Levius Peters Sherwood
Encyclopedia
Levius Peters Sherwood was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born at St. Johns in Lower Canada
, the son of Justus Sherwood. He studied law and was called to the bar in 1803. In 1804, he was appointed registrar for Grenville
, Leeds
, and Carleton
and customs inspector. In the same year, he married Charlotte Jones, daughter of Ephraim Jones
. In 1812, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada
representing Leeds. In 1818, he successfully defended two Métis
against charges of murdering Robert Semple
in the Red River Colony
. In 1820, he was appointed judge in the Johnstown District court. He was reelected to the Legislative Assembly in 1820 and he was chosen as speaker the following year. In 1825, he was appointed to the Court of King's Bench. He played an important role in the trials for treason that followed the Upper Canada Rebellion
. He retired from the bench in 1840. Sherwood was named to the council of King's College
in 1841. He was appointed to the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
in 1842 and the Executive Council in 1843.
He died at Toronto
in 1850. His son Henry
became a member of the Legislative Assembly, a judge and mayor of Toronto.
His brother Samuel
served in the legislative assemblies of Upper and Lower 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...
.
He was born at St. Johns in 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...
, the son of Justus Sherwood. He studied law and was called to the bar in 1803. In 1804, he was appointed registrar for Grenville
Grenville County, Ontario
Grenville County area is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and named in honour of William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Secretary of State in 1790. The First settlers were Loyalist from the United States...
, Leeds
Leeds County, Ontario
Leeds County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and merged with Grenville County in 1850 to create Leeds and Grenville County....
, and Carleton
Carleton County, Ontario
Carleton County is the name of a historic county in Ontario, Canada. In 1969 it was superseded by the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. In 2001 the Regional Municipality and the eleven local municipalities within it were replaced by the current City of Ottawa.-History:Carleton County was...
and customs inspector. In the same year, he married Charlotte Jones, daughter of Ephraim Jones
Ephraim Jones
Ephraim Jones was a soldier, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Weston, Massachusetts in 1750. His father, Ephraim and five of his brothers served with the British during the American Revolution. He was taken prisoner in the Saratoga Campaign of 1777 and later served with...
. In 1812, 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...
representing Leeds. In 1818, he successfully defended two Métis
Métis people (Canada)
The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with...
against charges of murdering Robert Semple
Robert Semple (Canada)
Robert Semple was Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from autumn 1815 until his death at the Battle of Seven Oaks. In May 1816, the Métis led by Cuthbert Grant thought Semple and his men were going to declare war, so they got ready. Semple and some men went to confront the Métis, and a fight...
in the Red River Colony
Red River Colony
The Red River Colony was a colonization project set up by Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk in 1811 on of land granted to him by the Hudson's Bay Company under what is referred to as the Selkirk Concession. The colony along the Red River of the North was never very successful...
. In 1820, he was appointed judge in the Johnstown District court. He was reelected to the Legislative Assembly in 1820 and he was chosen as speaker the following year. In 1825, he was appointed to the Court of King's Bench. He played an important role in the trials for treason that followed the Upper Canada Rebellion
Upper Canada Rebellion
The Upper Canada Rebellion was, along with the Lower Canada Rebellion in Lower Canada, a rebellion against the British colonial government in 1837 and 1838. Collectively they are also known as the Rebellions of 1837.-Issues:...
. He retired from the bench in 1840. Sherwood was named to the council of King's College
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1841. He was appointed to the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
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...
in 1842 and the Executive Council in 1843.
He died at 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 1850. His son Henry
Henry Sherwood
Henry Sherwood, QC was a lawyer and Tory provincial politician, moved to municipal politics and was alderman of St. David's Ward when chosen as Toronto's 7th mayor from 1842 to 1844. Sherwood was appointed QC on 23 January 1838...
became a member of the Legislative Assembly, a judge and mayor of Toronto.
His brother Samuel
Samuel Sherwood (Canadian politician)
Samuel Sherwood was a lawyer and political figure in early Canada.He was born in the Thirteen Colonies, the son of Justus Sherwood, a United Empire Loyalist who settled in Augusta Township in Upper Canada. He studied law in Montreal and was admitted to the Upper Canada bar. He served as a scout...
served in the legislative assemblies of Upper and 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...
.