Hazelton Spencer
Encyclopedia
Hazelton Spencer was a soldier, political figure and judge in Upper Canada
.
He was born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island
in 1757. He moved with his family to Vermont
in 1775. In 1777, he joined the British
forces with his father. His father died and his family's property was confiscated. Spencer made his way to Upper Canada
and was stationed at Cataraqui (Kingston
), where he was given land as a loyalist officer. In 1784, when the regiment was disbanded, he settled at Fredericksburgh on the Bay of Quinte
, west of the current community of Conway.
In 1790, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Mecklenburg District. In 1792, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
, representing Lennox
, Hastings
& Northumberland
. From 1793 to 1795, he served as a district judge of the surrogate court. He was appointed lieutenant for Lennox County, a position that oversaw the magistrates and militia for the county.
In 1795, he became a captain in the Royal Canadian Volunteer Regiment, becoming major in 1797. He served as commandant at the garrison at Kingston and then at Fort George (Niagara-on-the-Lake
) until 1802. He also served as colonel in the 1st Lennox Militia from 1794 until his death.
He died in Fredericksburgh in 1813.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island
East Greenwich, Rhode Island
East Greenwich is a town in and the county seat of Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 13,146 at the 2010 census. East Greenwich is the wealthiest municipality within the state of Rhode Island....
in 1757. He moved with his family to Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
in 1775. In 1777, he joined the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
forces with his father. His father died and his family's property was confiscated. Spencer made his way to Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and was stationed at Cataraqui (Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
), where he was given land as a loyalist officer. In 1784, when the regiment was disbanded, he settled at Fredericksburgh on the Bay of Quinte
Bay of Quinte
The Bay of Quinte is a long, narrow bay shaped like the letter "Z" on the northern shore of Lake Ontario in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is just west of the head of the Saint Lawrence River that drains the Great Lakes into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
, west of the current community of Conway.
In 1790, he was appointed justice of the peace in the Mecklenburg District. In 1792, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
, representing Lennox
Lennox County, Ontario
Lennox County is a historic county in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario.As an upper-tier municipality, the county of Lennox was created on paper in 1792, but has never existed as a discrete municipal entity. From 1792 until 1864, it was part of the United Counties of Frontenac, Lennox...
, Hastings
Hastings County, Ontario
Hastings County is located in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is The Cheese Capital of Canada. Geographically, it is located on the border of Eastern Ontario and Central Ontario. The population was 125,915 in 2001 and grew to 130,474 in the 2006 Canada Census...
& Northumberland
Northumberland County, Ontario
Northumberland County is situated on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in central Ontario, Canada. It is located east of Durham County , west of Hastings, southeast of Kawartha Lakes and south of Peterborough County. The county seat is Cobourg...
. From 1793 to 1795, he served as a district judge of the surrogate court. He was appointed lieutenant for Lennox County, a position that oversaw the magistrates and militia for the county.
In 1795, he became a captain in the Royal Canadian Volunteer Regiment, becoming major in 1797. He served as commandant at the garrison at Kingston and then at Fort George (Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
) until 1802. He also served as colonel in the 1st Lennox Militia from 1794 until his death.
He died in Fredericksburgh in 1813.