William Pugsley

This article is about the former Premier of New Brunswick. For the Richmond Hill, Ontario reeve, see William H. Pugsley.

William Pugsley PC KC (September 27, 1850 – March 3, 1925) was a politician and lawyer in New Brunswick, Canada.

The Honourable William Pugsley PC KC
Hon. William Pugsley
11th Premier of New Brunswick
In office March 6, 1907 – May 31, 1907
Monarch	Edward VII
Lieutenant Governor	Lemuel J. Tweedie
Preceded by	Lemuel J. Tweedie
Succeeded by	Clifford W. Robinson
15th Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick
In office November 6, 1917 – February 28, 1923
Monarch	George V
Governors General	The Duke of Devonshire The Lord Byng of Vimy
Premier	Walter E. Foster Peter J. Veniot
Preceded by	Gilbert Ganong
Succeeded by	William Frederick Todd
MLA for Kings
In office July 4, 1885 – October 22, 1892 Serving with Finnemore E. Morton, Albert Scott White, Gabriel Flewelling, George L. Taylor
Preceded by	Edwin Arnold Vail
Succeeded by	George G. Scovil
In office February 18, 1899 – March 3, 1908 Serving with Albert Scott White, George G. Scovil, Ora P. King
Preceded by	George William Fowler
Succeeded by	James Alexander Murray
Member of the Canadian Parliament for City and County of St. John
In office September 18, 1907 – September 21, 1911
Preceded by	Alfred Augustus Stockton
Succeeded by	John Waterhouse Daniel
Member of the Canadian Parliament for City of St. John
In office September 21, 1911 – November 6, 1917
Preceded by	John Waterhouse Daniel
Succeeded by	District was abolished in 1914
Personal details
Born	(1850-09-27)September 27, 1850 Sussex, New Brunswick, British North America
Died	March 3, 1925(1925-03-03) (aged 74) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouses	Frances Jane Parks ​ ​ (m. 1876; died 1914)​ Gertrude Macdonald ​ (m. 1915)​
Children	3 sons and 2 daughters
Alma mater	University of New Brunswick
Occupation	Lawyer, businessman
Profession	Politician

Biography

He was born in Sussex, New Brunswick, the son of William Pugsley, of United Empire Loyalist descent, and Frances Jane Hayward. He was educated at the University of New Brunswick. He studied mathematics, classics, and English earning numerous scholarships. In his junior year he was the gold medallist of his class. He went on to study law, was admitted to the bar in 1872 and set up practice in Saint John. The University of New Brunswick awarded him a BCL in 1879 and would confer honorary degrees of DCL in 1884 and LL.D in 1918. Pugsley was created a QC on 4 February 1891.

Pugsley, a Liberal, served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick as well as Solicitor-General and Attorney-General before becoming the 11th premier of New Brunswick in 1907.

He resigned in September of that year to become Minister of Public Works in the federal Liberal government of Sir Wilfrid Laurier. He served in that position until the government's defeat in the 1911 federal election, but remained as a Member of Parliament (MP) until 1917 when he was appointed the 15th lieutenant governor of New Brunswick. When his term ended in 1923, he was appointed to a federal position in charge of settling war claims, and held that position until his death. Pugsley was staying at King Edward Hotel when he fell ill and died of pneumonia in Toronto in 1925.^[1] He was buried in the Fernhill Cemetery in Saint John, New Brunswick.

Electoral record

By-election on 18 September 1907 On Mr. Stockton's death, 15 March 1907
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	William Pugsley	acclaimed

v t e 1908 Canadian federal election: City and County of St. John
Party	Candidate	Votes
	Liberal	William Pugsley	5,582
	Conservative	Alexander William MacRae	5,086