David Breakenridge Read

David Breakenridge Read ( born June 13, 1823 in Merrickville, Ontario, † May 11, 1904 in Toronto ) was a Canadian lawyer, teacher, author and politician. Read was the 14th mayor of Toronto for only 50 days. It is so far the shortest term of office of a mayor in Toronto.

Read grew up in Brockville and moved to Toronto, where he attended Upper Canada College at age 13. In 1840 he attended the Law Society of Upper Canada and then wrote legal treatises as he worked in Brockville. He gained his legal approval in 1845. In November 1855 he was appointed to the Law Society of Upper Canada as a lecturer and asked the following year, proofread the statutes of Upper Canada. Read was elected mayor on November 11, 1858, after his predecessor William Boulton gave up the office. He stayed only a few days left to the end in office; he was succeeded by Adam Wilson. Read remained until his retirement in April 1881 Lecturer at the Law Society. In November 1902 at the age of 79 years he suffered a stroke that made him bedridden from then on. He died in May 1904 and was buried in St. James Cemetery.

David Read was married to Emily Ballard, with whom he had seven children.