Joseph Henry Widdifield

Joseph Henry Widdifield
Ontario MPP
In office 1875–1888
Preceded by	Alfred Boultbee
Succeeded by	Elihu Davis
Constituency	York North
Personal details
Born	(1845-06-12)June 12, 1845 Whitchurch, Upper Canada
Died	June 3, 1906(1906-06-03) (aged 60) Toronto, Ontario
Political party	Liberal
Occupation	Doctor

Joseph Henry Widdifield (June 12, 1845 – June 3, 1906) was an Ontario physician and political figure. He represented York North in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal member from 1875 to 1888.

Life

Widdifield was born in Whitchurch, Upper Canada in 1845, the son of Charles Ellis Widdifield, and studied medicine at Victoria College and St Thomas's Hospital Medical School in London. On his return to Canada, Widdifield set up practice in Newmarket. He served as a coroner and justice of the peace of Victoria County. He also served in the militia during the Fenian raids. He was whip for the provincial Liberal party from 1877 to 1883. Widdifield served as deputy Grand Master for the Masonic order in the Toronto district and also served as provincial medical examiner for the order. In 1888, he resigned his seat in the assembly to accept the position of sheriff for York County.

In 1965, Widdifield Secondary School in the Widdifield District of North Bay was named after him.

Electoral history

1875 Ontario general election: York North
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Joseph Henry Widdifield	1,835	57.69	+7.78
	Independent	E. Jackson	1,346	42.31
Total valid votes			3,181	65.36	−1.28
Eligible voters			4,867
	Liberal gain from Conservative		Swing		+7.78
Source: Elections Ontario

External links

• Ontario Legislative Assembly parliamentary history
• The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1887 JA Gemmill
• A Cyclopæedia of Canadian biography : being chiefly men of the time ... GM Rose (1886)
• Commemorative biographical record of the county of York, Ontario ... (1907)