General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie was born on October 23, 1770, in Dalhousie Castle, Midlothian, Scotland.

He was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator. He was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh, and the University of Edinburgh. Following his father’s death in 1787, he decided to pursue a military career and in 1788, he purchased a cornetcy in the 3rd Dragoons. He was promoted to captain, later major of the 2nd Foot and lieutenant-colonel. He led its 2nd battalion in the West Indies in 1795 and was wounded during an unsuccessful attack against a French party on Martinique. He was stationed in Ireland during the rebellion of 1798 and he commanded assaults on the forts at Abukir and Rosetta (Rashīd), Egypt, in 1801. Promoted to major-general in 1808, he participated in expeditions to Netherlands, Spain, and France. He received several honours for his services, a Knight Companion (KB) in 1813, and a Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in 1815 when he was also created Baron Dalhousie in the peerage of the UK. In 1830, he was promoted to general. After the war, he embarked on a career as a colonial administrator. From 1816 to 1820 he was Governor of Nova Scotia, where he created Dalhousie College, Nova Scotia's first college, which grew into Dalhousie University. He was also Governor-General of British North America from 1820 to 1828 and later Commander-in-Chief in India.

In 1805, he married Christian Broun. He died on March 21, 1838, in Dalhousie Castle, Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, Scotland.