William McCreary

Who was William McCreary?

William Forsythe McCreary was a Canadian politician serving as an alderman and the 16th Mayor of Winnipeg and as a Member of the Canadian House of Commons.

McCreary was a lawyer who moved to Manitoba in 1881 where he became a Winnipeg alderman in 1883. He held that city post again in 1884 and 1886 and after a nine-year gap became the city's Mayor for 1897. He also became Commissioner of Immigration that year, noted for his assistance with providing Doukhobors with food supplies in 1898 as they settled in Western Canada.

McCreary was elected to the Canadian House of Commons under the Liberal party in the 1900 federal election at Selkirk electoral district. He served most of his term in the 9th Canadian Parliament until his sudden death at Ottawa's Russell House on 4 May 1904. A doctor and coroner examining his body concluded that McCreary died of heart disease early that morning. He indicated to some colleagues the previous evening that he was experiencing chest pains, following his attendance in Parliament.

The City of Winnipeg named McCreary Road in his honour. The Rural Municipality of McCreary is also named after him.