James Leslie
Encyclopedia
James Leslie was a Canadian
businessman and political figure. He was named to the Senate of Canada for Alma division in 1867 and died in office.
He was born in Kair, Kincardineshire
, Scotland
, the son of James Leslie, his father was an assistant quartermaster in the British Army who served with General Wolfe
at Quebec City
in 1759. He studied at Marischal College
and the University of Aberdeen
and came to Lower Canada
in 1804. Leslie owned a food wholesale company in Montreal
. He was a member of the local militia and served during the War of 1812
; he later became lieutenant-colonel. He helped form the Bank of Montreal
and served as a director from 1817 to 1829. He owned the seigneur
ies of Bourchemin, Ramesay and Lake Matapédia. He represented Montreal East in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
from 1824 to 1838. He supported representation by population and so opposed the Union of Upper and Lower Canada. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Verchères
as a Reformer
in an 1841 by-election; he was reelected in 1844 and 1847. He was named president of the Executive Council
in 1848; he was named secretary for Canada East
in September of that year and served until 1851. Also in 1848, he was named to the Legislative Council
and served until Confederation
, when he was named to the Senate.
He died in Montreal in 1873.
The Township of Leslie (formerly part of Leslie-Clapham-et-Huddersfield, now part of Otter Lake
) in Quebec was named in his honour.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman and political figure. He was named to the Senate of Canada for Alma division in 1867 and died in office.
He was born in Kair, Kincardineshire
Kincardineshire
The County of Kincardine, also known as Kincardineshire or The Mearns was a local government county on the coast of northeast Scotland...
, Scotland
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...
, the son of James Leslie, his father was an assistant quartermaster in the British Army who served with General Wolfe
James Wolfe
Major General James P. Wolfe was a British Army officer, known for his training reforms but remembered chiefly for his victory over the French in Canada...
at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
in 1759. He studied at Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
and the University of Aberdeen
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
and came to Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
in 1804. Leslie owned a food wholesale company in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. He was a member of the local militia and served during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
; he later became lieutenant-colonel. He helped form the Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
and served as a director from 1817 to 1829. He owned the seigneur
Seigneurial system of New France
The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...
ies of Bourchemin, Ramesay and Lake Matapédia. He represented Montreal East in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
from 1824 to 1838. He supported representation by population and so opposed the Union of Upper and Lower Canada. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
for Verchères
Verchères (electoral district)
Verchères was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1892, and from 1988 to 1997....
as a Reformer
Reform Party (pre-Confederation)
The Reform movement, sometimes referred to as the Reform Party, began in the 1830s as the movement in the English speaking parts of British North America . It agitated for responsible government....
in an 1841 by-election; he was reelected in 1844 and 1847. He was named president of the Executive Council
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
in 1848; he was named secretary for Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
in September of that year and served until 1851. Also in 1848, he was named to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the province of Ontario...
and served until Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, when he was named to the Senate.
He died in Montreal in 1873.
The Township of Leslie (formerly part of Leslie-Clapham-et-Huddersfield, now part of Otter Lake
Otter Lake, Quebec
Otter Lake is a municipality in the Outaouais region, northwest of Gatineau, part of the Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada. It was known as Leslie-Clapham-et-Huddersfield until 2004.-Geography:...
) in Quebec was named in his honour.