Thomas Kennedy Ramsay (2 September 1826-22 December 1886) was a Scots-Canadian jurist and judge.[1]
He was born inAyr as the third son of David Ramsay ofGrimmat,Straiton,writer to the signet, whilst his mother (d.1878) was a daughter of Thomas Kennedy of Kirkmechan House, Ayr and sister to the wife of the army officerJames Shaw.[1] His father died when he was young and he was initially privately tutored at St John's,Maryhill, where his mother had moved, then at a school inSt Andrews andAyr Academy as well as in France.[2][1]
His mother took the family toSt Hugues in Canada in 1847 and Thomas was called to the bar in 1852 as well as helping manageLa Patrie and theEvening Telegraph, helping found theLower Canada Jurist and editing theLaw Reporter. He also ran unsuccessfully twice for theHouse of Commons of Canada.[1]
From 1859 to 1862 he was secretary of the commission for the codification of thecivil law ofLower Canada, publishing anIndex to Reported Cases in 1865 just before being appointedcrown prosecutor atMontreal, including prosecution of theFenian raiders atSweetsburg.[1] He was made aQueen's Counsel in 1867, three years later an assistant justice of thesuperior court and in 1873 apuisne judge of thecourt of queen's bench for theDominion. Upon his death he was buried at theMount Royal Cemetery, Montreal.[1]
"Ramsay, Thomas Kennedy".Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.