James E. Morin (May 10, 1849 – October 7, 1902) was an

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

merchant and political figure. He represented

Welland Welland is a city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara in Southern Ontario, Canada. As of 2021, it had a population of 55,750. The city is in the centre of Niagara and located within a half-hour driving distance to Niagara Falls, Niagara-o ...

in the

Legislative Assembly of Ontario The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA, french: Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by ...

as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

from 1883 to 1890. He was born in

County Limerick "Remember Limerick" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Munster , subdivision ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, the son of Michael Morin, and emigrated to

Canada West The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report on the ...

with his family in 1851. Morin studied at a commercial college in

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

. He worked in a general store owned by E. Cutler at Ridgeway, becoming owner of the business and expanding into the manufacturing of flour. In 1870, in Fort Erie, Ontario, he married Jeanette Ann Wilson. Morin was clerk for Bertie Township and auditor for

Welland County Welland County (area, excluding cities was 226,970 acres) is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. The county was formed in 1845 from Lincoln County. The county was named from the Welland River. The river got its name from Joh ...

. He served in the local militia during the Fenian raids and later reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Morin also served as

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

, license commissioner and chairman of the school board. In 1891, he was named registrar for Welland County. Morin died in

Ridgeway, Ontario Ridgeway is a small, unincorporated village in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. The community is within the Niagara Regional Municipality, Ontario, Niagara Regional Municipality. It used to be the seat of government for Bertie Township within Welland ...

External links

''The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1887'' JA GemmillMember's parliamentary history for the Legislative Assembly of Ontario

''The History of the County of Welland, Ontario, its past and present'' (1887)''The Canadian men and women of the time : a handbook of Canadian biography'', HJ Morgan (1898)
1849 births 1902 deaths Ontario Liberal Party MPPs British emigrants to pre-Confederation Ontario People of the Fenian raids Canadian justices of the peace {{Liberal-Ontario-MPP-stub