John Wilson (c.1765–1819) was

Lieutenant Governor of Lower Canada The lieutenant governor of Quebec (; French (masculine): ''Lieutenant-gouverneur du Québec'', or (feminine): ''Lieutenante-gouverneure du Québec'') is the viceregal representative in Quebec of the , who operates distinctly within the province ...

in 1816.

Life

A career army officer initially in the West Indies, Wilson was ensign in the

48th Foot The 48th (Northamptonshire) Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot to form the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1881. History Early h ...

in 1782. He was captain in the

55th Foot The 55th Regiment of Foot was a British Army infantry regiment, raised in 1755. After 1782 it had a county designation added, becoming known as the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 34th (Cum ...

in 1794, and lieutenant-colonel in the

8th West India Regiment The West India Regiments (WIR) were infantry units of the British Army recruited from and normally stationed in the British colonies of the Caribbean between 1795 and 1927. In 1888 the two West India Regiments then in existence were reduced t ...

in 1798. He served in the 21st Regiment in 1804, and was in the 5th garrison battalion in 1805. In 1815 Wilson was selected to govern Canada in place of

George Prévost Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet (19 May 1767 – 5 January 1816) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who is most well known as the "Defender of Canada" during the War of 1812. Born in New Jersey, the eldest son of Genevan Augu ...

. With rank Major-General, Wilson administered Lower Canada from 21 May to 21 July 1816. He arrived late to relieve his predecessor,

Gordon Drummond General Sir Gordon Drummond, GCB (27 September 1772 – 10 October 1854) was a Canadian-born British Army officer and the first official to command the military and the civil government of Canada. As Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada, Drumm ...

had taken over, and the two quarrelled. Wilson returned to the United Kingdom from Canada and suffered about 18 months bad health, dying on 18 January 1819, at age 54. His will was granted probate on 1 March 1819, describing him as of Hatheridge, Northumberland.

Family

Wilson married Margaret Oswald, daughter of

George Oswald George Oswald of Scotstoun (1735–1819) was a Scottish merchant of Glasgow. In 1797 he was elected Rector of the University of Glasgow. Life He was the son of the Rev. James Oswald (1703–1793), and nephew of the merchant Richard Oswald (1705? ...

Notes

, - Year of birth missing 1819 deaths Lieutenant Governors of Lower Canada {{Canada-viceroy-stub