Stuart, Andrew

  • DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY ARTICLE: Ginette Bernatchez, “STUART, ANDREW,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 7, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/stuart_andrew_7E.html
  • DCB profile notes:
    • Lawyer, politician, office holder, and author; b. 25 Nov. 1785 in Cataraqui (Kingston, Ont.), fifth son of John Stuart, a Church of England clergyman, and Jane Okill; m. first Marguerite Dumoulin, and they had two sons, one of them Andrew; m. secondly Jane Smith, and they had three daughters and a son; d. 21 Feb. 1840 at Quebec.
    • He studied law in Lower Canada and was called to the bar on 5 Nov. 1807. Like his brother James, he went into practice.
    • Within a few years Stuart carved out an enviable place in the legal field, and despite stiff competition became one of the most sought-after and best-paid lawyers in the Quebec region. He was, in fact, involved in all the major cases.
    • Stuart also expended considerable energy in the counterpart to his legal career, politics. He became involved at a time when the colony’s political life was in process of transformation. He was first elected to the House of Assembly for Lower Town Quebec as a candidate of the Canadian party. He represented this riding from 13 May 1814 till 9 Feb. 1820, and then that of Upper Town from 25 July 1820 till 2 Sept. 1830. 
    • Stuart’s interest in literature, history, and science led him to write several articles and works that show a detailed knowledge of the topics. Elected president of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in 1832, he gave a number of lectures before its members on subjects as varied as classical poetry and Roman history. In addition he produced several interesting essays that were published by the society.
    • Andrew and James Stuart became well known in the field of law, where they excelled, although they did not acquire quite the same reputation. Both were renowned for their eloquence, but Andrew, it seems, showed more compassion in the practice of his profession, and his speeches in court more often contained pleas for leniency. A man of many and varied interests, he frequently won praise from his political adversaries, which, after all, is rather exceptional.
  • Son of Proven United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=8220
  • Find a GRAVE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/117077794/andrew-stuart