Marshall Spring Bidwell
Encyclopedia
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 Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Stockbridge is a town in Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,947 at the 2010 census...
in 1799, the son of Barnabas Bidwell
Barnabas Bidwell
Barnabas Bidwell was a dual Canadian and American politician of the late 18th and early 19th Centuries.Bidwell was born to Adonijah Bidwell and Jemima Devotion in Township No. 1 , and graduated from Yale College in 1785. He later attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island...
. His family settled in Bath in Upper Canada before 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...
. He studied with a law firm in 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...
and was called to the Ontario Bar in 1821. When his father was unseated in 1821 based on allegations of misappropriation of funds in Massachusetts, Bidwell presented himself as a candidate but was declared ineligible. In 1824, he was allowed to run for office and was elected to the 9th Parliament of Upper Canada
9th Parliament of Upper Canada
The 9th Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 11 January 1825. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in July 1824. All sessions were held at York, 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...
& Addington
Addington County, Ontario
Addington County is a historic county in what is now the Canadian province of Ontario.It was named after Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth. As an upper-tier municipality, the county of Addington was created on paper in 1792, but has never existed as a discrete municipal entity. From 1792...
. He held the seat until 1836. In 1828, he helped introduce a bill which made it easier for American-born residents to become citizens. He also lobbied for responsible government
Responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability which is the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy...
within the province.In 1828, he was elected speaker for the assembly. Although he did not take part in the Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
, his name appeared on a banner carried by the rebels and he was forced to leave the province in December 1837. Some sources believe that Lieutenant Governor Sir Francis Bond Head
Francis Bond Head
Sir Francis Bond Head, 1st Baronet KCH PC , known as "Galloping Head", was Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada during the rebellion of 1837.-Biography:...
forced Bidwell out of the province, because Head's refusal to appoint Bidwell as a judge in the province was a factor in his dismissal by the British Colonial Office
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
. He was admitted to the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state bar and became a partner in the law firm
Cadwalader, Wickersham and Taft
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP is the oldest continuously-operated law firm in the United States. Established in New York City in 1792, Cadwalader opened offices around the world...
of George Washington Strong.
He died in 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 1872.