Sir John Morison Gibson

Sir John Morison Gibson

Sir John Morison Gibson, businessman, lawyer, politician, lieutenant-governor of Ontario (b at Toronto 1 Jan 1842; d at Hamilton, Ont 3 June 1929). A Liberal provincial politician known for his reformist views, Gibson was responsible for the 1893 Act for the prevention of cruelty to children, which led to the creation of Children's Aid societies in Ontario. His Hamilton-centered business interests encompassed industrial promotion, real-estate development, the provision of urban services such as utilities and streetcars, and the organization and operation of interurban electric railways. In the early 20th century, companies in which he was a principal dominated the hydroelectricity supply system and radial railway network of the Hamilton-Niagara region. A renowned rifleman and militia supporter, Gibson served as first president of the Canadian Red Cross 1896-1910 and was lieutenant-governor of Ontario 1908-14.