William Henry Waller was an Irish-born Canadian journalist, editor, and politician who served as the mayor of Ottawa during the late nineteenth century. Born at Castle Waller in County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1835, he immigrated to Canada with his family in 1853. He initially settled in Toronto, where he gained early employment at the prominent newspaper The Globe, establishing his roots in Canadian print media.
In 1861, Waller relocated to Ottawa to join the editorial staff of the Ottawa Union. Alongside his career in journalism, he expanded into the financial sector, working as an insurance broker in partnership with Roderick O'Connor. He also took on leadership roles in local commerce, serving as the president of the Capital Mutual Building Society of Ottawa.
Waller entered municipal politics in the mid-1870s, serving as a city council alderman from 1874 to 1875. He was elected mayor of Ottawa in 1877 through a by-election following the death of G. B. Lyon-Fellowes. After his mayoral term, Waller was appointed registrar for Carleton County in 1879, a position he held until his death in December 1885.
