James Reid (Canadian politician)

James Reid (August 2, 1839 – May 3, 1904) was a Canadian entrepreneur and parliamentarian from British Columbia.[1]

The Honourable James Reid
Senator for Cariboo, British Columbia
In office October 8, 1888 – May 3, 1904
Appointed by	John A. Macdonald
Member of the Canadian Parliament for Cariboo
In office 1881–1888
Preceded by	Joshua Spencer Thompson
Succeeded by	Francis Stillman Barnard
Personal details
Born	(1839-08-02)August 2, 1839 Wakefield, Lower Canada
Died	May 3, 1904(1904-05-03) (aged 64) Vancouver, British Columbia
Political party	Liberal-Conservative

Reid was born in Wakefield, Lower Canada,[1] the son of James Reid and Ann Maxwell, and was educated in Hull, Quebec and Ottawa. He moved to British Columbia in 1862,[2] with a cousin, nearly perishing on the trip to the northern Cariboo region. Reid eventually prospered as a miner and established his own business empire in Quesnellemouth (now Quesnel). In 1883, he married Charlotte Clarke.[2] Reid's business included saw and flour mills, mining operations, riverboat construction and the main general store in Quesnel. Reid owned his own riverboat, the Charlotte which was one of the main supply vessels into the area.

Reid was elected to Member of Parliament for Cariboo as a Liberal-Conservative in an 1881 by-election on the death of incumbent MP Joshua Spencer Thompson. He was acclaimed in the following federal election and re-elected in 1887. Prime Minister Macdonald appointed Reid to the Senate in 1888. He held that office until his death[1] in Vancouver in 1904.[2]