The Bidwells
Though the Bidwells are not directly related to Ham House, they are important in early American and Upper Canada history and particularly Marshall Bidwell seemed to be a constant foe of George Ham in just about every turn of his life.
In 1821 Barnabus won the seat for Lennox and Addington in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. However the Tories were successful in removing him from his seat under the pretense that he had plead allegiance to the U.S. and that there were questions surrounding the circumstances of his leaving the U.S.
Barnabus Bidwell died in Bath in 1833.
Marshall Spring Bidwell was Barnabus' son and was born in 1799. He studied law in Kingston and was called to the Upper Canada Bar in 1821 (2).
Figure 2. Kingston Chronicle, March 14, 1823.
In 1823 Marshall ran in a by-election for the Lennox and Addington seat against George Ham. The observation that the 'contest is expected to be severe' makes it clear the level of antagonism between George and Marshall. George won by 13 votes. In 1824 Marshall won the seat which he held until 1836. He was elected Speaker of the Assembly in 1828. Though he was not involved, in 1837 the Tories accused Marshall of complicity with the Rebels during the Upper Canada Rebellion and he fled to New York City.
In addition to political jousting with George Ham, Marshall represented George Ham's estranged wife Hester in the spectacular family lawsuit of 1826.
In 1828 it was Marshal who coined the term 'Family Compact' and there is little doubt that George Ham was a prominent model for that 'institution'.
References
1. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Volume VI, University of Toronto, University of Laval, 2016
2. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Volume X, University of Toronto, University of Laval, 2016