James Smith (1806-68)
Encyclopedia
James Smith was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Quebec
. He represented Missisquoi
in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
from 1844 to 1847 as a Conservative.
He was born in Montreal
, Lower Canada
, the son of James Smith and Susanna McClement. Smith studied with John Doty in Trois-Rivières
and completed his education in Scotland
. On his return to Lower Canada in 1823, he studied law with Benjamin Beaubien and Samuel Gale; Smith was called to the Lower Canada bar in 1828 and set up practice in Montreal. He was named to a commission created by Governor Charles Bagot
in 1841 to review the seigneurial system
; the commission's report recommended that the system be abolished. Smith became a Queen's Counsel
in 1844. Also in 1844, he was named to the Executive Council as attorney general for Lower Canada. In 1847, he was named a judge in the Court of Queen's Bench. He was named to the Superior Court for Montreal district in 1849. In 1854, he was appointed to the Seigneurial Court created to deal with the abolition of the seigneurial system. Smith retired in August 1868 and died several months later in Montreal at the age of 62.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He represented Missisquoi
Missisquoi (electoral district)
Missisquoi was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1925.-History:...
in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
from 1844 to 1847 as a Conservative.
He was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
, the son of James Smith and Susanna McClement. Smith studied with John Doty in Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
and completed his education in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. On his return to Lower Canada in 1823, he studied law with Benjamin Beaubien and Samuel Gale; Smith was called to the Lower Canada bar in 1828 and set up practice in Montreal. He was named to a commission created by Governor Charles Bagot
Charles Bagot
Sir Charles Bagot, GCB was an English diplomat and colonial administrator who served as Governor General of the Province of Canada 1841-1843)....
in 1841 to review the seigneurial system
Seigneurial system of New France
The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...
; the commission's report recommended that the system be abolished. Smith became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1844. Also in 1844, he was named to the Executive Council as attorney general for Lower Canada. In 1847, he was named a judge in the Court of Queen's Bench. He was named to the Superior Court for Montreal district in 1849. In 1854, he was appointed to the Seigneurial Court created to deal with the abolition of the seigneurial system. Smith retired in August 1868 and died several months later in Montreal at the age of 62.