William Dawson LeSueur
William Dawson LeSueur was a prominent Canadian historian and writer born in Quebec to English parents in the 19th century. He served as a civil servant for the federal postal authority, where he gained notoriety for naming emerging settlements, often against the wishes of local inhabitants. A notable example of this is his naming of the settlement Bracebridge after Washington Irving's "Bracebridge Hall," which initially upset locals who preferred the name North Falls. Over time, however, the community embraced the name Bracebridge, even renaming the nearby waterfall to match. LeSueur is perhaps best known for his biography of William Lyon Mackenzie, a significant figure in Canadian history, although it faced rejection for decades before its eventual publication. As a journalist and intellectual, LeSueur was actively involved in public discourse, addressing controversial issues such as women's rights, racial equality, and the intersection of faith and science. He continued to contribute to various periodicals throughout his career, demonstrating his commitment to engaging with the pressing matters of his time. LeSueur spent his final years in Ottawa, where he passed away in 1917, leaving behind a legacy of thoughtful scholarship and advocacy.
On this Page
Subject Terms
William Dawson LeSueur
Nonfiction Writer
- Born: February 19, 1840
- Birthplace: Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
- Died: September 23, 1917
- Place of death: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Biography
William Dawson LeSueur, a nineteenth century Canadian historian and writer, was born in Quebec, Canada, to English parents. LeSueur served as a civil servant assigned to the federal postal authority. One of LeSueur’s duties at the postal authority was to assign names to the tiny settlements that were appearing throughout the Canadian frontier. In this capacity, he often created controversy. As a keen literary scholar of his time, LeSueur would often ignore the wishes of the inhabitants and name the settlements from his latest literary endeavor. For example, LeSueur named the tiny settlement of Bracebridge after Washington Irving’s novel Bracebridge Hall. This name infuriated the settlers of the area, as they wanted their town to be named North Falls after the beautiful waterfall outside of the settlement. However, eventually the citizens of Bracebridge grew to love their town’s name and even changed the waterfall’s name from North Falls to Bracebridge Falls.
LeSueur, who published several historical works, was best known for his biography of William Lyon Mackenzie, who was one of the founding fathers of Canada. LeSueur first submitted this biography titled William Lyon Mackenzie: A Reinterpretation to the Makers of Canada series, only to have it rejected. It was not until over seventy years later that LeSueur’s biography on William Lyon Mackenzie was finally published.
LeSueur, revered as a complex intellectual, was a persuasive journalist, dedicated historian, and a champion of women’s rights. LeSueur contributed to numerous periodicals and newspapers often writing about controversial issues of the time. In addition to writing about these issues, LeSueur often participated in lively public debates ranging in topics such as prayer in school, racial equality, evolutionary theory vs. Christian theology, and political partisanship. LeSueur lived out the later years of his life in Ottawa, where he died in 1917.