Thomas Wilson Paterson

Thomas Wilson Paterson ( born December 6, 1851 in Scotland; † August 28, 1921 in Victoria ) was a Canadian politician and railway entrepreneur. From 1909 to 1914 he was vice- governor of the province of British Columbia.

Biography

Paterson wandered in childhood with his parents to Canada and grew up in the province of Ontario. He initially worked as a laborer in railway construction and several years later a partner in a construction company. Paterson moved to British Columbia, where he hoped to better opportunities for his company. In 1883 he was awarded the contract for construction of the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway on Vancouver Iceland. After several other projects, he was from 1895 Managing Director of the Victoria and Sidney Railway, a subsidiary of the Great Northern Railway.

In 1903, Paterson joined the newly founded British Columbia Liberal Party and was elected in the same year as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. In 1907, he did not make the re-election, also he was unsuccessful with his candidacy for mayor of Victoria. Governor General Lord Grey Paterson sworn in on 11 December 1909 as Vice Governor. This representative office he held until December 17, 1914.