James Houston Spence
Encyclopedia
James Houston Spence, K.C., (September 3, 1867 – February 21, 1939) was a Canadian lawyer and Senator
.
Spence was born in Greenock Township, Ontario and attended school in London, Ontario
and Walkerton, Ontario
. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School
before being called to the bar. He was elected a Bencher
of the Law Society of Upper Canada
in 1917, named King's Counsel in 1922 and was the senior partner in the law firm of Spence, Shoemaker and Spence.
He specialized in corporate, commercial and municipal law.
He was active in the Liberal Party of Canada
, campaigned on behalf of various Liberal candidates in provincial and federal elections, and was a close friend of Sir Wilfrid Laurier
as well as a friend of William Lyon Mackenzie King
who appointed him to the Senate in 1928.
Spence served in the Hamilton Regiment from 1890 to 1893. He was also a member of the Masonic Order.
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
.
Spence was born in Greenock Township, Ontario and attended school in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
and Walkerton, Ontario
Walkerton, Ontario
Walkerton is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within and governed by the municipality of Brockton. It is the site of Brockton's municipal offices and the county seat of Bruce County...
. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
before being called to the bar. He was elected a Bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
of the Law Society of Upper Canada
Law Society of Upper Canada
The Law Society of Upper Canada is responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1797, it is known in French as "Le Barreau du Haut-Canada"...
in 1917, named King's Counsel in 1922 and was the senior partner in the law firm of Spence, Shoemaker and Spence.
He specialized in corporate, commercial and municipal law.
He was active in the Liberal Party of Canada
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...
, campaigned on behalf of various Liberal candidates in provincial and federal elections, and was a close friend of Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
as well as a friend of William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
who appointed him to the Senate in 1928.
Spence served in the Hamilton Regiment from 1890 to 1893. He was also a member of the Masonic Order.