Bliss Botsford (November 26, 1813 – April 5, 1890) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada. He represented Westmorland County in the

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government. Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known ...

from 1851 to 1854, from 1856 to 1861 and from 1866 to 1870. He was born in Sackville, New Brunswick, the son of

William Botsford William Botsford (April 29, 1773 – May 8, 1864) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in the pre-Confederation Province of New Brunswick, Canada. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut Colony, the son of Amos Botsford and Sarah Chandle ...

and Sarah Lowell Murray who was the daughter of William Hazen. He studied at King's College in Fredericton but did not receive a degree. Botsford then studied law with William End, was called to the bar in 1838 and set up practice at the Bend of Petitcodiac (incorporated as Moncton in 1855). In 1842, he married Jane Chapman. Botsford was named mayor of Moncton in 1862 and promptly had the town's incorporation act repealed so that its municipal debt would be spread across the county. Moncton was later incorporated again in 1875 after becoming a major railway centre for the province. Botsford was an opponent of

Confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign groups or states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

. He served as speaker for the Legislative Assembly from 1867 to 1870 and as a member of the

Executive Council of New Brunswick The Executive Council of New Brunswick (french: Conseil exécutif du Nouveau-Brunswick), informally and more commonly, the Cabinet of New Brunswick (french: Cabinet du Nouveau-Brunswick), is the cabinet of the Canadian province of New Brunswick. ...

, was Surveyor General from April 5, 1865 to April 14, 1866. In 1870, Bliss Botsford was named judge for the court for Westmorland and Albert counties. He was also a major in the county militia and an active Freemason. Botsford died in Moncton at the age of 76 after collapsing while descending a flight of stairs and then falling out through a window.

References

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''''The Canadian parliamentary companion'' HJ Morgan (1869)
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Botsford, Bliss 1813 births 1890 deaths Lawyers in New Brunswick Judges in New Brunswick Members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Members of the Executive Council of New Brunswick Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Mayors of Moncton Canadian people of English descent People from Sackville, New Brunswick