12) William David Jeffrey: Elected mayor for the Town of Welland in 1885

Vital statistics

Birth: April 22, 1831 at Nova Scotia, Canada

Death: July 28, 1889 at Welland, Ontario, Canada

Burial place: Fonthill Cemetery

Parents: William / Margaret M.

Spouses: Sarah Ann (née Woolnough) / Elizabeth (née Henderson)

Children: Jerome W. / Charles W. / George A. / three unnamed daughters

Occupations: Blacksmith / Carriage Maker

Religion: Presbyterian

Community affiliations: Town Councillor / Member of Masonic lodge 36, Fonthill, and treasurer of Willson chapter of Welland / President of the Orient Lacrosse Club / Chairman of Board of Health

Profile

William David Jeffrey was born April 22, 1831 in Nova Scotia to William and Margaret Jeffrey, his parents being of English heritage. Unfortunately his father drowned when William was only three years old, and it was shortly after that when his widowed mother moved the family to Pelham.

When William came of age he chose the profession of blacksmith, the same trade as his father. He worked in both the Pelham and St. Catharines areas. It was in St. Catharines that he married Sarah Ann (née Woolnough) with whom he had three sons. He then started business in Wellandport as both a blacksmith and carriage maker. When Welland had presented itself as a large market, he moved his family there around 1868 and opened his carriage business. The included picture is his business advertisement from the February 10, 1870 edition of the Welland Tribune and People’s Press, as unfortunately no pictures can currently be found of William himself. In 1871 Sarah Ann passed away, and he remarried in 1872 to Elizabeth Henderson, with whom he had three daughters, one of them dying at a young age.

His business was located on Niagara Street (then known as North Main Street) near the bridge that crosses the Welland River. In the 1870s when the wooden bridge was deteriorating, as one of the town councillors William was the foremost in advocating replacing it with an iron bridge, which is eventually was.

He was elected as a councillor in 1876, 1878, and as mayor of the town in 1885 (defeating Abraham Hendershot 222 to 173). In his obituary, his time in office was described as “characterized by great skill, prudence, and forethought. His principal mental characteristics were perseverance, decision of character and sagacity.” The two men who nominated him for mayor in January 1885 said their reasons were that he was a man with large interests in the town, paid heavy taxes, was naturally interested in the town’s prosperity, and that he was a fit and proper person for the office. Accepting the nomination, he said that since he had moved to Welland he had always honourably and fairly tried to advance its interests along with his own. He was also glad to know the town had prospered since he had moved here. In 1868 Welland’s assessed value was $127,000, and in 1885 it was nearly $700,000. He then said he was not extravagant in his own business, and if elected he would guard the public interests with equal care.

When he decided not to run for mayor again the next year, he said that during his term he had tried to fill the office in a manner fair, honourable and impartial to all. The new council thanked him for his service, speaking in “flattering terms of the ability and kindness displayed by the retiring mayor, all voting him an honor to the chair he had so efficiently filled.”

William passed away on July 28, 1889 at Welland, with most of his family at his bedside. He had been in failing health for nearly a year, but the day of his death was a surprise as he had been chatting with friends with no indication the end was so near. He had only been enjoying his retirement from his carriage business for 18 months before he died. He had also only recently moved into a beautiful new home on Merritt St. The final words of his obituary in the Tribune read: “And thus passed away another of Welland’s honored pioneers a just and upright man, a good citizen, and a true friend.

Sources

“Beginning of the end.” Welland Tribune, January 15, 1886.
“Late Ex-Mayor Jeffrey.” Welland Tribune, August 2, 1889.
“Welland Nominations.” Welland Tribune, January 2, 1885.
“Welland Nominations.” Welland Tribune, January 1, 1886.
“William D. Jeffrey.” Welland Telegraph, August 2, 1889.