Michael Wallace (politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael Wallace was a Scottish
-born merchant, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia
. He represented Halifax County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
from 1785 to 1802.
He was born in Lanarkshire
and became a merchant in Glasgow
, moving to Norfolk, Virginia
in 1771. After losing his property in the American Revolution
, Wallace moved to Halifax
in 1779, where he became a retail and wholesale merchant, mainly importing goods from Britain
. He married Mary Kerby in 1781. Wallace was named a judge in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas; he also received a number of patronage appointments and supply contracts with the military. In 1802, he was named to the Nova Scotia Council; as senior member of the council, he was called to administer the colony during absences by the lieutenant governor. For a brief time, Wallace also served as judge in the vice admiralty court
. He was named surveyor general of the king's woods in 1820, following the death of John Wentworth
. Wallace was president of the Shubenacadie Canal Company and a shareholder in a number of other companies. He opposed the presence of American fishing boats in the waters off the British colonies and advocated the exclusion of American trading ships from British ports in the Caribbean. He died in Halifax.
His daughter Eleanor married Charles Porter, president of King's College.
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...
-born merchant, judge and political figure 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...
. He represented Halifax County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...
from 1785 to 1802.
He was born in Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
and became a merchant in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, moving to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
in 1771. After losing his property in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, Wallace moved to Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
in 1779, where he became a retail and wholesale merchant, mainly importing goods from Britain
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...
. He married Mary Kerby in 1781. Wallace was named a judge in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas; he also received a number of patronage appointments and supply contracts with the military. In 1802, he was named to the Nova Scotia Council; as senior member of the council, he was called to administer the colony during absences by the lieutenant governor. For a brief time, Wallace also served as judge in the vice admiralty court
Vice admiralty court
Vice admiralty courts were juryless courts located in British colonies that were granted jurisdiction over local legal matters related to maritime activities, such as disputes between merchants and seamen. Judges were given 5% of confiscated cargo, if they found a smuggling defendant guilty...
. He was named surveyor general of the king's woods in 1820, following the death of John Wentworth
John Wentworth (governor)
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.-Early life:...
. Wallace was president of the Shubenacadie Canal Company and a shareholder in a number of other companies. He opposed the presence of American fishing boats in the waters off the British colonies and advocated the exclusion of American trading ships from British ports in the Caribbean. He died in Halifax.
His daughter Eleanor married Charles Porter, president of King's College.