James Shaw (1798 – 6 February 1878) was a businessman and political figure in Canada West and Ontario. He was born in

New Ross New Ross (, formerly ) is a town in southwest County Wexford, Ireland. It is located on the River Barrow, near the border with County Kilkenny, and is around northeast of Waterford. In 2016 it had a population of 8,040 people, making it the ...

, Ireland in 1798 and was educated in Dublin. He came to Upper Canada in 1820. He served as a clerk for the settlements at Lanark-on-Clyde and Perth and later served as an overseer during the construction of the

Rideau Canal The Rideau Canal, also known unofficially as the Rideau Waterway, connects Canada's capital city of Ottawa, Ontario, to Lake Ontario and the Saint Lawrence River at Kingston. It is 202 kilometres long. The name ''Rideau'', French for "curtain", ...

. He served in the local militias, becoming lieutenant colonel in 1860. He opened a store and blacksmith shop in Smiths Falls. In 1851, he was elected to the

Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper C ...

for Lanark; he was reelected in South Lanark in 1854 but was defeated in 1857. In 1860, he was elected to the Legislative Council and served until 1867 when he was named to the

Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada (french: region=CA, Sénat du Canada) is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the House of Commons, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The Senate is modelled after the B ...

. He died in Smiths Falls in 1878.

References

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
* 1798 births 1878 deaths Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from Canada West Members of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada Canadian Anglicans Canadian senators from Ontario Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) senators Irish emigrants to pre-Confederation Ontario Politicians from County Wexford Immigrants to Upper Canada {{Ontario-politician-stub