McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Letter, 1 December 1884
Item
William Edwin Pugsley was born on September 27, 1850, in Sussex, Kings, New Brunswick.
He was a lawyer, politician, premier, and lieutenant-governor of New Brunswick. He was educated at the University of New Brunswick (B.A., 1868; B.C.L., 1879; honorary D.C.L, 1884 and L.L.D, 1918). In 1872, he was admitted to the bar and entered a partnership with his brother Gilbert R. Pugsley and John Herbert Crawford. Pugsley was created a Queen's Counsel in 1891. He was a tough politician who employed patronage blatantly to win support for the Liberal cause. Pugsley served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, Solicitor-General, and Attorney-General in various Liberal governments before becoming the 11th premier of New Brunswick in 1907. He resigned after a few months to enter the federal Cabinet as minister of public works. Following a term as the 15th Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick (1917-1923), he was appointed commissioner of the settlement of war claims in Ottawa, a position he held until his death.
In 1876, he married Fanny Jane Parks (1858–1914), and in 1915, he married Gertrude MacDonald (1874–1963). He died on March 3, 1925, in Toronto, Ontario, and is buried in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Letter from W. Pugsley to John William Dawson, written from St. John.