Josiah Williams Pearce Explained

Josiah Williams Pearce
Office1:Ontario MPP
Term Start1:1902
Term End1:1911
Predecessor1:William John Allen
Successor1:John Robert Cooke
Constituency1:Hastings North
Party:Conservative
Birth Date:18 January 1850
Birth Place:Norwood, Canada West
Death Place:Belleville, Ontario
Occupation:Merchant
Spouse:Bessie Bramley (m. 1877)
Julia C. Houston (m. 1891)
Mary Pearce

Josiah Williams "Si" Pearce (January 18, 1850  - May 25, 1938) was a merchant and politician in Ontario, Canada. He represented Hastings North in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1902 to 1911 as a Conservative member.

The son of Peter Pearce and Almira Edmonds, he was born in Norwood, Canada West, and was educated there. Pearce began working as a clerk in a general store there, later moving to Marmora, where he opened his own business. He served as reeve for Marmora from 1890 to 1893 and from 1895 to 1902, and was warden for Hastings County in 1901. He was also secretary-treasurer for the Pearce Lumber Company. Pearce built the first retail mall in Marmora which included a bakery, a livery store and the town newspaper office.

Pearce was married three times: first to Bessie Bramley in 1877, then to Julia C. Houston in 1891[1] and finally to Mary.

From 1911 to 1923, he was bursar for the Ontario School for the Deaf in Belleville. Pearce died in Belleville at the age of 88.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Chambers, E J. The Canadian Parliamentary Guide and Work of General Reference for the Dominion of Canada . 1908 .
  2. Web site: 5 Bursthall St . Marmora Historical Foundation.