D'Arcy Boulton (Upper Canada politician)
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Mr Justice D’Arcy Boulton (May 20, 1759 – May 21, 1834) was a lawyer
, judge and political figure in Upper Canada
.
The second son of Henry Boulton (1732-1788) J.P., of Moulton, Lincolnshire
, by his third wife, Mary (1734-1779), the daughter of D'Arcy Preston of Askham Bryan
Hall, Yorkshire
. He studied law at the Middle Temple
. After his business in England failed in 1793, he came to the Hudson River
valley of New York
in 1797. Boulton later moved to Augusta Township
in Upper Canada around 1802. In 1803, he was admitted to the bar. In 1804, he assumed the position of Solicitor General after the death of Robert Isaac Dey Gray
on the HMS Speedy
; he was also elected to Gray's former seat in the 4th Parliament of Upper Canada
in a by-election. In 1807, he became a judge for the Court of King's Bench.
In 1810, while sailing to England, he was taken prisoner by a French
privateer. Boulton fought vigorously in the short-lived attempt to defend the ship and for his troubles he received a sabre slash across his forehead; he was kept at Verdun
and released in 1813. He was admitted to the English bar in the same year and secured the post of attorney general in December 1814. Boulton and his family were considered to be part of the Family Compact
, a clique of Upper Canada's elite who held great power in the province.
At London
in 1782 he married Elizabeth (whose elder sister married D'Arcy's elder brother), daughter and co-heiress of Chief Justice James Forster of the Isle of Ely
, Serjeant-at-law
, by Susannah, daughter of Sir John Strange
. He died at York (Toronto
) in 1834 at The Grange
, the home of his son, D'Arcy Boulton (1785-1846), Auditor-General of Upper Canada
, brother-in-law of Sir John Robinson, 1st Baronet, of Toronto
. He was the father of Henry John Boulton
and the grandfather of D'Arcy Boulton Jr.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, judge and political figure in Upper Canada
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...
.
The second son of Henry Boulton (1732-1788) J.P., of Moulton, Lincolnshire
Moulton, Lincolnshire
Moulton is the primary village of an extensive Fenland parish, over in length, and encompassing the smaller hamlets/villages of Moulton Chapel, Moulton Seas End and Moulton Eaugate....
, by his third wife, Mary (1734-1779), the daughter of D'Arcy Preston of Askham Bryan
Askham Bryan
Askham Bryan is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of City of York in the north of England, 6 miles south west of York, west of Bishopthorpe, and close to Askham Richard and Copmanthorpe. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 582. Prior to 1996 it formed...
Hall, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. He studied law at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
. After his business in England failed in 1793, he came to the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
valley of 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...
in 1797. Boulton later moved to Augusta Township
Augusta, Ontario
Augusta is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada, on the Saint Lawrence River in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.-Communities:The township comprises the communities of Algonquin, Bisseltown, Blue Church, Charlieville, Domville, Garretton, Glenmore, Herrons Corners, Lords Mills, Maitland,...
in Upper Canada around 1802. In 1803, he was admitted to the bar. In 1804, he assumed the position of Solicitor General after the death of Robert Isaac Dey Gray
Robert Isaac Dey Gray
Robert Isaac Dey Gray was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was probably born in New York, but came to Canada with his parents at the beginning of the American Revolution. He studied law and was called to the bar in 1794. In 1795, he became Solicitor General for the province...
on the HMS Speedy
HMS Speedy (schooner)
The battle schooner or gunboat HMS Speedy sank in a blinding snowstorm in Lake Ontario south of Brighton, Ontario and west of Prince Edward County, on 8 October 1804, with the loss of all hands...
; he was also elected to Gray's former seat in the 4th Parliament of Upper Canada
4th Parliament of Upper Canada
The 4th Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 1 February 1805. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in May 1804. All sessions were held at Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada in York, Upper Canada...
in a by-election. In 1807, he became a judge for the Court of King's Bench.
In 1810, while sailing to England, he was taken prisoner by a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
privateer. Boulton fought vigorously in the short-lived attempt to defend the ship and for his troubles he received a sabre slash across his forehead; he was kept at Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
and released in 1813. He was admitted to the English bar in the same year and secured the post of attorney general in December 1814. Boulton and his family were considered to be part of the Family Compact
Family Compact
Fully developed after the War of 1812, the Compact lasted until Upper and Lower Canada were united in 1841. In Lower Canada, its equivalent was the Château Clique. The influence of the Family Compact on the government administration at different levels lasted to the 1880s...
, a clique of Upper Canada's elite who held great power in the province.
At 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...
in 1782 he married Elizabeth (whose elder sister married D'Arcy's elder brother), daughter and co-heiress of Chief Justice James Forster of the Isle of Ely
Isle of Ely
The Isle of Ely is a historic region around the city of Ely now in Cambridgeshire, England but previously a county in its own right.-Etymology:...
, Serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
, by Susannah, daughter of Sir John Strange
John Strange (English politician)
Sir John Strange KC PC was a British politician and judge. He was born to another John Strange and his second wife, Mary Plaistowe. He became a student at the Middle Temple on 11 July 1712 before starting a pupillage at the chambers of Charles Salkeld, who trained Lord Hardwicke. He was called to...
. He died at York (Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) in 1834 at The Grange
The Grange (Toronto)
The Grange is a historic Georgian manor in downtown Toronto, Canada and was the first home of the Art Museum of Toronto. Today, it is part of the Art Gallery of Ontario. The structure was built in 1817, making it the 12th oldest surviving building in Toronto and the oldest remaining brick house...
, the home of his son, D'Arcy Boulton (1785-1846), Auditor-General of Upper Canada
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...
, brother-in-law of Sir John Robinson, 1st Baronet, of Toronto
Sir John Robinson, 1st Baronet, of Toronto
Sir John Beverley Robinson, 1st Baronet CB, was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.Robinson was born in 1791 at Berthier, Lower Canada, the son of Christopher Robinson, a United Empire Loyalist of one of the First Families of Virginia, whose grandfather came there in 1641 as...
. He was the father of Henry John Boulton
Henry John Boulton
Henry John Boulton, QC was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born at Little Holland House, Kensington, England, the son of D’Arcy Boulton, in 1790. Some time later, the family settled in New York state and then moved to Upper Canada around 1800. He studied law at York ...
and the grandfather of D'Arcy Boulton Jr.