Samuel Gerrard
Samuel Gerrard (1767 – March 24, 1857) was a Canadian fur trader, businessman, militia officer, justice of the peace, politician, and seigneur. He was the second president of the Bank of Montreal. From 1838 to 1841, he was a member of the Special Council of Lower Canada. In 1841, he acquired the seigneuries of Lanaudière and Carufel.
Samuel Gerrard | |
---|---|
2nd President of the Bank of Montreal | |
In office 1820–1826 | |
Preceded by | John Gray |
Succeeded by | Horatio Gates |
Member of the Special Council of Lower Canada | |
In office 1838–1841 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 1767 Gibbstown House, Co. Meath |
Died | March 24, 1857 89–90) Montreal, Canada East | (aged
Gerrard was born in Ireland at Gibbstown House, County Meath. The Gerrards were a prosperous Anglo-Irish family who had held Gibbstown, an estate of some 1,270 acres, since the mid 17th century, and previous to that were seated at nearby Clongill Castle.[1][2][3] Samuel was probably a grandson of the Samuel Gerrard of Gibbstown who was a friend of Jonathan Swift and visited London and Bath in 1740.[4] Samuel was probably a younger brother of the John Gerrard (d.1838) who was High Sheriff of Meath in 1818. By 1785, at the age of eighteen, Samuel Gerrard was established at Montreal as a merchant concerned with the fur trade from Timiskaming. In 1791, he went into partnership with his future brother-in-law, William Grant, and Étienne-Charles Campion. Gerrard acted as the firm's accountant, receiving a quarter of the profits.[5]
Legacy
Gerrard Street in Toronto is named in his honour.
External links
- "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.
- "Samuel Gerrard". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
References
- North Leinster: The Counties of Longford, Louth, Meath and Westmeath
- Topographical Dictionary of Ireland
- Galway Landed Estates Database
- The Alexander Pope Encyclopedia
- "Samuel Gerrard". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
Business positions | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by John Gray |
President of the Bank of Montreal 1820-1826 |
Succeeded by Horatio Gates |