Alexander Auldjo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexander Auldjo
Born	(1758-10-21)21 October 1758 Aberdeen
Died	21 May 1821(1821-05-21) (aged 62) London

Alexander Auldjo (born October 21, 1758 – died May 21, 1821) was an important businessman and political leader in a part of Canada called Lower Canada. He was born in Scotland and moved to Montreal, where he became very successful in trade and government.

A Life of Business and Politics

Alexander Auldjo was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1758. His father, John Auldjo, was a well-known merchant. Around 1778, Alexander moved to Montreal, which was then in British North America.

Early Business Ventures

Once in Montreal, Alexander Auldjo quickly got involved in business.

• He worked in the fur trade, which was a very important industry at the time.
• Later, he started exporting wheat, sending it to other countries.
• He also imported goods from England, bringing them into Canada.
• Auldjo owned land and buildings in Montreal and in Upper Canada.

Getting Involved in Politics

Alexander Auldjo also became active in politics.

• In 1796, he was chosen to be a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for the Montreal West area. This was like being a representative in the government.
• That same year, he became a justice of the peace for the Montreal district. This role involved keeping law and order.
• In 1800, he became a warden of Trinity House of Quebec, which helped manage shipping and navigation.

Military Service and Later Life

Auldjo also served in the local army, called the militia.

• During the War of 1812, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel.
• He worked as an agent for big insurance companies from London, like Phoenix Assurance and Pelican Life Assurance.
• In 1813, he moved back to England.
• Even from England, he stayed connected to Canada. In 1817, he became a shareholder in the Bank of Montreal.
• His brother, George Auldjo, was a very important leader in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Family Connections

Eweretta Jane Richardson, before marriage to Alexander Auldjo

In 1804, Alexander Auldjo married Eweretta Jane Richardson in Scotland. Her father, Thomas Richardson, was also a merchant.

• Eweretta Jane was the half-sister of John Richardson, another important businessman.
• Alexander and Eweretta Jane had two sons, John Auldjo and Thomas Auldjo.
• Thomas Auldjo married a daughter of William McGillivray, who was a very powerful fur trader.
• John Auldjo was a godson of Simon McGillivray, another key figure in the fur trade.
• Alexander's nephew, George Auldjo, later became a merchant in Montreal and worked with his uncle's company.

Alexander Auldjo passed away in London in 1821.