Absalom Shade

Who was Absalom Shade?

Absalom Shade was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.

He was born in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania around 1793 and worked as a carpenter in Buffalo, New York. In 1816, he was hired by William Dickson to manage his lands in Dumfries Township in Upper Canada. Shade operated a general store, a mill and a distillery in the area. The settlement that developed on the Grand River, originally known as Shade's Mills, was later known as Galt. Shade also secured a number of contracts to supply food and build roads for the Canada Company. He helped establish the Grand River Navigation Company to help transport goods along the river. He helped establish the Gore Bank in Hamilton and also helped develop railroads in the area. He also helped to build Galt's Trinity Anglican Church in 1844 which still stands, and is in use, today.

In 1831, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada representing Halton; he served until 1841.

He died at Galt in 1862.