Peter Gow (politician)

Peter Gow (November 20, 1818 – February 24, 1886) was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1867 to 1876.

Peter Gow
Ontario MPP
In office
1867–1876
Preceded byRiding established
Succeeded byJames Massie
ConstituencyWellington South
10th Mayor of Guelph
In office
1866–1867
Preceded byWilliam Clarke
Succeeded byNathaniel Higinbotham
Personal details
Born(1818-11-20)November 20, 1818
Johnstone, Scotland
DiedFebruary 24, 1886(1886-02-24) (aged 67)
Guelph, Ontario
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
Mary Maxwell Smith
​
(m. 1857)​
Children6
OccupationBusinessman

Background

He was born in Johnstone, Scotland in 1818, the son of a shoemaker, and came to Brockville in Canada West in 1842. He later moved to Guelph, where he built mills on the Speed River, operated a tannery and produced shoes. He served on the school board and the town council in Guelph; he became reeve in 1857 and served as mayor in 1866 and 1867. He married Mary Maxwell Smith, in 1857 and they had six children.

In 1874, he was elected as the first president of the Ontario Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club.[1]

Politics

In 1867, he was elected to represent Wellington South in the 1st Parliament of Ontario as a Liberal member; he was reelected in 1871 and 1875. In both those elections, the Conservative Party chose not to run a candidate and Gow was acclaimed. He served as Provincial Secretary and Registrar of Ontario from December 1871 to October 1872. During that time, the Mowat government made the decision to locate the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph.[2]

Later life

In 1876, he resigned due to health reasons and was appointed sheriff for Wellington County, continuing to serve until his death in Guelph in 1886.

References
  1. https://www.curling.ca/hof/people/gow-hon-peter/
  2. | People in Politics
  • "Peter Gow". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press. 1979–2016.
  • Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history
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