Adam Thom gave his name to Lake Thom, 380 miles north of
Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada. Born in Angus, Scotland in 1802,
soon after graduating in law from Aberdeen University, he
emigrated to Canada where he founded and edited "The Settler"
in 1833 while continuing to study law. Three years later, Adam
Thom became Editor of the "Montreal Herald" before being
called to the Canadian bar. A man of undoubted ability, Adam
Thom joined Lord Durham's staff when he became
Governor-General after the revolt of the French in Lower
Canada in 1838 and is credited as being the chief author of
Durham's pro-British report of the future of Canada. When Lord
Durham's term of duty ended, Adam Thom was appointed Recorder
of Rupert's Land (i.e. Red River Court) in 1839 and became the
senior member on the Governor of Assinboia's Council. He
served in both positions for the next twelve years before
being selected as one member of a three-person committee to
report on the laws of the colony. He returned to Edinburgh in
1854 where he wrote a number of legal and political works
before retiring in London eleven years later. Three years
before his death in 1890, Dr Adam Thom became an Honorary
Fellow of St John's College, Manitoba.
