Thomas Wilson Paterson

Thomas Wilson Paterson

Thomas Wilson Paterson (born December 6, 1851 in Scotland , † August 28, 1921 in Victoria ) was a Canadian politician and railroad entrepreneur. From 1909 to 1914 he was Lieutenant Governor of the Province of British Columbia .

biography

Paterson immigrated to Canada with his parents as a child and grew up in the province of Ontario . He initially worked as a railway construction worker and a few years later became a partner in a construction company. Paterson moved to British Columbia because he hoped there would be better opportunities for his company. In 1883 he was awarded the contract for construction work on the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway on Vancouver Island . After several other projects, from 1895 he was managing director of the Victoria and Sidney Railway , a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway .

In 1903 Paterson joined the newly formed British Columbia Liberal Party and was elected to the British Columbia Legislative Assembly that same year . In 1907 he failed to be re-elected, and his candidacy for mayor of Victoria was also unsuccessful . Governor General Lord Gray swore in Paterson on December 11, 1909 as Lieutenant Governor. He held this representative office until December 17, 1914.

Web links

• Biography on the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia website