William Peyton Hubbard
Section L, Lot 27
Toronto Necropolis
Hubbard was born in Toronto on January 27, 1842, the son of freed slaves from Virginia, and trained as a baker, which trade he plied for almost 20 years during which time he invented a revolutionary type of stove. In 1894 he ran for and was elected alderman for Ward 4, and again in 13 consecutive elections. Nicknamed “Cicero of Council” by his colleagues, Hubbard was elected to the board of control four years running; from 1904-06 he was elected vice-chairman of the board; was acting mayor in 1907/8; was Toronto’s chief representative to the House of Industry (the Poor House) for 40 years; served as justice of the peace; harbour commissioner; vice-chairman of the Technical School Board; chairman of the Ontario Municipal Association; and chairman of the Fire and Light Committee. He fought for public ownership of the city’s water supply and electricity, and advocated charity for the poor and homeless. William Peyton Hubbard died on April 30, 1935. His house still stands across the Don Valley at 660 Broadview Avenue. His son, Fred, one of Toronto’s first transit commissioners, married Grace Abbott, daughter of Anderson Ruffin Abbott, the first Canadian-born black surgeon. They, too, are buried in the Necropolis, in Section O, Lot 12.