William Welsh (November 22, 1822 – June 22, 1905) was a merchant, ship owner and politician in

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...

. He represented Queen's County in the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Commo ...

from 1887 to 1896 as an Independent Liberal and then Liberal member. Welsh represented

4th Queens 4th Queens was an electoral district in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, which elected two members to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island (french: Assemblée législative ...

in the

Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island (french: Assemblée législative de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard) is the sole chamber of the General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. The Legislative Assembly meets at Province House, which is locat ...

from 1873 to 1878 as a Liberal member. He was born on Prince Edward Island, the son of Charles Welsh, and educated in

Charlottetown Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, Charlottetown was an unincorporated town until it was incorporated as a city in ...

. In 1854, he married Maria J. Pethick. He was a

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or '' puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the s ...

and served in the local militia, reaching the rank of major. He was first elected to the provincial assembly in an 1873 by-election held after David Laird was elected to the House of Commons. He ran unsuccessfully for a federal seat in 1876 and 1884. Welsh was defeated in a bid for reelection in East Queen's in 1896.

External links

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''The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1889'' JA Gemmill
1822 births 1905 deaths People from Queens County, Prince Edward Island Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Prince Edward Island Liberal Party of Canada MPs Prince Edward Island Liberal Party MLAs Canadian justices of the peace {{PrinceEdwardIsland-politician-stub