William McGregor (politician)

William McGregor (June 24, 1836 – May 14, 1903) was a Canadian businessman and political figure. He represented Essex in the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal member from 1874 to 1878 and from 1891 to 1900.

William McGregor
Personal details
Born	(1836-06-24)24 June 1836 Sarnia, Upper Canada
Died	14 May 1903(1903-05-14) (aged 66) Windsor
Spouse	Jessie L. Peden ​ (m. 1866)​
Children	Gordon McGregor
Occupation	Businessman Politician

He was born in Sarnia, Upper Canada, in 1836 and educated in Amherstburg.^[1] He supplied horses to the Union Army during the American Civil War. McGregor was president of the Walkerville Wagon Company Limited. He also owned the street railway in Windsor, a bank, a mill and a fence company.^[2] In 1866, he married Jessie L. Peden. McGregor served as reeve of Windsor for six years and as warden for Essex County from 1869 to 1870 and from 1872 to 1873. He also served as customs collector at Windsor. He died in Windsor at the age of 66.^[1]

His son Gordon took over his father's wagon factory and later became the first president of the Ford Motor Company of Canada.^[3] The town of McGregor, now part of Essex, Ontario, was named after William McGregor.

Electoral record

v t e 1878 Canadian federal election: Essex
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	J.C. Patterson	2,596	52.5%
	Liberal	William McGregor	2,318	46.9%	-23.2%
	Unknown	J.H. Morgan	27	0.5%
Total valid votes			4,941	100.0%

Canadian federal by-election, 22 October 1874
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
On Mr. McGregor being unseated on petition, 26 August 1874
	Liberal	William McGregor	1,763	70.2%	+11.4%
	Unknown	Jeremiah O'Connor	750	29.8%	-11.4%
Total valid votes			2,513	100.0%

v t e 1874 Canadian federal election: Essex
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	William McGregor	2,508	58.7%
	Unknown	John O'Connor	1,763	41.3%
Total valid votes			4,271	100.0%
Source: lop.parl.ca