William Dowler Morris

Who was William Dowler Morris?

William Dowler Morris was mayor of Ottawa, Canada in 1901.

He was born in County Leitrim, Ireland in 1857 and came to Canada in 1877. He became involved in the oil, coal and real estate businesses; he also owned a brickyard. Morris was first elected to city council in 1892. He was forced to resign as mayor after being convicted of drinking after hours at an Ottawa hotel, an offence under the liquor license act. During his term as mayor, he was instrumental in persuading philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to donate funds for the main branch of the Ottawa Public Library; the city made a commitment to allocate funds for the ongoing upkeep of the library. However, the mayor of the time, James A. Ellis, chose not to invite Morris to the 1906 opening. Morris also served as a transport officer in World War I at the age of 60.

He died in Bermuda in 1931.