David Breakenridge Read, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetDavid Breakenridge Read
Canadian mayor
Date of Birth: 
Place of Birth: Ontario, Canada
About David Breakenridge Read
- David Breakenridge Read (13 June 1823 – 11 May 1904) was a Canadian lawyer, educator, author, and Mayor of Toronto in 1858.
- Read was Mayor of Toronto from November 11, 1858 to December 31, 1858.
- He served a mere 50 fifty days, thus making him the shortest serving Mayor of that city. Born in Merrickville, Ontario, the sixth child of John Landon Read [1789-??] and Janet Breakenridge [1795-1832].
- Read was educated in Brockville, and, at the age of thirteen, was accepted into Toronto's Upper Canada College.
- Four years later, 1840, he was admitted to the Law Society of Upper Canada.
- Read began his law articles while working for George Sherwood in Brockville.
- His studies were finished with John Ross in Belleville and then John Willoughby Crawford in Toronto.
- Read was admitted into the bar in 1845.
- He then began a law practice which became successful.
- In 1845 he served as Barrister at Law. He married Emily Ballard, born 1827, daughter of Norman Ballard.
- The couple had seven children. In November 1855, he was elected a Bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada.
- The next year,Read was appointed by Attorney General John A.MacDonald to a commission to revise the statutes of Upper Canada.
- Read served as a junior commissioner and was the commission's secretary.
- In 1858, he was elected to Toronto City Council as alderman for St Patrick’s Ward.
- Council appointed him Mayor of Toronto on November 11, 1858 after his predecessor, William Henry Boulton, announced his resignation.
- He served in that post until December 31 of that year, when Adam Wilson was elected to take that post.
- He was also a member of the Orange Order in Canada. Read continued to serve in the Law Society until his retirement in April 1881 at the age of 55.
- In November 1902, at the age of 79, Read suffered a stroke that would leave him bedridden for the final year and half until his death.
- He died on May 11, 1904, and was buried among many of his colleagues in a private funeral at St.
- James Cemetery in Toronto.
Read more at Wikipedia