George Adam Clare
Encyclopedia
George Adam Clare, PC
(June 6, 1854 – January 9, 1915) was a businessman, manufacturer and politician based in Preston
, Ontario
, Canada
(now part of Cambridge, Ontario
).
He was born in Preston to John Clare and Margaret Beck. In 1875, he went to work at his father's foundry
eventually purchasing the enterprise in partnership with his brother and another associate upon his father's retirement in 1881. The business was incorporated in 1901 as Clare Bros. Co. Ltd., with George Clare as its president.
In 1876, he married Catherine Fink.
Clare also headed a number of other companies such as Galt Stove and Furnace, Clare and Clare and Brodest Ltd. of Winnipeg, Solid Leather Shoe Co. Ltd, Preston Car and Coach Co. and Canadian Office and School Furniture Co. Ltd.
Clare was elected to the Preston town council in 1883 and became reeve of Preston in 1886 serving for two years. He assumed this position again from 1891 to 1898.
When Preston was incorporated as a town in 1900 he became its first mayor. He also served as warden of Waterloo County in 1895.
Clare was also active in federal politics running as the Conservative Party's candidate in Waterloo South
on several occasions. He was defeated by James Livingston
in the 1891
and 1896 federal election
s before winning a seat in the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1900 election
. He served as a Member of Parliament
until his death in 1915 and was named to the Queen's Privy Council of Canada in 1913, a rare honour for someone not in Cabinet. Clare died in Preston.
He was inducted to the City of Cambridge Hall of Fame in 2005.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(June 6, 1854 – January 9, 1915) was a businessman, manufacturer and politician based in Preston
Preston, Ontario
Preston is a community in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Prior to its amalgamation with the city of Galt, the town of Hespeler and the village of Blair to form the new city in 1973, it was an independent town. It is located near the confluence of the Grand River and Speed River...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(now part of Cambridge, Ontario
Cambridge, Ontario
Cambridge is a city located in Southern Ontario at the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgamation of the City of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, and the hamlet of Blair.Galt covers the largest portion of...
).
He was born in Preston to John Clare and Margaret Beck. In 1875, he went to work at his father's foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
eventually purchasing the enterprise in partnership with his brother and another associate upon his father's retirement in 1881. The business was incorporated in 1901 as Clare Bros. Co. Ltd., with George Clare as its president.
In 1876, he married Catherine Fink.
Clare also headed a number of other companies such as Galt Stove and Furnace, Clare and Clare and Brodest Ltd. of Winnipeg, Solid Leather Shoe Co. Ltd, Preston Car and Coach Co. and Canadian Office and School Furniture Co. Ltd.
Clare was elected to the Preston town council in 1883 and became reeve of Preston in 1886 serving for two years. He assumed this position again from 1891 to 1898.
When Preston was incorporated as a town in 1900 he became its first mayor. He also served as warden of Waterloo County in 1895.
Clare was also active in federal politics running as the Conservative Party's candidate in Waterloo South
Waterloo South
Waterloo South was a federal electoral district and a provincial electoral district.Federally, it was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1968. It was located in the province of Ontario...
on several occasions. He was defeated by James Livingston
James Livingston (Canadian politician)
James Livingston was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Waterloo South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1879 to 1882 and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1882 to 1900 as a Liberal member.He was born in East Kilbride, Scotland in 1838, the son of a weaver...
in the 1891
Canadian federal election, 1891
The Canadian federal election of 1891 was held on March 5 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 7th Parliament of Canada. It was won by the Conservative Party of Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald....
and 1896 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1896
The Canadian federal election of 1896 was held on June 23, 1896 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Canada. Though the Conservative Party won a plurality of the popular vote, the Liberal Party, led by Wilfrid Laurier, won the majority of seats to form the...
s before winning a seat in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1900 election
Canadian federal election, 1900
The Canadian federal election of 1900 was held on November 7 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 9th Parliament of Canada. As a result of the election, the Liberal Party, led by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier, was re-elected to a second majority government, defeating the...
. He served as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
until his death in 1915 and was named to the Queen's Privy Council of Canada in 1913, a rare honour for someone not in Cabinet. Clare died in Preston.
He was inducted to the City of Cambridge Hall of Fame in 2005.