Thomas Wilson Paterson

Thomas Wilson Paterson (6 December 1850 – 28 August 1921) was a Canadian railway contractor, politician, and the ninth Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.[1]

Thomas Wilson Paterson
9th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
In office
December 3, 1909 – December 5, 1914
MonarchsEdward VII
George V
Governors GeneralThe Earl Grey
the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
PremierRichard McBride
Preceded byJames Dunsmuir
Succeeded byFrancis Stillman Barnard
MLA for North Victoria
In office
December 23, 1902 – October 3, 1903
Preceded byJohn Paton Booth
Succeeded bydistrict abolished
MLA for The Islands
In office
October 3, 1903 – February 2, 1907
Preceded bynew member
Succeeded byAlbert Edward McPhillips
Personal details
Born(1850-12-06)6 December 1850
Darvel, Ayr, Scotland
Died28 August 1921(1921-08-28) (aged 70)
Victoria, British Columbia
NationalityCanadian
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
Emma Elizabeth Riley
(m. 1886)
OccupationRailway contractor
ProfessionPolitician

Railway career

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After moving to British Columbia in 1885,[2] he helped to build the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway line on Vancouver Island.[1] In 1895, he became general manager of the Victoria and Sidney Railway.[1] In 1897, Paterson filed for and was granted a patent for a spark catcher and smoke burner for locomotives.[3] The following year, he filed for a patent in the United States as well.[4]

Political career

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In 1902, Paterson ran as an independent candidate in a byelection for the provincial riding of North Victoria prompted by the death of the incumbent, John Paton Booth. He defeated a government-aligned candidate by 43 votes (12% of the votes cast). For the 1903 election, the North Victoria riding was abolished during redistribution, and Thomas ran as a Liberal candidate in the newly created riding of The Islands. He defeated a Conservative candidate by 67 votes (19% of the votes cast). In the 1907 election, a new Conservative candidate won by 6 votes (2% of votes cast), and Thomas was unseated.[5]

In 1907, he was defeated when running for mayor of Victoria.

From 1909 to 1914, he was the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. In 1912, he presented a cup to the Pacific Coast Hockey Association.[6] The cup was first won by the New Westminster Royals, who were PCHA champions in the PCHA's first season.[7]

Family and personal life

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Born in Darvel, Scotland,[8] he immigrated to Canada with his parents. He was raised in Ontario.[1]

Paterson married Emma Elizabeth Riley, the daughter of George Riley in Victoria on November 25, 1886.[9] Paterson retired in 1914. He died in Victoria on August 28, 1921,[10] and was buried in Ross Bay Cemetery.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia biography". Government House. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
  2. ^ "Paterson, Thomas Wilson". British Columbia Archival Information Network. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
  3. ^ Canadian Intellectual Property Office: Patent 56793 Summary
  4. ^ Google Patents: Thomas wilson paterson: US 601355 A
  5. ^ Electoral History of British Columbia 1871-1986. Victoria, BC: Elections British Columbia (1988), pages 91, 93, 102, 405.
  6. ^ The Paterson Cup presented to the Pacific Coast Hockey Association champions The New Westminster Hockey Team
  7. ^ Thomas Wilson Paterson - Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
  8. ^ "Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950". FamilySearch.org. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  9. ^ "Marriage Registration of Thomas Wilson Paterson and Emma Elisabeth Riley, Registration: 1886-09-003141". BC Archives - Royal BC Museum. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  10. ^ "British Columbia Death Registrations, 1872-1986; 1992-1993", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLG9-82K : 30 September 2015), Thomas Wilson Paterson, 1921.