Early Nova Scotians:
1600-1867.

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Uniacke, Crofton (1783-1862)

Crofton was Richard John Uniacke's second son. Difficult to get material on this Uniacke; he is not written-up in the DCB. He took his legal training at Lincoln's Inn. On his return to Nova Scotia, he was appointed as a Judge of Vice Admiralty.

Uniacke, James Boyle (1799-1858)

James Boyle was Richard John Uniacke's fifth son. J.B. graduated from King's College, Windsor, in 1818, after which he went to his father's law office. Though he was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1823, he went off to London to study at the Inner Temple. On his return to Nova Scotia, J.B. ran and was elected to the House of Assembly for Cape Breton County. He went on to have a spectacular political career its pinnacle being when Uniacke led the first responsible government in Canada when he became the first Premier of Nova Scotia (1848-1854).
His successful political career was complimented with a number of business ventures. "In 1832 he became an incorporator and one of the first directors of the Bank of Nova Scotia. Seven or eight years later he helped to set up the Halifax Gas Light and Water Company and before long became its president." (DCB)

Uniacke, Norman Fitzgerald (c.1777-1846)

Norman Fitzgerald was Richard John Uniacke's oldest son. Likely getting his training at his father's office, Norman was eventually admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar. He then went off to London in 1798, there to enter into Lincoln's Inn. In 1805, he was admitted to the English bar. He returned to Nova Scotia hoping to secure a position in the government, but none being immediately available he took a position as the attorney general for Lower Canada (Quebec). In 1827 he was made a judge to seat at Trois-Rivieres. He retired in August 1834 and returned to Nova Scotia, where he was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1838. He died at Halifax in 1846.

Uniacke, Richard (1753-1830):

Uniacke was born in Ireland. Though he started out on a bad foot as a young man, Uniacke was to become the Solicitor General for Nova Scotia (1782-97); Speaker of the House for two periods (1789-93; 1799-1806); and the Attorney General for the province during the years 1797-1830. (More)

Uniacke, Richard John, Jr. (1789-1834)

Richard John, Jr., was Richard John Uniacke's third son. Graduating from King's College, Windsor, Uniacke studied law under his father. He was admitted to the Nova Scotia Bar in 1810. In 1813 (up to 1820, Cape Breton was a separate colony) Uniacke accepted an appointed to the Executive Council and was made Cape Breton's Attorney General (1813); he was also appointed as Acting Chief Justice of Cape Breton (1815-6). He was not to be reaffirmed as a judge, and, calculating that his pay as only the Attorney General would not be sufficient to maintain him and his family, Richard John resigned his position at Cape Breton and returned to Halifax to practice law. In 1819 he succeeded his father as Advocate General of the Vice-Admiralty Court in Halifax.
With Cape Breton being reunited to Nova Scotia in 1820, Uniacke ran and was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly as one of the two members for Cape Breton County. In 1830, Uniacke was appointed as a Puisne (Junior) Judge of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia.
Richard John, Jr., was involved in one of the last fatal duels in Nova Scotia. His adversary was a merchant, William Bowie; Bowie was shot dead. Uniacke was charged with murder, being put on trial he was found not guilty. (Portrait of Bowie by Field at NSHS, vol. 18, p. 118.)

Uniacke, Robert Fitzgerald (1797-1870)

Robert Fitzgerald was Richard John Uniacke's fourth son. Educated at King's, Windsor, R.F. went to the law through his father's office. Finding the law was not for him, he went to England and became an ordained minister of the Church of England. In England, he served in the diocese of Chichester (1822–24). In 1825, he returned to Halifax and took up his duties as the rector at St George's Church. More generally, Uniacke involved himself in the construction of numerous churches in the province. He became a tireless advocate that education should be available to all, especially poor children no matter the family's religious affiliations. Both he and his wife (Elizabeth Gould Francklin, granddaughter of Michael Francklin) worked tirelessly in these regards. It was, incidentally, Robert Fitzgerald Uniacke, who, under the terms of his father's will, took the sole title to the Uniackes' country home at Mount Uniacke. R.F. died at Halifax in 1870 without offspring.

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Peter Landry
2012 (2020)