James Edward Small

Who was James Edward Small?

James Edward Small was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada and Canada West.

He was born in York in 1798, the son of John Small. He attended the Home District School with Robert Baldwin. During the War of 1812, he served on the ship St. Lawrence. In 1817, he was the second for John Ridout in a duel with Samuel Peters Jarvis; Ridout was killed. Small articled in law with William Warren Baldwin and was called to the bar in 1821. In 1834, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada in Toronto. He was elected in an 1839 by-election in the 3rd riding of York; he was reelected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada in 1841. Small supported Robert Baldwin's call for responsible government; in 1842, he was named solicitor general for Canada West in the Baldwin-Lafontaine government. He was appointed Queen's Counsel in 1842. He resigned from his post as solicitor general in 1843. He was reelected in 1844 but was later disqualified and George Monro was declared elected. In 1849, he was appointed judge in Middlesex County.

He died in London in 1869.