Beasley, Richard

  • From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Beasley_(politician)
  • Wiki Biography:
    • Richard Beasley (July 21, 1761 – February 16, 1842) was a soldier, political figure, farmer, and businessman in Upper Canada.
    • He was born in the British colony of New York in 1761 and moved to Quebec in 1777. In 1783, he partnered with Peter Smith in the fur trade. In 1788, he settled in Barton Township on Lake Ontario near the current city of Hamilton, still involved in trading furs. Richard Beasley became one of the founders of Ancaster when he gave millwright James Wilson half of the financial backing to build a grist-mill in 1791 and a sawmill in 1792.
    • In 1796, he was elected to the 2nd Parliament of Upper Canada, representing Durham, York & 1st Lincoln. He was also appointed magistrate in the same year. In the next Parliament, he represented West York, Lincoln & Haldimand and served as speaker from 1803 to 1804. In 1802, he became a lieutenant colonel in the York militia. In 1808, he was elected to represent West York in the 5th Parliament, but he was unseated because it was found that his agent had closed the polls too early. Beasley, like most of the members of the Upper Canada Legislative Assembly during this period, was a enslaver. He enslaved several people in Hamilton.
  • United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=458
  • Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/186453768/richard-beasley