John Bostwick (February 24, 1780 – September 9, 1849) was a surveyor, businessman and political figure in

Upper Canada The Province of Upper Canada (french: link=no, province du Haut-Canada) was a part of British Canada established in 1791 by the Kingdom of Great Britain, to govern the central third of the lands in British North America, formerly part of the ...

. He was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts in 1780 to Gideon Bostwick. His father had obtained land in

Oxford County, Ontario Oxford County is a regional municipality in the Canadian province of Ontario. Highway 401 runs east–west through the centre of the county, creating an urban industrial corridor with more than half the county's population, spanning 25 km ...

, but died before being able to move his family. Botswick did not obtain the land in Oxford Township but rather settled on land further south in the Long Point area in 1797. He apprenticed himself to surveyor William Hambly. In 1805, he became sheriff for the

London District London District (LONDIST) is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. It was established in 1870 as ''Home District''. History In January 1876 a ‘Mobilization Scheme for the forces in ...

. He served as captain in the local militia during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

. In 1817, his family became the first settlers in the Kettle Creek area. He officially qualified as a surveyor in 1819. In 1820, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada for

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...

. He built a small warehouse and established himself as a merchant at Kettle Creek harbour, later Port Stanley. In 1829, he was named justice of the peace in the London District. In 1834, he was named customs collector at Port Stanley and continued to serve in that post until 1844. He died at Port Stanley in 1849.

References

External links

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bostwick, John 1780 births 1849 deaths People from Great Barrington, Massachusetts Members of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada