John McGill

John McGill (March 1752 December 31, 1834) was a Scottish born military officer and public official in Upper Canada. McGill is not related to James McGill, namesake of McGill University, who also had a brother named John McGill (1746-1797) who was a merchant in Montreal.

Early life and military career Born in Auckland, Scotland in 1752, McGill was deployed to Virginia in 1773 with the British Army as Lieutenant in the Queen’s Own Loyal Virginia Regiment (formed 1775 by Lord Dunmore in Norfolk, Virginia but disbanded in New York in 1776) and later merged into the Queen’s Ranger. After the American Revolution Captain McGill settled with his wife Catherine in Parrytown, New Brunswick (like due to the Regiment being relocated their in 1783) and finally York, Upper Canada in 1792.

At York McGill was Commissary of stores and provisions at Fort York and owned a large park lot of land.

Political career McGill became a member of the Executive Council of Upper Canada for York (1796–1818) and later served in the Legislative Council of Upper Canada (1797–1834). He was Inspector General of Upper Canada in 1801 and then appointed as Auditor General of Land Patents for Upper Canada (or also referred to as Receiver General) from 1813 to 1818.

Personal McGill and his wife Catherine died without living heirs (their daughter died in 1819). He passed down his estate and name to nephew Peter McGill, who changed his name as per request from McGill from Peter McCutcheon.