For the Member of Parliament for Stormont and Supreme Court Justice see Robert Smith (judge)

Robert Smith (judge)

The Honourable Mr. Justice Robert Smith was a Canadian lawyer, politician and Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada....

Robert Smith (April 11, 1819 – September 19, 1900) was a Canadian politician and farmer.

Born in County Armagh

County Armagh

-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, Smith immigrated to British North America

British North America

British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...

 with his family in 1828 and settled in the Home District

Home District

The Home District was one of four districts of the Province of Quebec created in 1788 in the western reaches of the Montreal District and partitioned in 1791 to create the new colony of Upper Canada. Known as Nassau District until 1792, it was composed of the areas along western Lake Ontario and...

 of Canada West, which was to become the County of Peel in Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, where he became a farmer. In 1847, he married Eliza Jane McCandless. Smith served on the councils for Chinguacousy Township

Chinguacousy Township, Ontario

Chinguacousy Township is a former municipality and geographic township in Peel County, Ontario. In 1973, when Peel County became the Regional Municipality of Peel, it was split in half, with the northern half becoming part of the town of Caledon, and the southern half, along with the township of...

 and Peel County

Peel County, Ontario

Peel County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1851 from a portion of York County. In 1973, Peel County became the Regional Municipality of Peel, as a result of the Ontario provincial government's regionalization of the rapidly developing counties...

. He was an unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario

Legislative Assembly of Ontario

The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...

 in 1867. Smith was narrowly elected to the 2nd Canadian Parliament

2nd Canadian Parliament

The 2nd Canadian Parliament was in session from March 5, 1873, until January 2, 1874. The membership was set by the 1872 federal election from July 20 to October 12, 1872, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1874 election.It was...

 in the 1872 federal election

Canadian federal election, 1872

The Canadian federal election of 1872 was held from July 20 to October 12, 1872, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 2nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Sir John A...

 defeating the Conservative incumbent, John Hillyard Cameron

John Hillyard Cameron

John Hillyard Cameron, QC was an Ontario lawyer, businessman and political figure. He was a Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Peel from 1867 to 1872 and Cardwell from 1872 until his death.He was born in Blendecques, France in 1817...

, by 16 votes. He sat as a Liberal

Liberal Party of Canada

The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

 representing the riding of Peel

Peel (electoral district)

Peel was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1968. It was located in the province of Ontario. It was created by the British North America Act of 1867....

 and was re-elected in the 1874

Canadian federal election, 1874

The Canadian federal election of 1874 was held on January 22, 1874, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 3rd Parliament of Canada. Sir John A...

 election that brought the Liberal Party to power but defeated in the 1878

Canadian federal election, 1878

The Canadian federal election of 1878 was held on September 17 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 4th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the end of Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie's Liberal government after only one term in office. Canada suffered an economic depression...

 election that returned a Conservative government. Smith died in Brampton

Brampton, Ontario

Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...

at the age of 81.

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