Adam Hudspeth, a leading barrister in the county of Victoria, is a son of Robert Hudspeth, formerly of Cobourg, for many years master of the Grammar School there, a native of the county of Northumberland, Eng., who emigrated to Canada in 1834. Soon after Robert Hudspeth had settled at Cobourg, Adam was born, December 8, 1836, his mother, before her marriage, being Marianne Cairns, daughter of Rev. Adam Cairns, of Loughforgan parish, Scotland. He was educated by his father in English and the classics; in 1851, was articled to a merchant, Thomas Harvey, of Cobourg, and spent four years as clerk in his store.
In 1855, Mr. Hudspeth came to Lindsay, and, with the exception of a short time spent the next year in his native town, he has been a resident of Lindsay for twenty-four years. At the date of his coming here there were no railroads; the town was very small, and the country but sparsely settled. He has seen Lindsay grow to a town of 6000 inhabitants, with broad streets, beautiful brick blocks, most of them three stories high; three railroads, affording prompt and easy communication with the outer world, in many directions, and with school and church privileges of a high grade, calculated to attract thoughtful people to settle in the town.
He commenced his legal studies with his older brother, Thomas A. Hudspeth, in 1857; was admitted as an attorney in 1862; was called to the Bar at Michaelmas term in 1867, and has practiced here from that date, being thoroughly established, and having a lucrative business second to that of no one of his profession in the county of Victoria. He is living a very busy life, and is having an extensive and successful practice, the result of talents well applied, and business carefully and conscientiously done. There is not a more reliable man of any profession in the county.
Mr. Hudspeth has held one or two town offices, doing exceedingly good work on the school board, and has been deputy judge of the county since July 1872.
He is strongly and firmly Conservative in his political tenets, and in 1875 was the candidate of his party for the local parliament in the riding of South Victoria, and was defeated by Hon. Samuel Casey Wood, by a very small majority. At the last general election, held in 1879, he was urged by his political friends to try it again, but declined. His influence in the party is very strong. It is rare to find a man of his age of the same weight of character.
He is warden of St. Paul’s Episcopal church, a delegate to the Synod, and a man of the highest integrity.
The wife of Mr. Hudspeth was Miss Harriet Miles, daughter of Robert S. Miles, Esq., of Brockville, retired chief factor of the Hudson Bay Company. They were married in July, 1868, and have had six children, five of them still living.