John Galt (novelist)

This article is about the 18th-19th century writer. For the Ayn Rand character, see John Galt.

John Galt
Born(1779-05-02)2 May 1779
Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
Died11 April 1839(1839-04-11) (aged 59)
Greenock, Scotland
OccupationWriter, colonial businessman
NationalityScottish
Period1812–1839
Genrepoetry, drama, short stories, travel writing
Notable worksAnnals of the Parish
The Chronicle of Dalmailing, The Entail
SpouseElizabeth Tilloch
Signature

John Galt (/ɡɔːlt/; 2 May 1779 – 11 April 1839) was a Scottish novelist, entrepreneur, and political and social commentator. Galt has been called the first political novelist in the English language,[1] due to being the first novelist to deal with issues of the Industrial Revolution.

Galt was the first superintendent of the Canada Company (1826–1829). The company was formed to populate a part of what is now Southern Ontario (then known as Upper Canada) in the first half of the 19th century; it was later called "the most important single attempt at settlement in Canadian history".[2]

In 1829, Galt was recalled to Great Britain[3] for mismanagement of the Canada Company (particularly incompetent bookkeeping), and was later jailed for failing to pay his son's tuition.[4] Galt's Autobiography, published in London in 1833, includes a discussion of his life and work in Upper Canada.[5]

He was the father of Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt of Montreal, Quebec.

  1. ^ "BBC Writing Scotland, Reformers and Radicals: A Man's a Man". Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  2. ^ "Wellington County". Historic Plaques. Wayne Cook. 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2017. Plaque #4
  3. ^ Hall, Roger; Whistler, Nick (1988). "Galt, John". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. VII (1836–1850) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
  4. ^ "John Galt". Guelph Archives. City of Guelph. 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2017. From Library and Archives Canada
  5. ^ Bélanger, Claude (2005). "John Galt". Quebec History. Marianopolis College. Retrieved 22 March 2017.