James Durand
Encyclopedia
James Durand was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Abergavenny
, Wales
in 1775 and came to Upper Canada in 1802 to deal with delinquent accounts on behalf of a group of London
merchants. Having seized
the Bridgewater Works at Chippawa
, Durand purchased the operation from his employers. He also established a trading depot near Long Point
. In 1810, he sold the operation at Chippawa due to a downturn
in the produce market. He served in the Lincoln militia during the War of 1812
. In 1815, he became the representative for West York
in the 6th Parliament of Upper Canada
in a by-election
after Abraham Markle
joined the Americans
. Durand criticized the introduction of martial law
during the war. With John Willson
, he drafted the Common Schools Act of 1816, which introduced public support of elementary school
s. He also helped establish the Gore District with Hamilton
as the district town. In 1817, he was elected in the riding of Wentworth
and served until 1820. He was a partner in the Desjardins Canal Company, expanded his land holdings and built sawmill
s to process his timber holdings.
He died in Hamilton, Ontario
in 1833.
, later also became a member of the Legislative Assembly. The Durand neighbourhood in Hamilton was also named after him. It is bounded by Main Street West
(north), Queen Street South
(west), James Street South
(east) and the Niagara Escarpment
(south). Landmarks in this neighbourhood include the Hamilton City Hall, Canadian Football Hall of Fame Museum
, Whitehern Museum
, James Street South shopping district and Durand Park, also named after him.
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 Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1775 and came to Upper Canada in 1802 to deal with delinquent accounts on behalf of a group of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
merchants. Having seized
Repossession
Repossession is generally used to refer to a financial institution taking back an object that was either used as collateral or rented or leased in a transaction. Repossession is a "self-help" type of action in which the party having right of ownership of the property in question takes the property...
the Bridgewater Works at Chippawa
Chippawa, Ontario
Chippawa is a community located within the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario.The village was founded in 1850, and became part of the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario by amalgamation in 1970. It is located on the Canadian shore of the Niagara River about 2 km upstream from Niagara Falls. It is...
, Durand purchased the operation from his employers. He also established a trading depot near Long Point
Long Point
This page relates to a sandspit in Norfolk County, Ontario. For other places called Long Point, see Long Point Long Point is a sand spit on the north shore of Lake Erie, part of Norfolk County in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is about 40 kilometres long and is about a kilometre across at its...
. In 1810, he sold the operation at Chippawa due to a downturn
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
in the produce market. He served in the Lincoln militia during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. In 1815, he became the representative for West York
York County, Ontario
York County is a historic county in Upper Canada, Canada West, and the Canadian province of Ontario.York County was created in 1792 and was part of the jurisdiction of Home District of Upper Canada...
in the 6th Parliament of Upper Canada
6th Parliament of Upper Canada
The 6th Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 27 July 1812. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in June 1812. All sessions were held at York, Upper Canada....
in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
after Abraham Markle
Abraham Markle
Abraham Markle was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada and co-proprietor of Terre Haute, Indiana.He was born in Ulster County, New York in 1770...
joined the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Durand criticized the introduction of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
during the war. With John Willson
John Willson
John Willson was a judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in New Jersey in 1776. He arrived in the Niagara District around 1789 and settled in Saltfleet Township, where he became a farmer, in 1797. In 1809, he was elected to the 5th Parliament of Upper Canada in a by-election in...
, he drafted the Common Schools Act of 1816, which introduced public support of elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s. He also helped establish the Gore District with Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
as the district town. In 1817, he was elected in the riding of Wentworth
Wentworth County, Ontario
Wentworth County, area , is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.It was created in 1816 as part of the Gore District in what was then Upper Canada and later Canada West...
and served until 1820. He was a partner in the Desjardins Canal Company, expanded his land holdings and built sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
s to process his timber holdings.
He died in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
in 1833.
Tribute
Durand Park in Hamilton was named after him. His son, JamesJames Durand, Jr.
James Durand was a merchant and political figure in Upper Canada and Canada West.He was born in London, England, the son of James Durand. His brother was named Charles Morrison Durand. He represented Halton in the 12th Parliament of Upper Canada and the 1st Parliament of the Province of Canada. He...
, later also became a member of the Legislative Assembly. The Durand neighbourhood in Hamilton was also named after him. It is bounded by Main Street West
Main Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Main Street, is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts east of Wilson Street in Ancaster at White Chapel Cemetery as a two-way street and switches over to a one-way street at Paradise Road South, in Westdale, where it continues up to the Delta where it once again...
(north), Queen Street South
Queen Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
Queen Street, is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at Beckett Drive, a mountain-access road in the city and is a two-way street up to Herkimer Street and a one-way street the rest of the way north up to the Canadian National Railway Yard where the road turns...
(west), James Street South
James Street (Hamilton, Ontario)
James Street is a Lower City arterial road in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. It starts off at the base of the Niagara Escarpment from James Mountain Road, a mountain-access road in the city, originally was a one-way street going south throughout but now has sections of it that are two-way...
(east) and the Niagara Escarpment
Niagara Escarpment
The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in the United States and Canada that runs westward from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois...
(south). Landmarks in this neighbourhood include the Hamilton City Hall, Canadian Football Hall of Fame Museum
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
, Whitehern Museum
Whitehern
Whitehern Historic House and Garden in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, built shortly before 1850, is a Late Classical house that is now a historic house museum....
, James Street South shopping district and Durand Park, also named after him.