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 political union of sovereign 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 The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick () is the deliberative assembly of the New Brunswick Legislature, in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. The assembly's seat is located in Fredericton. It was established in Saint John ''de jure'' ...

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

Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John () is a port#seaport, seaport city located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It is Canada's oldest Municipal corporation, incorporated city, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign ...

), the son of James Simonds 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 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. 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 ''* ...

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 ...

. 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 19th-century 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