Robert Jardine (railway promoter)
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railroad promoter
Robert Jardine | |
|---|---|
| Born | 12 January 1812 |
| Died | 16 June 1866 (aged 54) |
| Occupations | businessman railroad promoter |
Robert Jardine (12 January 1812 – 16 June 1866) was a Scottish-Canadian businessman and railroad promoter in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
He was born 12 January 1812 to Alexander Jardine, a mason, and Helen Davidson Girvan, Ayrshire, Scotland. Jardine emigrated to Canada in the 1830s, sailing from Ayr to St. John, New Brunswick, and was soon employed by grocer Barnabas Tilton. His younger brother, Alexander, joined him in St. John, and the pair bought Tilton's business, entering into partnership as Jardine & Co., which grew into a significant import business.[1][2]
At the same time he was involved in a number of high-profile businesses and organizations in Saint John, and served as chairman of the European and North American Railway Commission.[2] In 1854 there was a cholera epidemic and he was president of the Saint John Water Company at the time. He established a pure water system that earned him a civic commendation. The system proved its worth for decades.[1]
Jardine was the chairman of commissioners for railways in New Brunswick, from 1857 until 1865.[1][3]