James Stoddart Duff
Encyclopedia
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....
farmer and political figure. He represented Simcoe West
Simcoe West
Simcoe West was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of Ontario, active from 1875 to 1926 and from 1987 to 1999.-Members of Provincial Parliament:...
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...
as a Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
member from 1898 to 1916.
He was born near Cookstown, Ontario, the son of John Duff, an Irish
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...
immigrant, and Eliza Jane Stoddart. Duff was educated at Collingwood College. He married Jane Bell Stoddard. He served on the municipal council for Essa Township
Essa, Ontario
Essa is a township in Ontario, Canada, west and south of the city of Barrie in the County of Simcoe. It is bounded by County Road 90 to its north, County Road 27 to its east, and Ontario Highway 89 to its south...
. Duff ran unsuccessfully against Archibald S. Currie
Archibald S. Currie
Archibald S. Currie was an Ontario farmer and political figure. He represented Simcoe West in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1894 to 1898 as a Liberal-Patrons of Industry member....
in 1894 before defeating Currie in 1898. He was Minister of Agriculture from 1908 to 1914. Duff died in office in Alliston, Ontario
Alliston, Ontario
Alliston is a settlement in Simcoe County in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is part of the Town of New Tecumseth since the 1991 amalgamation of Alliston and nearby villages of Beeton, Tottenham, and the Township of Tecumseth...
at the age of 60.