Gustav Bergman
Encyclopedia
Gustav C. Bergman was the first elected mayor of Beverly
, Alberta
after Beverly was incorporated as a town in 1914.
He was born to Swedish American parents in Paxton, Illinois
. His mother was killed in an accident with a train when Bergman was only seven years old. Because his father was unable to care for him, he was forced to work. He later attended Drake University
.
He moved to Canada
in the early 1900s, settling first near Erskine, Alberta, before moving to the Beverly area in 1912. He bought 36 lots in Beverly's Beacon Heights subdivision.
When Beverly incorporated as a town in 1914, he ran for mayor, was elected and served a single term. During his term, Beverly's police force and fire brigade were established.
In 1917, he moved back to Erskine and took up farming.
Bergman returned to Edmonton briefly in 1962 to attend the ceremonies marking Beverly's amalgamation
with the City of Edmonton. He died later the same year and was buried in Edmonton.
The Edmonton neighborhood of Bergman, located just to the north of the old Beverly townsite, was named in his honour in 1987.
Beverly, Alberta
Beverly is a former urban municipality within the Edmonton Capital Region of Alberta, Canada. Beverly incorporated as a village in 1913 and became the Town of Beverly on July 10, 1914. It later amalgamated with the City of Edmonton on December 30, 1961....
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
after Beverly was incorporated as a town in 1914.
He was born to Swedish American parents in Paxton, Illinois
Paxton, Illinois
Paxton is a city in Ford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,473 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ford County.-History:...
. His mother was killed in an accident with a train when Bergman was only seven years old. Because his father was unable to care for him, he was forced to work. He later attended Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
.
He moved to 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...
in the early 1900s, settling first near Erskine, Alberta, before moving to the Beverly area in 1912. He bought 36 lots in Beverly's Beacon Heights subdivision.
When Beverly incorporated as a town in 1914, he ran for mayor, was elected and served a single term. During his term, Beverly's police force and fire brigade were established.
In 1917, he moved back to Erskine and took up farming.
Bergman returned to Edmonton briefly in 1962 to attend the ceremonies marking Beverly's amalgamation
Amalgamation (politics)
A merger or amalgamation in a political or administrative sense is the combination of two or more political or administrative entities such as municipalities , counties, districts, etc. into a single entity. This term is used when the process occurs within a sovereign entity...
with the City of Edmonton. He died later the same year and was buried in Edmonton.
The Edmonton neighborhood of Bergman, located just to the north of the old Beverly townsite, was named in his honour in 1987.
Further reading
- Herzog, Lawrence, "Built on Coal, A History of Beverly, Edmonton's Working Class Town", Beverly Community Development Society, 2000, Edmonton, Alberta.