Alexander Auldjo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alexander Auldjo
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Born | |
Died | 21 May 1821 |
(aged 62)
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.
Contents
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
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.