Sir David William Smith, 1st Baronet

For other men with the same name, see David William Smith.

Sir David William Smith, 1st Baronet (September 4, 1764 – May 9, 1837) was a soldier and political figure in Upper Canada.

He was born in Salisbury, England in 1764. He joined the 5th Regiment of Foot in 1779. He married his first wife in 1788 and rejoined the regiment under his father's command at Detroit in 1790. He served on the land board in the Hesse District in 1791 and 1792. Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe made him acting deputy surveyor general in 1792 and he was appointed surveyor general of Upper Canada in 1798 and he resigned from the army.

In 1792, he was elected to the 1st Parliament of Upper Canada representing Suffolk & Essex. In 1796, he was elected in the 3rd riding of Lincoln. He became a member of the Executive Council of Upper Canada in 1796. In 1800, he was elected again to the Legislative Assembly representing Norfolk, Oxford & Middlesex. Smith was speaker for the Legislative Assembly from 1796 to 1801.

In 1802, he returned to England and, in 1804, resigned from his appointments in Upper Canada. He began a second career as property manager for the Duke of Northumberland. He was made a baronet in 1821. He died near Alnwick, Northumberland in 1837.

References

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

Preceded by John McDonell

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada 1796–1800

Succeeded by Samuel Street

Preceded by Samuel Street

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada 1801–1804

Succeeded by Alexander Macdonell