Albert James Smith
Sir Albert James Smith | |
---|---|
![]() Hon. Sir Albert James Smith, April 1868 | |
Attorney General of Canada (Acting) | |
In office June 1, 1874 – July 7, 1874 | |
Preceded by | Antoine-Aimé Dorion |
Succeeded by | Télesphore Fournier |
Premier of the Colony of New Brunswick | |
In office September 21, 1865 – April 14, 1866 | |
Preceded by | Samuel Leonard Tilley |
Succeeded by | Peter Mitchell |
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Westmorland | |
In office 1867–1882 | |
Succeeded by | Josiah Wood |
Personal details | |
Born | Shediac, New Brunswick | March 12, 1822
Died | June 30, 1883 Dorchester, New Brunswick | (aged 61)
Resting place | Dorchester Rural Cemetery |
Political party | Liberal |
Spouse |
Sarah Marie Young (m. 1868) |
Children | one son (d. 30 June 1883) |
Sir Albert James Smith KCMG PC QC (March 12, 1822 – June 30, 1883) was a New Brunswick politician and opponent of Canadian confederation. Smith's grandfather was a United Empire Loyalist who left Massachusetts to settle in New Brunswick after the American Revolution.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/AJSmithHouse.jpg/240px-AJSmithHouse.jpg)
Smith entered politics in 1852 entering the House of Assembly as an opponent of the Tory compact that ran the colony and became a leading reform and advocate of responsible government which was granted to the colony in 1854. Smith became a member of the reform government that took power that year and went on to become Attorney-General in 1861 under Premier Samuel Leonard Tilley. Smith split with Tilley over railway policy and Canadian confederation with Smith becoming leader of the Anti-Confederates winning the 1865 election but was forced from office the next year by the lieutenant-governor.
He was created a Queen's Counsel in 1862.
Smith reconciled with Confederation after it became a fact and became minister of fisheries in the Liberal government of Alexander Mackenzie in 1873. He died in 1883, and was interred in Dorchester Rural Cemetery.
Further reading
- J. E. Belliveau, 1976, The Splendid Life of Albert Smith and the Women he Left Behind, Windsor, NS: Lancelot Press
References
- 1822 births
- 1883 deaths
- Canadian Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Lawyers in New Brunswick
- Canadian Queen's Counsel
- Liberal Party of Canada MPs
- Members of the House of Commons of Canada from New Brunswick
- Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
- Premiers of New Brunswick
- Persons of National Historic Significance (Canada)
- People from Shediac
- Attorneys General of the Colony of New Brunswick
- Colony of New Brunswick people