Samuel Street

Samuel Street (January 2, 1753 – February 3, 1815) was a Canadian judge, merchant and political figure in Upper Canada. He was born in Wilton, Connecticut and traded with indigenous people during the American Revolution. He moved to Fort Niagara and opened a business to provide supplies to the British and later trade with indigenous people and the Indian Department. He was also a land speculator for the Niagara area. In 1796 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada in the constituency of the 2nd riding of Lincoln and became speaker of the legislature in 1800. He lost his subsequent campaign for reelection but was elected to the constituency of the 3rd riding of Lincoln in 1808 and was elected again to become the speaker. During the War of 1812 he became a paymaster for Oxford and Lincoln militias and was appointed as acting deputy paymaster for the British militia. He died in Thorold, Upper Canada.

Early life, family, and business career

Street was born in Wilton, Connecticut on January 2, 1753. His father was also named Samuel Street and his mother was Elizabeth Smith. His wife was Phoebe Van Camp and they had a daughter named Mary.

Street traded with indigenous people along the Susquehanna River during the American Revolution. In 1778, he moved to Fort Niagara where he provided supplies to the British. On July 10, 1780, he entered a partnership with two other merchants, although the partnership dissolved in 1781 and Street assumed the company's assets and debts. After the war, he was unable to trade with the British army and focused on selling goods to indigenous people and the Indian Department. His contact in the department was John Butler and Street formed a new partnership with Butler's son Andrew and opened a shop in Fort Niagara. In 1788, he became a justice of the peace in the Nassau District.

In 1800, he was elected as speaker of the Upper Canadian legislative assembly. Later that year, merchant candidates like Street struggled in the 1800 general election for the legislative assembly because of public opposition to improving the Niagara portage. He lost his reelection campaign to represent the 2nd riding of Lincoln by 22 votes. He also lost in the subsequent general election in 1804. During his term, Street issued a warrant for Robert Nichol for contempt against the legislature. Thomas Scott, the chief justice of Upper Canada, ruled that the warrant was issued in Street's personal capacity, not as his role as a speaker and that he did not have the authority to issue this warrant. His term as a legislator ended in 1812.

War of 1812 and death

In 1809 Street became the captain of the 3rd Lincoln Militia. On October 9, 1812, he was appointed as the paymaster for the 1st Oxford Militia and the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Lincoln Militias. On July 24, 1813, he was appointed as an official who could manage farms abandoned during the War of 1812 and later that year he became the acting deputy paymaster for the militia. On March 24, 1814, he was appointed as a district commissioner tasked with arresting traitors of the war. He received £1,333 in compensation from the British government for damage to his property during the war.

He died at Thorold, Upper Canada, on February 3, 1815. In his will, he left his estate to his daughter, Mary.