John White (Frontenac County)
Encyclopedia
John White was a lawyer and politician in Upper Canada
. He was the first attorney general
for Upper Canada
.
He was born at Hicks Hall, Middlesex
, England
. He studied at the Inner Temple
in London
and was called to the bar in 1785. He was recommended to William Osgoode
by his friend Samuel Shepherd
as a possible attorney general for Upper Canada and was appointed in 1791. He arrived in 1792 at Kingston
, where he was elected to the 1st Parliament of Upper Canada
as the member for Leeds
& Frontenac
. He moved to Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake
), where the government was located in September of the same year.
White played an important role in founding the Law Society of Upper Canada
in 1797 and was its first Treasurer. He helped pass the bill in 1793 which barred the introduction of additional slave
s into the province and the legislation which established district courts and Court of the King's Bench.
He lived beyond his means and was often in debt. As a result of an affair with the wife of John Small
, the clerk of the Executive Council of Upper Canada
, White was challenged to a duel
on January 2, 1800. He was shot and died 2 days later.
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 the first attorney general
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
for Upper 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 Hicks Hall, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He studied at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and was called to the bar in 1785. He was recommended to William Osgoode
William Osgoode
William Osgoode was the first Chief Justice of Ontario, Canada.He was born William Osgood in London, England in 1754 to William Osgood. He attended Christ Church, Oxford and was called to the bar in 1779. On December 31, 1791, he was appointed first Chief Justice of Upper Canada...
by his friend Samuel Shepherd
Samuel Shepherd
Sir Samuel Shepherd KS PC was a British barrister, judge and politician who served as Attorney General for England and Wales and Lord Chief Baron of the Scottish Court of Exchequer...
as a possible attorney general for Upper Canada and was appointed in 1791. He arrived in 1792 at Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, where he was elected to the 1st Parliament of Upper Canada
1st Parliament of Upper Canada
The 1st Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 17 September 1792. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in August 1792. All sessions were held at Navy Hall in Newark, later Niagara-on-the-Lake...
as the member for 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....
& Frontenac
Frontenac County, Ontario
Frontenac County, as defined by Statistics Canada, is a census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario. The City of Kingston is included in the census division, but is politically separated from the County of Frontenac. It has a land...
. He moved to Newark (Niagara-on-the-Lake
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
), where the government was located in September of the same year.
White played an important role in founding the Law Society of Upper Canada
Law Society of Upper Canada
The Law Society of Upper Canada is responsible for the self-regulation of lawyers and paralegals in the Canadian province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1797, it is known in French as "Le Barreau du Haut-Canada"...
in 1797 and was its first Treasurer. He helped pass the bill in 1793 which barred the introduction of additional slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
s into the province and the legislation which established district courts and Court of the King's Bench.
He lived beyond his means and was often in debt. As a result of an affair with the wife of John Small
John Small (1746-1841)
John Small was a political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Cirencester, England in 1746. In 1792, he was appointed clerk of the Executive Council of Upper Canada. He was also a justice of the peace and a lieutenant in the militia.In January 1800, he fought a duel with John White, the...
, the clerk of the Executive Council of Upper Canada
Executive Council of Upper Canada
The Executive Council of Upper Canada had a similar function to the Cabinet in England but was not responsible to the Legislative Assembly. Members of the Executive Council were not necessarily members of the Legislative Assembly but were usually members of the Legislative Council. Members were...
, White was challenged to a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
on January 2, 1800. He was shot and died 2 days later.
External links
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- Law Society's First Treasurer Killed in Duel - Jan. 1800 Web article produced by the Law Society of Upper Canada ArchivesLaw Society of Upper Canada ArchivesThe Law Society of Upper Canada Archives collects and preserves records and other material that documents the history of the legal profession in Ontario. The Archives acquires and preserves records of permanent value to the Law Society of Upper Canada, the regulatory body for lawyers and paralegals...