Joseph Cotter
Encyclopedia
Joseph Henry Cotter was a Canadian
politician in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1927 to 1932. He was a member of the Conservative Party
.
Cotter was born in Milan
, Italy
, the son of a Church of England
rector in Ireland
. He was educated at private schools in the south of Ireland, and came to Canada in 1890. Cotter worked as an accountant, and was for fifteen years the chief accountant of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Active in freemasonry
, Cotter was the first master of the St. James Lodge 121.
He served as a school trustee from 1912 to 1915, was a councillor in the municipality of St. James in 1924, and served as its reeve in 1925. From 1925 to 1927, he was the representative of St. James on the Winnipeg Municipality Suburban Board. He served as reeve of St. James a second time in 1928-29.
From 1916 to 1919, Cotter served overseas in World War I
as a lieutenant
with the 108th Battalion. He was later transferred to the C.A.P.C.
He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1927 provincial election
, defeating Independent Labour Party
candidate Richard B. Russell. The Conservatives became the leading opposition party after this election, and Cotter served with his party on the opposition benches. He did not run for re-election in 1932.
He died at St. James, Manitoba on 30 September 1937.
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...
politician in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1927 to 1932. He was a member of the Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
.
Cotter was born in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the son of a Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
rector in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He was educated at private schools in the south of Ireland, and came to Canada in 1890. Cotter worked as an accountant, and was for fifteen years the chief accountant of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Active in freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, Cotter was the first master of the St. James Lodge 121.
He served as a school trustee from 1912 to 1915, was a councillor in the municipality of St. James in 1924, and served as its reeve in 1925. From 1925 to 1927, he was the representative of St. James on the Winnipeg Municipality Suburban Board. He served as reeve of St. James a second time in 1928-29.
From 1916 to 1919, Cotter served overseas in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
with the 108th Battalion. He was later transferred to the C.A.P.C.
He was elected to the Manitoba legislature in the 1927 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1927
Manitoba's general election of 28 June 1927 was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This was the first election in Manitoba history to elect members through a single transferable ballot in all constituencies...
, defeating Independent Labour Party
Independent Labour Party (in Manitoba) (II)
Prior to 1920, there were a number of groups in Winnipeg which called themselves the "Independent Labour Party". For information on these groups, see Independent Labour Party ....
candidate Richard B. Russell. The Conservatives became the leading opposition party after this election, and Cotter served with his party on the opposition benches. He did not run for re-election in 1932.
He died at St. James, Manitoba on 30 September 1937.