John Taylor Gilmour

Who was John Taylor Gilmour?

John Taylor Gilmour was an Ontario physician, journalist and politician. He represented York West in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1886 to 1894 as a Liberal member.

He was born in Clarke Township, Durham County, Canada West in 1855, the son of Thomas Gilmour. He studied in Port Hope and at Trinity College in Toronto, receiving an M.D.. He set up practice in King Township, moving to Toronto Junction in 1884 where he served as surgeon for the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1885 to 1894. He established the Junction's first weekly newspaper, the York Tribune and served as its editor for two years. He also served as chairman of the high school board for Toronto Junction, and in this capacity was instrumental in the town acquiring its first high school which later became Humberside Collegiate Institute.

Following his stint in politics, Gilmour became active in prison reform, being named warden for the Central Prison at Toronto in 1896, a position he left to become Warden of the Ontario Reformatory at Guelph.