Background
He was born in Alnwick, Northumberland, England a son of the Holy Island branch of the Selby family.
He was born in Alnwick, Northumberland, England a son of the Holy Island branch of the Selby family.
He joined the 5th Foot Regiment in Ireland in 1781, and arrived in Detroit with the regiment in 1790. In 1792, he was appointed assistant secretary of Indian Affairs by Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe and took up residence in Amherstburg. In 1802, he became a justice of the peace in the Western District.
In 1807, he moved to York (Toronto).
In 1808, he was appointed to the Executive Council of Upper Canada and appointed receiver general. In 1809, he was also appointed auditor general.
In the spring of 1813, he became seriously ill and died in May of the same year.