John Solomon Cartwright

John Solomon Cartwright, born on September seventeenth, eighteen oh four, was a prominent figure in Kingston, Upper Canada, known for his multifaceted career as a businessman, lawyer, judge, and farmer. A staunch supporter of the Family Compact, he played a significant role in the political landscape of Upper Canada, aligning himself with the Compact Tory group in both the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada and the Province of Canada.

Despite being relatively young at the age of thirty-two when first elected in eighteen thirty-six, Cartwright quickly established himself as an influential member of the Assembly. He was approached by two governors general to join the executive council of the Province of Canada but declined, preferring not to associate with the radical Reform members. His political stance included a willingness to incorporate French-Canadians into the government, although he opposed the use of the French language in legislative and judicial proceedings.

Following the Upper Canada Rebellion of eighteen thirty-seven, Cartwright took on the role of prosecutor in the trials of alleged rebels and served as a military judge in the court martial of Nils von Schoultz, who had led an invasion from the United States. During these trials, he collaborated with John A. Macdonald, a rising legal talent who would later become Canada's Prime Minister. In addition to his legal endeavors, Cartwright was successful in banking and land transactions, further solidifying his wealth.

Cartwright was not only a man of law but also a bon vivant, enjoying high-stakes gambling, horse racing, and the finer things in life, including exquisite food and wine. He owned a substantial farming estate near Kingston and generously donated land and buildings for public use in Kingston and the neighboring community of Napanee. Tragically, his life was cut short when he succumbed to tuberculosis in eighteen forty-five at the age of forty.