William Dummer Powell (1755-1834)

The Hon. William Dummer Powell, Chief Justice of Upper Canada

He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was educated first at the Boston Free Grammar School before being sent to England. He studied at Tonbridge School in Kent before spending two years in Rotterdam learning French and Dutch. Returning to England he, “cultivated the good graces of the ladies more than any other pursuit,” which prompted his father to recall him to Boston in 1772. There, he studied law in the offices of Jonathan Sewell, the last Colonial Attorney-General of Massachusetts before returning to London in 1776 when he was admitted to the Middle Temple.

After the Revolution he practiced in Montreal before becoming a judge at Detroit. In 1794, he was appointed to the Court of King's Bench for Upper Canada at Newark and in 1808 he settled at York (Toronto) on his election to the Executive Council of Upper Canada. At the same time, he sold his estate outside Montreal to Sir James Monk who built Monklands there. When York was occupied during the War of 1812 he opposed the suspension of Habeas Corpus. In 1814, he assisted Chief Justice Scott with the "Bloody Assize" and prosecuted several of those charged with treason. Two years later, Powell succeeded Scott as Chairman of the Executive Council and Chief Justice of Upper Canada. He was forced to resign from both posts in 1825 for exposing the Council to criticism. He married Anne Murray, had 8-children and lived at "Caer Howel" on York Street, Toronto.

Parents (2)

John Powell

Merchant, of Boston, Massachusetts

1716-1794

Janet (Grant) Powell

Mrs Janet (Grant) Powell

1728-1795

Spouse (1)

Anne (Murray) Powell

Mrs Anne (Murray) Powell

1755-1849

Children (8)

John Powell

John Powell, of Toronto; Clerk of the Legislative Council etc.

1776-1827

William Dummer Powell Jr.

William Dummer Powell Jr., of Toronto

1778-1803

Dr. Grant Powell

M.D., J.P., of Toronto; Clerk of the Legislative Council

1779-1838

Jeremiah Powell

Jeremiah Powell, died in early adulthood, unmarried

1784-1808

Thomas William Powell

Thomas W. Powell, died in early adulthood, unmarried

1784-1804

Anne Powell

Anne Powell, drowned in a shipwreck off the coast of Ireland

1787-1822

Elizabeth Powell

Elizabeth Powell, died unmarried

1789-1855

Mary Boyles (Powell) Jarvis

Mrs Mary Boyles (Powell) Jarvis

1791-1884

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