John Hamilton (Ontario politician)

He was educated in Queenston and Edinburgh, Scotland and first worked as a clerk in Montreal, Quebec.

In 1824, with his stepbrother Robert, he established the Queenston Steamboat Company which operated a number of ships transporting goods on Lake Ontario.

In 1857, after his former competitors had gone bankrupt, he began operating on Lake Ontario again.

A Conservative, he was appointed to the Senate on 23 October 1867 by royal proclamation following the Canadian Confederation of 1867.

He served in that capacity, representing the province of Ontario and Kingston until his death.