James McGill

James McGill
Portrait c. 1800-1810
Born	(1744-10-06)October 6, 1744 Glasgow, Scotland
Died	December 19, 1813(1813-12-19) (aged 69) Montreal, Lower Canada
Resting place	In front of the Arts Building 45°30′18″N 73°34′38″W / 45.50500°N 73.57722°W / 45.50500; -73.57722
Other names	James McGill III
Citizenship	Lower Canadian
Alma mater	University of Glasgow
Known for	Founder of McGill University
Spouse(s)	Charlotte Trottier Desrivières, née Guillimin
Parent(s)	Margaret Gibson, James McGill

James McGill (October 6, 1744 – December 19, 1813) was a Scottish-born businessman, politician, slaveholder, and philanthropist best known for being the founder of McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Montreal West and appointed to the Executive Council of Lower Canada in 1792. He was an honorary lieutenant colonel of the 1st Battalion, Montreal Militia, a predecessor unit of The Canadian Grenadier Guards. He was also a prominent member of the Château Clique and one of the original founding members of the Beaver Club. His summer home stood within the Golden Square Mile.

McGill was a highly influential and record breaking trader (specifically with furs) within Canada during his life, with it being argued that McGill was "the richest man in Montreal" at the time of his death by his business contemporaries in reflection. Two prime examples of McGill's status as a record-breaking and influential trader are: 1) McGill (along with a group of some four other merchants) sending 12 canoes to a port in modern-day Minnesota which "appeared to mark the beginning of large-scale trade" both in the north-west territory (of North America) and "of the North West Company (in Canada)" and 2) McGill being the largest investor of the fur trade within Lower Canada and Montreal in 1782, with some 26,000 Pound Sterling not adjusted for inflation.^[1]