William Cameron Edwards (7 May 1844 – 17 September 1921) was a Canadian businessman and parliamentarian. He was born in Clarence Township in Russell County,

Canada West The Province of Canada (or the United Province of Canada or the United Canadas) was a British colony in British North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham, in the Report ...

the son of William Edwards and Ann Cameron, received basic schooling in

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

at the District Grammar School Lisgar Alumni Association. A History of the Ottawa Collegiate Institute, 1843–1903. 1904. and, at a young age, began work in the timber industry at

Thurso Thurso (pronounced ; , ) is a town and former burgh on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. Situated in the historical County of Caithness, it is the northernmost town on the island of Great Britain. From a latitudinal s ...

, Quebec. He founded W.C. Edwards & Company which built large

sawmill A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logging, logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes ...

s at Rockland and

New Edinburgh New Edinburgh is a neighbourhood in Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located to the northeast of the downtown core. It is bordered on the west by the Rideau River, to the north by the Ottawa River, to the south by Beec ...

. Up until 1920, Edwards' company also operated a sawmill on the Petite-Nation River in Quebec at North Nation Mills, north of Plaisance. In 1885, he married Catherine Wilson. A Liberal, he was five times elected as a Member of Parliament representing the

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

electoral district An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...

of Russell. He was first elected in the Canadian federal election of 1887, and was re-elected in 1888,

1891 Events January * January 1 ** A strike of 500 Hungarian steel workers occurs; 3,000 men are out of work as a consequence. **Germany takes formal possession of its new African territories. * January 4 – The Earl of Zetland issues a ...

1896 Events January * January 2 – The Jameson Raid comes to an end as Jameson surrenders to the Boers. * January 4 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. * January 5 – An Austrian newspaper reports Wilhelm Röntgen's dis ...

and

1900 As of March 1 ( O.S. February 17), when the Julian calendar acknowledged a leap day and the Gregorian calendar did not, the Julian calendar fell one day further behind, bringing the difference to 13 days until February 28 ( O.S. February 15 ...

. On 17 March 1903 he was appointed to the

Senate of Canada The Senate of Canada () is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons, they compose the Bicameralism, bicameral le ...

upon the recommendation of Sir

Wilfrid Laurier Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier (November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and Liberal politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadians, French ...

. He represented the senatorial division of

Russell County, Ontario Russell County is known as a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1800 from a portion of Stormont County. In 1820, the county was united with Prescott County to form United Counties of Prescott and Russell wh ...

until his death in Ottawa. At one time, Edwards owned the residence at

24 Sussex Drive 24 Sussex Drive, originally called Gorffwysfa and usually referred to simply as 24 Sussex, is the official residence of the prime minister of Canada, in the New Edinburgh neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario. Built between 1866 and 1868 by Joseph Me ...

, having purchased it from Joseph Merrill Currier in 1902. Ironically his nephew Cameron Macpherson Edwards's home,

Harrington Lake Harrington Lake () is the summer residence and all-season retreat of the prime minister of Canada, and also the name of the land which surrounds it. The farm that surrounded most of the lake was the property of Margaret and John Harrington. Joh ...

, is now the country retreat of the

Prime Minister of Canada The prime minister of Canada () is the head of government of Canada. Under the Westminster system, the prime minister governs with the Confidence and supply, confidence of a majority of the elected House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons ...

. Edwards was also president of Canada Cement Company, was a noted livestock breeder and served as president of the Russell Agricultural Society. His nephew Gordon Cameron Edwards also served in the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada () is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of Ca ...

Electoral record

, - , Liberal , William Cameron Edwards , align="right", 2,166 , Unknown ,

Charles Herbert Mackintosh The Honourable Charles Herbert Mackintosh (May 13, 1843 – December 22, 1931) was a Canadian journalist and author, newspaper owner and editor, and politician. He served as mayor of Ottawa from 1879 to 1881, represented the City of Ottawa a ...

, align="right", 1,963

References

1844 births 1921 deaths Canadian senators from Ontario Liberal Party of Canada MPs Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario 19th-century Canadian businesspeople Timber industry People from Clarence-Rockland Lisgar Collegiate Institute alumni 19th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada 20th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada 20th-century members of the Senate of Canada {{Liberal-Ontario-MP-stub