John By (1779 - 1836)

Born 7 Aug 1779 in Lambeth, Surrey, England

Died 1 Feb 1836 at age 56 in Frant, Sussex, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

John By was born in Lambeth, Surrey, England on August 7, 1779 to George By and Mary (Bryan) By. He was christened on 10 August 1779.^[1] He was formally educated as an engineer and was instrumental in the fortifications at Quebec City in Lower Canada. He was also involved in the construction of the Rideau Canal in Upper Canada. He passed away in Frant, Sussex, England, on February 1, 1836, at the age of 56 years. His probate cleared in 1858.^[2]

Early Life

John's father was employed by the London Customs House. John studied at the Royal Military Academy and went on to Officer Training when he was 18. In 1802, he was posted to Canada where he worked on the fortifications of Quebec City and improving navigation of the Saint Lawrence River.

From 1811 to 1815, he was sent to Spain where he served under the Duke of Wellington during the Napoleonic wars. He retired from the military at the end of the war.

Rideau Canal

In 1826, John was recalled to the military due to his engineering experience and again posted to Canada. He was responsible for supervising the construction of the Rideau Canal from the Saint Lawrence River near Kingston, to the Ottawa River, at what would become Bytown.

It took six years to build the canal and it was celebrated as an engineering triumph. A political scandal developed due to the massive cost overruns and Colonel By was called to London where he faced accusations of making unauthorized transactions. He was eventually exonerated, but his career was left in shambles.

Family

John By married three times. His first wife was Elizabeth Baines. They married in 1801. She died in 1814.

His second wife was Esther March, who he married in 1818. They had two daughters:

• Harriet Martha By, born 1820 and died 1842
• Esther By, born 1820 and died 1848

Legacy

During his lifetime, John By did not receive recognition for his work on the Rideau Canal. He has been honoured in a number of other ways, including:

• The Byward Market area of Ottawa, Ontario is named for him.
• A statue of him is located in Major's Hill Park, in Ottawa, Ontario.
• Colonel By Secondary School, also located in Ottawa, Ontario, was named in his honour.
• Colonel By Drive, a parkway along the canal from Rideau Street to Hogs Back falls, in Ottawa, Ontario, is named for him.
• Colonel By Hall, the engineering building at the University of Ottawa, was named for him in 2005.
• Canada Post issued a stamp to commemorate the bicentenary of his birth in 1979.
• The City of Ottawa celebrates Colonel By Day' on the August civic holiday.
• An artificial lake on the Rideau Canal is also named in his honour.
• A historical plaque is located on the grounds of Colonel By Secondary School.
• A plaque commissioned by the Ontario Archaeological and Historic Sites Board was placed at Jones Falls Lockstation.
• The Province of Ontario placed a plaque in the stairwell of Lambeth Town Hall, in Brixton, London, England, in recognition of his origins.

Sources

1. ↑ "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J7KF-36X : 10 February 2018, John By, ); citing item 5, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,595,090.
2. ↑ "England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPJ9-KFQ4 : 30 August 2018), John By, 30 Jul 1858; citing Probate, England, United Kingdom, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Great Britain.; FHL microfilm .

• Article: Lieutenant-Colonel John By
• Historical Plaque