Sir John Caldwell (1775-1842)

The Hon. Sir John Caldwell, 6th Bt., M.L.C., Receiver-General of Lower Canada

Associated Houses

Caldwell Manor

Etchemin, Pointe-LĂ©vis

He was born at Quebec and was a first cousin of George Hamilton of Hamwood. He was called to the Bar of Lower Canada in 1798. In 1804, he was elected a Member of the Legislative Assembly and in 1810 he succeeded his father as the Receiver-General of Lower Canada. In 1826, it was discovered that his father had embezzled a significant amount of money and his seigneury at Lauzon was seized.

It was at Lauzon that John had lived "like a baron of old" at Caldwell Manor where his tenants likened him to, "a king". He was a founding member and Vice-President of the Literary & Historical Society of Quebec. He married Jane, daughter of James Davidson which made him brother-in-law to his cousin Chief Justice Edward Bowen, of Quebec. In 1830, he inherited the Baronetcy of Castle Caldwell in Ireland and became a Count of Milan through succession of another cousin. He died insolvent at the Tremont House hotel in Boston where he had lived for some years as a recluse, but having successfully managed to avoid repaying his father's debts for the benefit of his son. He was survived by a son and daughter, but after his son died the baronetcy became extinct.
Contributed by Mark Meredith on 02/02/2022 and last updated on 26/01/2023.