# James Edward Small

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**James Edward Small**, (February 1798 – May 27, 1869) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in [Upper Canada](/source/Upper_Canada) and [Canada West](/source/Canada_West).[1]

He was born in [York, Upper Canada](/source/York,_Upper_Canada) in 1798, the son of [John Small](/source/John_Small_(1746-1841)).[1] He attended the [Home District](/source/Home_District,_Ontario) School with [Robert Baldwin](/source/Robert_Baldwin).[2] During the [War of 1812](/source/War_of_1812), he served on the ship St. Lawrence.

On July 12, 1817, he was the second for [John Ridout](/source/John_Ridout) in a duel with [Samuel Peters Jarvis](/source/Samuel_Peters_Jarvis).[3] When Ridout fired his gun early at Jarvis, Small insisted that Ridout be allowed to re-load his gun. When Ridout was shot Small sought the assistance of [George Playter](/source/George_Playter).[4] Small articled in law with [William Warren Baldwin](/source/William_Warren_Baldwin) and was called to the bar in 1821.

In 1831 Small and his younger brother, [Charles Coxwell Small](/source/Charles_Coxwell_Small), inherited their father's large house on the southwest corner of what is now Berkeley and [King](/source/King_Street,_Toronto) streets.[5]

In 1834, he was elected to the [Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada](/source/Legislative_Assembly_of_Upper_Canada) in Toronto. He was elected in an 1839 by-election in the 3rd riding of [York](/source/York_County,_Ontario);[1] he was reelected to the [Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada](/source/Legislative_Assembly_of_the_Province_of_Canada) in 1841. Small supported [Robert Baldwin](/source/Robert_Baldwin)'s call for responsible government; in 1842, he was named solicitor general for Canada West in the Baldwin-[Lafontaine](/source/Louis-Hippolyte_Lafontaine) government. He was appointed [Queen's Counsel](/source/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](/source/George_Monro_(mayor)) was declared elected. In 1849, he was appointed judge in [Middlesex County](/source/Middlesex_County,_Ontario).

He died in [London, Ontario](/source/London,_Ontario) in 1869.[1]

The [Dictionary of Canadian Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_Canadian_Biography), while noting Small was born into a life of privilege, had nevertheless allied himself with relatively liberal figures, like his school chum, Robert Baldwin, Upper Canada's prime advocate for [responsible government](/source/Responsible_government).[1]

## References

1. [*Dictionary of Canadian Biography: Small, James Edward*](http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/small_john_6E.html). [Dictionary of Canadian Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_Canadian_Biography). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160816053226/http://biographi.ca/en/bio/small_john_6E.html) 2016-08-16 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-02.

1. Raible, Chris (1992). [*Muddy York Mud: Scandal & Scurrility in Upper Canada*](https://books.google.com/books?id=WqN5AAAAMAAJ). Toronto: Curiosity House. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-9696418-0-3.

1. Raible, Chris (1992). [*Muddy York Mud: Scandal & Scurrility in Upper Canada*](https://books.google.com/books?id=WqN5AAAAMAAJ). Toronto: Curiosity House. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-9696418-0-3.

1. Raible, Chris (1992). [*Muddy York Mud: Scandal & Scurrility in Upper Canada*](https://books.google.com/books?id=WqN5AAAAMAAJ). Toronto: Curiosity House. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-9696418-0-3.

1. ["Park Lot 3: Parliament Street to Ontario Street"](http://torontofamilyhistory.org/simcoesgentry/3/). [Ontario Genealogical Society](/source/Ontario_Genealogical_Society), Toronto Branch. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160527051534/http://torontofamilyhistory.org/simcoesgentry/3/) 2016-05-27 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2016-08-02.

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