on 10 january 1836, the paterfamilias died. john molson jr. was disinterested in the brewery business, and hence left the field to his two brothers. thomas molson had earlier returned in 1834 from the self-imposed exile in kingston, ontario, to resume and expand the distillery business. in 1836, the aftershock of the shenanigans in the financial industry south of the border caused the canadian government to suspend specie payments (with one intermission) from 16 may 1837 to 1 june 1839, during the economic crisis of 1837 and the upper canada rebellion of 1837 and again the lower canada rebellion of 1838. the younger brothers molson filled the need with banknotes printed at their expense and printed on wall street. the cash-starved economy return sluggishly to life and the fledgling molson bank was enjoined by special decree from continuing to issue paper. the molson bank twice was denied government approbation. in 1843, william joined the board of directors of the bank of montreal.