Thomas Mackay : the laird of Rideau Hall and the founding of Ottawa

The Laird of Rideau Hall explores the life and times of Thomas Mackay, the chief founder of Bytown/Ottawa. Born and raised in Perth, Scotland, Mackay and his family emigrated to Montreal in 1817. Partnering with fellow mason John Redpath, he built the locks of the first Lachine Canal, did military construction work at Fort Lennox and St. Helen's Island, and supplied stone for Montreal's Notre Dame Basilica. Engaged by Colonel By of the Royal Engineers to build the Ottawa and Hartwell Locks of the Rideau Canal, Mackay used his profits to found the village of New Edinburgh and build a mill complex at Rideau Falls, as well as the residence his daughter named Rideau Hall. With his hefty canal profits--paid in Spanish silver pieces of eight--Mackay was a major financier of the Ottawa and Prescott Railway, and chief promoter of Ottawa as the capital of Canada. He served as Colonel of the Russell and Carleton militias, was MLA for Russell for seven years, and a member of the Legislative Council of Canada for fifteen. After Mackay's death in 1855, his son-in-law and estate manager Thomas Keefer sold Rideau Hall to the government to serve as a residence for Canada's Governor General. Keefer also developed a tract of land owned by the estate into the village of Rockcliffe Park, today home to over 70 diplomatic residences. Published in English. Cover Thomas Mackay Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Figures Acknowledgements A Note on Images Other Books by Alastair Sweeny Introduction Part One: Lachine and the Rideau Canal Chapter 1: Early Ottawa Chapter 2: From Scotland to Montréal Chapter 3: Wellington’s Generals Chapter 4: Enter Colonel John By Chapter 5: 1826: The Founding of Bytown Chapter 6: 1827: Canal Cornerstones Chapter 7: How to Build a Canal Chapter 8: Jones Falls, Malaria,and Black Powder Chapter 9: The Hog’s Back Dam Disasters Chapter 10: 1829: Handsome Profits Chapter 11: 1831: Finishing the Work Chapter 12: 1832: Colonel By’s Recall Part Two: New Edinburgh and Rideau Hall Chapter 13: Militia, Politics, and Civics, 1830–1838 Chapter 14: Miller Mackay, 1830–1849 Chapter 15: Rideau Hall, 1838–1853 Chapter 16: The Capital Idea, 1841–1849 Chapter 17: Mackay a Legislative Councillor Chapter 18: Bust and Boom, 1840–1849 Chapter 19: Annexation and Reciprocity, 1849–1854 Part Three: Railway Mania Chapter 20: The Philosophy of Railroads, 1847–1853 Chapter 21: The Bytown & Prescott, 1847–1853 Chapter 22: The Keefers in Montréal, 1850–1859 Chapter 23: The Queen Approves of Ottawa, 1853–1857 Part Four: Thomas Keefer and the Mackay Estate Chapter 24 The Thomas Keefer Regime, 1855–1865 Chapter 25: The Sale of Rideau Hall Chapter 26: Keefer Develops Rockcliffe Park Appendix A: Rockcliffe Arms Appendix B: Lines on Thomas Mackay Select Bibliography Regional Studies Back Cover "The Laird of Rideau Hall explores the life and times of Thomas Mackay, the chief founder of Bytown/Ottawa. Born and raised in Perth, Scotland, Mackay and his family emigrated to Montreal in 1817. Partnering with fellow mason John Redpath, he built the locks of the first Lachine Canal, did military construction work at Fort Lennox and St. Helen's Island, and supplied stone for Montreal's Notre Dame Basilica. Engaged by Colonel By of the Royal Engineers to build the Ottawa and Hartwell Locks of the Rideau Canal, Mackay used his profits to found the village of New Edinburgh and build a mill complex at Rideau Falls, as well as the residence his daughter named Rideau Hall. With his hefty canal profits--paid in Spanish silver pieces of eight--Mackay was a major financier of the Ottawa and Prescott Railway, and chief promoter of Ottawa as the capital of Canada. He served as Colonel of the Russell and Carleton militias, was MLA for Russell for seven years, and a member of the Legislative Council of Canada for fifteen. After Mackay's death in 1855, his son-in-law and estate manager Thomas Keefer sold Rideau Hall to the government to serve as a residence for Canada's Governor General. Keefer also developed a tract of land owned by the estate into the village of Rockcliffe Park, today home to over 70 diplomatic residences."-- Provided by publisher This is the first, long overdue biography of Thomas Mackay, a major promoter of Ottawa as the capital of Canada. Mackay built the Ottawa and Hartwell Locks of the Rideau Canal, founded New Edinburgh and the Rideau Falls mill complex, built Rideau Hall, and financed the Ottawa and Prescott Railway.