HEAD, Sir FRANCIS333s .ND, bait, an author, and ex-governor of Upper Canada, was b. at Hermitage, near RoChester, in 179,1 He entered the corps of royal engineers, and had attained the rank of caw. when, in 1825, he accepted an engagement from a private company to work some gold and silver mines on the river Plate. He crossed the Pampas from Buenos Ayres to Chili, on his return to London, published his Rough .Votes of a Journey across the Pampas. He was made a maj. in the army in 1828; and in 1835, while holding the post of assistant-contmissary of the army, on the 'agent request of lord then colonial secretary, he accepted the govenorship of Upper Canada. He declared, in pursuance of his instructions, that an elective legislative council could not be granted, and that the crown reserves would not be abandoned, except on con dition of an adequate and permanent civil list being voted. The house of assembly stopped the supplies, as a means of obtaining redress for the alleged grievances of the province. Head thereupon dissolved the house, and the result of the dissolution was in his favor. An insurrection, which had its origin, as it was said, in his injudicious
measures, broke out. lie had, with well-founded confidence in his own resources, sent away from Upper Canada the whole of the queen's army; and putting himself at the head of the militia, lie succeeded in suppressing the insurrection. In 1838 he resigned his post, and was created a baronet. He published a Narratire, in answer to sonic severe strictures and imputations of rashness and want of judgment, to which his Canadian administration had given rise. After his retirement he devoted himself to literary pursuits. He made frequent appeals on the defenseless state of the country: lie also wrote Bubbles from the Bee 7171C713 of Nassau ; A Fagot of French Sticks ; A Visit to Ireland ; The Emigrant ; Life of Bruce the Traveler, etc.; he was also a frequent con tributor to the Quarterly Renew, sortie of his articles in which were reprinted, Be died at Croydon on July 20, 1S75.