Sir John Young, baronet (later baron Lisgar) was the second Governor General after Confederation and like his predecessor was an Irish nobleman and a lawyer. Like Viscount Monck, he had once held a British Cabinet post as a Lord of the Treasury and he later became Secretary to the Treasury. He acquired a brad experience in the administration of British interests in Ireland, the Ionian Islands and as Governor General of new South Wales.

Born in Bombay, on August 31, 1807, he was the son of an Irish baronet whose seat was Baillieborough Castle, County Cavan. He studied at Lincoln's Inn and was admitted to the bar in 1834. From 1831 to 1855 he sat in the House of Commons fro County Cavan.

Assuming office in Canada on February 2nd, 1869, Sir John gave some the impression that he beloved Confederation would inevitably mean the separation of Canada from the Empire, in favour of he United States. If so, he was disillusioned

He was an able administrator but not ostentatious. He made many friends and committed few errors. He was happily and continuously surprised by the vigour and vision of Canadians and their development plans.

Many eventful occasions marked his first term in office. One of the most pleasant of these was playing host to the youthful son of Queen Victoria, Prince Arthur of Connaught who, 41 years later, was to become Canada's tenth Governor General.

There had been some disappointment in Ottawa that the second Governor was a mere baronet having had a Viscount for the first. But the Canadian government had reduced the amount of compensation for the Governor General and apparently there was little competition for the job.