William Paine

Who was William Paine?

William Paine was a physician and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Charlotte County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1786 to 1787. Paine was unusual in that he was a United Empire Loyalist who chose to return to the United States.

He was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, the son of Timothy Paine and Sarah Chandler. He was educated at Harvard College, then studied medicine with Doctor Edward Augustus Holyoke and set up practice in Worcester in 1771. In 1773, he married Lois Orne. In 1774, he signed a protest against the activities of the pre-revolutionary committees of correspondence. He was censured for his protest and, later that year, travelled to England to continue his medical studies. Paine received an M.D. from Marischal College in Scotland. He returned to North America and served as apothecary for the British forces. In 1782, he was sent to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Paine was granted land near Passamaquoddy Bay in New Brunswick. He first settled on Letete Island but later moved to Saint John. He served on the city council in 1785 and was elected to the legislative assembly later that year. He returned to Massachusetts to settle his financial affairs there and decided to remain there, settling first at Salem and then Worcester. In 1812, he became an American citizen. Paine became an honorary member of the Massachusetts Medical Society, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and helped found the American Antiquarian Society. He died at Worcester at the age of 82.