Robert Smith (Ontario politician) explained

Robert Smith
Constituency Mp:Peel
Parliament:Canadian
Predecessor:John Hillyard Cameron
Successor:William Elliott
Term Start:1872
Term End:1878
Birth Date:11 April 1819
Birth Place:County Armagh, Ireland
Death Place:Brampton, Ontario
Party:Liberal

Robert Smith (April 11, 1819  - September 19, 1900) was a Canadian politician and farmer.

Born in County Armagh, Ireland, Smith immigrated to British North America with his family in 1828[1] and settled in the Home District of Canada West, which was to become the County of Peel in Ontario, where he became a farmer. In 1847, he married Eliza Jane McCandless.[1] Smith served on the councils for Chinguacousy Township and Peel County.[2] He was an unsuccessful candidate for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1867.[1] Smith was narrowly elected to the 2nd Canadian Parliament in the 1872 federal election defeating the Conservative incumbent, John Hillyard Cameron, by 16 votes.[3] He sat as a Liberal representing the riding of Peel and was re-elected in the 1874 election that brought the Liberal Party to power but defeated in the 1878 election that returned a Conservative government.[4] Smith died in Brampton at the age of 81.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Canadian Parliamentary Companion and Annual Register . Ottawa . Citizen Print. and Pub. Company . 1878 . Charles H. Mackintosh . CH Mackintosh . 175 .
  2. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=16512629-d405-45cc-bdc0-3d74345185d6&Language=E&Section=MunicipalExperience Municipal Experience, Parliamentary biography
  3. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/HFER/hfer.asp?Language=E&Search=Det&Include=Y&rid=538 Peel electoral results
  4. http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=16512629-d405-45cc-bdc0-3d74345185d6&Language=E Parliamentary biography
  5. Book: Johnson, J.K. . The Canadian Directory of Parliament 1867-1967 . 1968 . Public Archives of Canada.