William Weller
Encyclopedia
William Weller was an entrepreneur and official in Upper Canada
and Canada West. He served three terms as mayor of Cobourg
.
He was born in Vermont
and came to Upper Canada with his father. With Hiram Norton
, in 1829, he purchased a stage coach line running between York (later Toronto
) and Kingston
, becoming sole owner in 1830. Weller made arrangements with other operators including his former partner to provide connecting service to Montreal
. In 1835, he expanded to offer service in winter from Toronto to Hamilton
and Niagara
and also opened a stage line connecting to Peterborough
. He transported mail as well as passengers. Weller also helped support the Cobourg & Peterborough Railroad which, however, was eventually closed in 1860.
He served as a member of the Board of Police for Cobourg from 1837 to 1844 and in 1847. He was also a shareholder in a number of companies involved in road upkeep. Weller was mayor of Cobourg in 1850, 1851 and 1863 and also served five years as a member of the town council.
He married Mercy Willcox and then Margaret McKechin after her death and is thought to have had 22 children. His son John Laing was an engineer involved in the construction of the Welland Canal
.
Weller's office in Toronto was housed in the Coffin Block Building
.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and Canada West. He served three terms as mayor of Cobourg
Cobourg, Ontario
Cobourg is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in Southern Ontario 95 km east of Toronto. It is the largest town in Northumberland County. Its nearest neighbour is Port Hope, to the west. It is located along Highway 401 and the former Highway 2...
.
He was born in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and came to Upper Canada with his father. With Hiram Norton
Hiram Norton
Hiram Norton was a merchant and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Vermont around 1799 and settled in Prescott. In 1833, he became a justice of the peace in the Johnstown District. He represented Grenville in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada from 1831 to 1838 as a Reformer...
, in 1829, he purchased a stage coach line running between York (later Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) and Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, becoming sole owner in 1830. Weller made arrangements with other operators including his former partner to provide connecting service to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. In 1835, he expanded to offer service in winter from Toronto to Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
and Niagara
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Niagara-on-the-Lake is a Canadian town located in Southern Ontario where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of the southern part of the province of Ontario. It is located across the Niagara river from Youngstown, New York, USA...
and also opened a stage line connecting to Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
. He transported mail as well as passengers. Weller also helped support the Cobourg & Peterborough Railroad which, however, was eventually closed in 1860.
He served as a member of the Board of Police for Cobourg from 1837 to 1844 and in 1847. He was also a shareholder in a number of companies involved in road upkeep. Weller was mayor of Cobourg in 1850, 1851 and 1863 and also served five years as a member of the town council.
He married Mercy Willcox and then Margaret McKechin after her death and is thought to have had 22 children. His son John Laing was an engineer involved in the construction of the Welland Canal
Welland Canal
The Welland Canal is a ship canal in Canada that extends from Port Weller, Ontario, on Lake Ontario, to Port Colborne, Ontario, on Lake Erie. As a part of the St...
.
Weller's office in Toronto was housed in the Coffin Block Building
Coffin Block Building, Toronto
The Coffin Block Building at Front and Church Streets was the first Flatiron building in Toronto, Canada. The 3 storey structure was built in 1845 as an annex to The Wellington hotel on Church Street. The basement housed the office of William Weller Stagecoach Company...
.