John Kilborn (June 27, 1794 – March 25, 1888)[1] was a militiaman, merchant, lumberman and political figure in Upper Canada, and was an early settler of Newboro, North Crosby.

He was born in Elizabethtown Township, Upper Canada, the son of David Kilborn and Hannah White, and was educated near Brockville.

[1] He later recalled: I, with other men volunteered to serve in the First Flank Company of the County of Leeds, under Captain John Stuart, late Sheriff of Johnstown District, for six month’s service, and I happened to be the first man placed on duty by Lieutenant William Morris to guard the Kingston road, near the bridge at the West end of Brockville.

[1] He recalled:[1] That winter, the Parliament of Upper Canada passed a law to raise a Provincial Regiment, to serve during the war.

Unsolicited and unexpected, I received recruiting orders from the commanding officer at Prescott, to enlist a certain number of men, and get a commission in the new Battalion.

The day being hot, on reaching the Falls, we stacked arms, and rested for half-an-hour, when, again starting for our destination, we were soon met by our troops from Chippewa, they having destroyed and abandoned our works there bringing all the guns and stores that teams could be got to draw, accompanied by hundreds of women and children, besides men on foot and vehicles, making their way to Fort George, as a place of safety, the enemy being in pursuit, and not far behind.

Retracing our steps as fast as possible, we reached the foot of the mountain, at Queenston, a little after dark, where a short halt was made, and where we got a drink of muddy sulphur water that crossed the road, and had served to each man and officer about half-a-pound of bread that had been brought in an open wagon, and was pretty well filled with dust and gravel, gladly eating and drinking such as could be got.

Before too dark our line had advanced nearer the woods in front, and I could frequently see the enemy moving to our right, apparently for the purpose of outflanking us and getting to our rear – nor was I mistaken.

[1] Kilborn represented Leeds in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada from 1828 to 1830 as a Reformer alongside William Buell Jr.

He was named a justice of the peace for the Johnstown District in 1833, and owned a lumber business in Kilmarnock supplying the government with wood for the Rideau Canal.

Part of his 1832 home remains as the Stirling Lodge in Newboro and the local store "Kilborn's on the Rideau" bears his name.