Arthur Courthope Poussette, was born in the parish of Newington, London, England, on the 7th of December, 1835. He emigrated to Canada in July, 1839, with his father, Peter Taylor Poussette, who in England practiced as a solicitor, and settled in the township of Sarnia, county of Lambton, where the family resided until the spring of 1852, when Mr. Poussette being appointed postmaster of the village of Port Sarnia, (now the town of Sarnia), necessitated the removal of the family to this place, where they have since resided; Mr. P. T. Poussette, up to the time of his death, held the positions of clerk of the peace, M aster in Chancery, clerk of the first Division Court, for the county of Lambton, and town clerk of Sarnia, after its incorporation.
The subject of this sketch, deciding to enter the medical profession, selected McGill College, Montreal, and entered as a student of medicine, in November 1857. After attending three six months courses of lectures, and passing successfully the necessary examinations, he received the degree of doctor of medicine in May 1860, and commenced the practice of his profession in the village of Errol, county of Lambton, in August of the same year. In January 1861, the doctor removed from Errol to the village of Mooretown, in the same county, and on the 3rd day of April, 1861, he married Alicia, second daughter of Captain George Hyde, R. N., of Plympton, Ontario, by whom he has issue, now surviving, one son and three daughters. In December 1863, on the death of his brother-in-law, Doctor Edward Horatio Bucke, Dr. Poussette removed to Sarnia, the county town of Lambton, where he has since continued to practice his profession.
In politics Doctor Poussette is a staunch Conservative, active, intelligent and conscientious, and, necessarily, a strong supporter of Sir John A. Macdonald. For the past ten years the public affairs of the town have engrossed a good deal of his attention and time, greatly to the advantage of the municipality, of which he is still a leading member.
Three years, viz: 1871-72 and 73, he sat for the North Ward as councilor, and in 1877-79 and at the present writing, the Reeveship of the town of Sarnia is held by the doctor, thereby giving him prominence in the government of the affairs of the county generally.
The Church of England, (of which communion Dr. Poussette is a member), so far as the diocese of Huron is concerned, has received the benefit of his experience and time, he having served as lay delegate in the Synod ever since its incorporation under the present law, and a member of the standing committee of the Synod for the same period.