James Hunter Samson
Encyclopedia
James Hunter Samson was a lawyer and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Ireland
around 1800 and came to Canada with his father's unit of the British Army
in 1813. He studied at York (Toronto
), where he became close friends with Robert Baldwin
. He articled in law with Christopher Alexander Hagerman
, was called to the bar in 1823 and set up a practice in Belleville
. In 1828, he married Alicia Fenton Russell, the niece of Sir John Harvey
. In the same year, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
for Hastings
; he was reelected in 1830 and 1834. He was one of the most conservative members of the assembly. After William Lyon Mackenzie
criticized Samson in his Colonial Advocate, he pressed libel charges against Mackenzie in 1831 and introduced a motion to expel Mackenzie from the assembly. He helped build the first hospital in Belleville in 1832 and served on the village council. He also served as lieutenant colonel in the local militia.
With the death of his father in 1832 and his increasing alienation from Baldwin due to their conflicting political views, Samson began drinking heavily and he died in Belleville in 1836.
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 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...
around 1800 and came to Canada with his father's unit of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1813. He studied 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...
), where he became close friends with Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin was born at York . He, along with his political partner Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, led the first responsible ministry in Canada, regarded by some as the first truly Canadian government....
. He articled in law with Christopher Alexander Hagerman
Christopher Alexander Hagerman
Lt.-Col The Hon. Christopher Alexander Hagerman was a Canadian militia officer, politician, and judge.Known as 'Handsome Kit', he was born at the Bay of Quinte, Adolphustown, the son of United Empire Loyalist Major Nicholas Hagerman J.P., and his wife Anne , sister of Judge Alexander Fisher M.P.,...
, was called to the bar in 1823 and set up a practice in Belleville
Belleville, Ontario
Belleville is a city located at the mouth of the Moira River on the Bay of Quinte in Southern Ontario, Canada, in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. It is the seat of Hastings County, but is politically independent of it. and the centre of the Bay of Quinte Region...
. In 1828, he married Alicia Fenton Russell, the niece of Sir John Harvey
John Harvey (governor)
Lieutenant-General Sir John Harvey, KCB KCH was a British Army officer and a Lieutenant Governor.He was commissioned into the 80th Foot in 1794 and served in several different locations, including France, Egypt, and India...
. In the same year, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791. It was the elected legislature for the province of Upper Canada and functioned as the province's lower house in the Parliament of Upper Canada...
for Hastings
Hastings County, Ontario
Hastings County is located in the province of Ontario, Canada. It is The Cheese Capital of Canada. Geographically, it is located on the border of Eastern Ontario and Central Ontario. The population was 125,915 in 2001 and grew to 130,474 in the 2006 Canada Census...
; he was reelected in 1830 and 1834. He was one of the most conservative members of the assembly. After William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie
William Lyon Mackenzie was a Scottish born American and Canadian journalist, politician, and rebellion leader. He served as the first mayor of Toronto, Upper Canada and was an important leader during the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion.-Background and early years in Scotland, 1795–1820:Mackenzie was...
criticized Samson in his Colonial Advocate, he pressed libel charges against Mackenzie in 1831 and introduced a motion to expel Mackenzie from the assembly. He helped build the first hospital in Belleville in 1832 and served on the village council. He also served as lieutenant colonel in the local militia.
With the death of his father in 1832 and his increasing alienation from Baldwin due to their conflicting political views, Samson began drinking heavily and he died in Belleville in 1836.