Richard Simonds (April 24, 1789 – May 2, 1836) was a merchant and political figure in the pre-

Confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign groups or states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

Province of New Brunswick, Canada. He represented Northumberland County in the

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick A legislature is an deliberative assembly, assembly with the authority to make laws for a Polity, political entity such as a Sovereign state, country or city. They are often contrasted with the Executive (government), executive and Judiciary, ...

from 1816 to 1828. He was born in Portland (later

Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John is a seaport city of the Atlantic Ocean located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign of Ki ...

), the son of

James Simonds James Simonds (December 10, 1735 – February 20, 1831) was a merchant, judge and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Sunbury County in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1773 to 1782 Note that Sunbury County was in the part ...

and Hannah Peabody, and was educated there. He went into business with his uncle Francis Peabody at Miramichi in 1810 and also operated his owner business from 1819 to 1824. In 1813, he married Ann Charters. Simonds served as a

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 ...

and justice for the Inferior Court of Common Pleas. In 1824, he moved from Miramichi to Saint John. He was elected Speaker for the Legislative Assembly in 1828 but resigned his seat in December of the same year after being named

Provincial Treasurer In Canadian politics the Provincial Treasurer is a senior portfolio in the Executive Council (or cabinet) of provincial governments. The position is the provincial equivalent of the Minister of Finance and is responsible for setting the provinc ...

. His brother

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

replaced him as speaker the following year. In 1829, he married Margaret Walker after the death of his first wife. In 1832, still provincial treasurer, he was named to the

Legislative Council of New Brunswick The Legislative Council of New Brunswick was the upper house of the government of the British colony and later Canadian province of New Brunswick between 1785 and 1891. Members were appointed by the New Brunswick governor. Council chambers Th ...

. He died in Saint John at the age of 47.

External links

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
1789 births 1836 deaths Businesspeople from Saint John, New Brunswick Members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Members of the Executive Council of New Brunswick Members of the Legislative Council of New Brunswick Colony of New Brunswick people Colony of New Brunswick judges {{NewBrunswick-MLA-stub