was initially solidified during the American Revolution during which he was given military command of most of the Great Lakes.

However, in the course of the revolution Grant lost much of his income with the loss of 12,000 acres (49 km²) of land he owned in New York, and the end of his participation in private shipping.

Civil career

Grant recovered, however, and rose to prominence in civil society, being appointed a justice of the peace in 1786 and, to a succession of governmental and political positions (in both Upper Canada and Lower Canada), he joined the Executive Council of Upper Canada under governor John Graves Simcoe as well as the Legislative Council. In 1799, Grant became a deputy superintendent of Indian Affairs.

In August 1805, Grant became administrator of Upper Canada, upon the death of Lieutenant-Governor Peter Hunter, and continued Hunter's policies until a new lieutenant governor, Francis Gore, arrived from Britain, in August 1806.

Grant died in 1813 at his home Castle Grant in Grosse Pointe Farms near Detroit and was buried on the other side of the Detroit River in Sandwich, now Windsor, Ontario.

References

1. "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online". Retrieved 26 March 2008.

External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
• Biography at the Biography Research Guide
• Alexander Grant at Ontario Plaques

Government offices
Preceded by Peter Hunter	Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada 1805–1806	Succeeded by Francis Gore