Elias Hardy
Encyclopedia
Elias Hardy was an English
-born lawyer and politician in New Brunswick
. He represented Northumberland County
from 1786 to 1792 and Saint John from 1793 to 1795 in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
.
He was born in Farnham
, the son of a minister. Hardy studied law and was admitted to practise as a solicitor. He travelled to Virginia
in 1775 but found that he was unable to practise law there. After he criticized Thomas Paine
, he was force to flee to New York City
. In 1778, he was commissioned as a notary public
. Hardy married Martha Huggeford, the daughter of a New York loyalist. In 1783, he help lead a protest against a petition by a group of 55 elite loyalist for land grants of 5000 acres (20.2 km²) in Nova Scotia
. Later that year, he joined a group of loyalists settling in the Saint John River area which became part of the new colony of New Brunswick. There, he represented other settlers in protesting perceived favouritism by land agents in the distribution of property. Hardy served as common clerk for the city of Saint John
from 1790 to 1795. In 1790, he defended Munson Hoyt against a charge of slander by Benedict Arnold
after Hoyt accused Arnold of burning his own store in Saint John; Arnold's lawyer was Ward Chipman
. In the legislative assembly, he supported a bill to return the New Brunswick capitol to Saint John and stood up for the rights of the region's fishermen. He died in Saint John in 1798.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born lawyer and politician in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. He represented Northumberland County
Northumberland County, New Brunswick
Northumberland County , having the largest area of any county in the province, is located in northeastern New Brunswick, Canada.-Geography:Northumberland County is covered by thick forests, whose products stimulate the economy...
from 1786 to 1792 and Saint John from 1793 to 1795 in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton. It was established de jure when the colony was created in 1784, but only came in to session in 1786 following the first elections in late 1785. Until 1891, it was the lower house in a bicameral legislature when its upper house...
.
He was born in Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
, the son of a minister. Hardy studied law and was admitted to practise as a solicitor. He travelled to Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1775 but found that he was unable to practise law there. After he criticized Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
, he was force to flee to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1778, he was commissioned as a notary public
Notary public
A notary public in the common law world is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business...
. Hardy married Martha Huggeford, the daughter of a New York loyalist. In 1783, he help lead a protest against a petition by a group of 55 elite loyalist for land grants of 5000 acres (20.2 km²) in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. Later that year, he joined a group of loyalists settling in the Saint John River area which became part of the new colony of New Brunswick. There, he represented other settlers in protesting perceived favouritism by land agents in the distribution of property. Hardy served as common clerk for the city of Saint John
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
from 1790 to 1795. In 1790, he defended Munson Hoyt against a charge of slander by Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
after Hoyt accused Arnold of burning his own store in Saint John; Arnold's lawyer was Ward Chipman
Ward Chipman
Ward Chipman was a New Brunswick lawyer, judge and political figure. He briefly served as administrator for New Brunswick from 1823 until his death in 1824.-Early life:...
. In the legislative assembly, he supported a bill to return the New Brunswick capitol to Saint John and stood up for the rights of the region's fishermen. He died in Saint John in 1798.