John Richardson (businessman) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Hon. John Richardson
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| Born | 1754 |
| Died | 18 May 1831 (aged 76–77) |
| Known for | Co-founder of the Bank of Montreal; Co-founder and first President of the Montreal General Hospital; founder of the XY Company. |
John Richardson (around 1754 – May 18, 1831) was a very important businessman in Montreal, Canada. He was born in Scotland and became a Member of Parliament (M.P.) and a Justice of the Peace (J.P.). He worked with his cousin, John Forsyth, in trade.
John Richardson helped start the XY Company and was one of the people who created the Bank of Montreal. He was also a strong supporter of the British government. He represented Montreal East in the first Parliament of Lower Canada. He spoke for the business people there. He was also a smart person who loved learning about history, law, and poetry. He gave a lot of money to churches and was the first president of the Montreal General Hospital. A part of the hospital was even named after him.
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Early Life in Scotland
John Richardson was born around 1754 in a place called Portsoy, in Banffshire, Scotland. His father, Thomas Richardson, was a successful merchant. His mother was Helen Stewart. Later, his father married Helen Phynn. This marriage connected John to important families like the Forsyths and Ellices. His sister Eweretta married Alexander Auldjo, and another sister, Anna, was the mother of Thomas Thain.
Adventures During the American Revolution
After studying at King's College, Aberdeen, John Richardson started working in 1774. He joined his uncle's fur-trading company, Phynn, Ellice & Co. This company had its main operations in Schenectady, New York.
As the American Revolutionary War began, his uncle moved the company's North American base to Montreal. John Richardson supported the British side during the war. He worked for John Porteous, who supplied goods to the British Army in New York City and Philadelphia.
By 1779, John Richardson became a Captain of Marines on a private ship called the Vengeance. This ship was a "privateer," meaning it was a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships during wartime. John Richardson wrote letters describing his exciting adventures. He talked about the dangers and confusion of being a privateer. He even famously said, "Let us only see a vessel and we are not afraid but we will soon come up with her."
Building a Fur Trade Business in Montreal
In 1787, John Richardson moved to Montreal. He helped his cousin, John Forsyth, reorganize a trading company. This company was very involved in the fur trade.
John Richardson quickly became active in politics. He might have helped keep British forts in American territory until 1796. The company soon became known as Forsyth Richardson. In 1798, they joined with other traders to form the XY Company.
Later, the famous explorer Alexander Mackenzie joined the XY Company in 1800. After a few years of strong competition with the North West Company, the two companies merged. John Richardson's group kept a quarter of the shares in the new, larger company.
John Richardson's Time in Politics
Even though he wasn't fully happy with the Constitutional Act of 1791, John Richardson ran in the first election in 1792. He and Joseph Frobisher were elected to represent Montreal East. He worked very hard in the assembly. However, he found the experience frustrating. Because of this, he did not run for election in 1796 or 1800.
In 1804, he won a seat for Montreal West. For the next four years, he fought for the interests of English-speaking people and businesses. His strong opinions made some voters unhappy. He lost his election in 1808 in Montreal West.
In 1808, Governor Sir James Henry Craig chose John Richardson to be a messenger. He carried messages between the Legislative Council of Lower Canada and the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. In 1811, he became a full member of the Legislative Council. He held this important position until he passed away. In 1815, he was given a large piece of land, about 29,800 acres, in a place called Grantham.
Private Life and Family Connections
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In 1806, John Richardson was part of a group that helped build Nelson's Column, Montreal. This monument still stands today. John Richardson was interested in many things beyond business. He was the President of the Natural History Society of Montreal. He enjoyed reading about modern and ancient history, law, and poetry. He especially liked the poet Lord Byron.
After his death, in 1833, John Richardson's home in Montreal became a hotel. In 1820, a visitor named John Jeremiah Bigsby described a dinner party at the Richardsons' home. He said the food and service were excellent. The guests were well-dressed and had interesting conversations. Many of them had been educated in England. There was also beautiful music.
In 1821, John Richardson, William McGillivray, and Samuel Gerrard worked together to buy land. They wanted to build the Montreal General Hospital. The hospital was built in 1821. John Richardson was chosen to lead the group that oversaw its construction. He then became the hospital's first president. In 1832, a new part of the hospital, the west wing, was named after him. A plaque honored his kindness and how much he gave to help start and support the hospital. He was also a generous supporter of both the Presbyterian and Anglican churches.
In 1794, John Richardson married Sarah Ann Grant (1773-1847) in Montreal. She was the niece of William Grant. John and Sarah Ann Richardson had seven children:
- Ann Richardson (1797–1880) married David Ogden. Later, she married Thomas Brown Anderson, who was president of the Bank of Montreal.
- Eweretta Richardson (died 1874) married Colonel William Denny in 1846.
- Helen Richardson married George Auldjo in 1816. He was a nephew of her aunt Eweretta's husband.
- John Richardson (1804–1819).
- Elizabeth Jane Richardson (1806–1826).
- Thomas Richardson (died 1834) became a merchant in Calcutta, India.
- Charlotte Richardson (1808–1884) married Rev. James Ramsay. He ran a school for boys in Montreal.
