James P. Boyd
Canadian politician (1826–1890)
James P. Boyd (March 3, 1826 – April 12, 1890) was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Prescott in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal member from 1867 to 1871.
He was born in Limerick, Ireland in 1826 and came to Canada West in 1847, settling at Vankleek Hill. He married Adelia Caroline Wells there. Boyd was a timber merchant and sawmill owner. He also owned a gristmill, carding mill and general store. He served as a reeve of West Hawkesbury Township. He was also a minister of the Congregational Church of London, Ontario. Boyd defeated Thomas McGee for the seat in the provincial assembly in 1867. In 1874, he ran unsuccessfully for the same seat in the House of Commons.
The public source identifies “James P. Boyd” as canadian politician (1826–1890). This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around James, Boyd and Canadian.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “James P. Boyd”, the useful work is to connect “canadian politician (1826–1890)” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The entry’s evidential value lies in the named roles, institutions and publications that can be tested against primary documentation. The source revision retrieved here is dated Mar 29, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q6140736. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1826, 1890, 1867 and 1871.
A concise life account rarely captures disputed attribution, private networks or the changing language used to describe a career. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Read biographical claims against dates, named institutions and the cited references. Distinguish a subject’s later reputation from evidence produced during their lifetime.
- Establishing names and roles
- Building a first chronology
- Locating cited institutions
Personal papers, civil or court records, institutional files and the scholarship cited by the source.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “James P. Boyd”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow James P. Boyd primary sources, James P. Boyd archive and James research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “James P. Boyd”?
- Which primary records establish identity, chronology and institutional ties?
- Which claims depend on a single source or contested interpretation?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “James P. Boyd” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.