Kenneth McLeod
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Archibald McLeod (September 7, 1858 – July 27, 1940), was a politician in Alberta
, Canada
and a municipal councillor in Edmonton
. He was also the builder of the McLeod Building, the Edmonton's first skyscraper.
. His family moved to Kansas
in 1870 and homesteaded near Solomon
three years before moving to Lynchburg, Virginia
. McLeod worked with his father in the lumber and construction businesses.
In 1879, he moved to Winnipeg
, where he stayed for two years before setting out for Edmonton August 5, 1881. His journey was on foot, in the company of two other men with three oxen, three Red River carts
, a buckboard
, and a pony. After ninety-one days of travel, he arrived in Edmonton November 3.
In Edmonton, he worked as a carpenter and builder until 1888. In 1893, he opened the first sash and door factory and planing mill
in the city, which he operated for seven years before selling it in 1900. Also in 1893, he built Fire Hall No. 1, which served as home to the city's fire brigade, police department, town offices, and court house.
by running for alderman on the Edmonton Town Council. He was elected, finishing second of nine candidates in a race in which the top six were elected. He did not seek re-election in 1894
, but returned to council in 1896
, when he placed first of nine candidates for alderman. He was re-elected in 1897
(again placing first of nine candidates) and 1898
, when he was one of three candidates elected to a two year term as part of Edmonton's plans to stagger aldermanic terms.
He did not seek re-election when this term expired in 1900
, but returned to municipal politics as part of Edmonton's first city council
by running in the 1904 election
. He finished third of seventeen candidates in this election and was elected to a two year term, but resigned in 1905. He did not return to political life thereafter.
In addition to his municipal activities, McLeod sat on the public school board from 1901 until 1905.
's Polson Building, it was completed in 1915 at a cost of six hundred thousand dollars. It required twelve hundred tons of steel, primarily because McLeod insisted on building it with footings large enough for a fifty storey building. It was the first building in Edmonton to be wired with conduits, and remains standing in to this day.
McLeod was active with the Freemasons
, the Edmonton Board of Trade, the Presbyterian Church, and the Liberal Party of Alberta.
In 1930 McLeod retired to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he remarried (to Mary Belle McKinnon). He died July 27, 1940.
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...
, 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...
and a municipal councillor in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
. He was also the builder of the McLeod Building, the Edmonton's first skyscraper.
Early life and career
McLeod was born September 7, 1858 in Port Elgin, OntarioPort Elgin, Ontario
Port Elgin is a community in the Ontario municipality of Saugeen Shores. Close to MacGregor Point Provincial Park in Bruce County, the community has several beaches on Lake Huron....
. His family moved to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
in 1870 and homesteaded near Solomon
Solomon, Kansas
Solomon is a city in Dickinson and Saline counties in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,095. The Saline County portion of Solomon is part of the Salina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
three years before moving to Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
. McLeod worked with his father in the lumber and construction businesses.
In 1879, he moved to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, where he stayed for two years before setting out for Edmonton August 5, 1881. His journey was on foot, in the company of two other men with three oxen, three Red River carts
Red River ox cart
The Red River cart was a large two-wheeled cart made entirely of non-metallic materials. Often drawn by oxen, though also by horses or mules, these carts were used throughout most of the 19th century in the fur trade and in westward expansion in Canada and the United States, in the area of the Red...
, a buckboard
Buckboard
A buckboard is a four-wheeled wagon of simple construction meant to be drawn by a horse or other large animal. The "buckboard" is the front-most board on the wagon that could act as both a footrest for the driver and protection for the driver from the horse's rear hooves in case of a "buck". The...
, and a pony. After ninety-one days of travel, he arrived in Edmonton November 3.
In Edmonton, he worked as a carpenter and builder until 1888. In 1893, he opened the first sash and door factory and planing mill
Planing mill
A planing mill is a facility that takes cut and seasoned boards from a sawmill and turns them into finished dimensional lumber. Machines used in the mill include the planer and matcher, the molding machines, and varieties of saws...
in the city, which he operated for seven years before selling it in 1900. Also in 1893, he built Fire Hall No. 1, which served as home to the city's fire brigade, police department, town offices, and court house.
Municipal politics
McLeod entered municipal politics in 1893Edmonton municipal election, 1893
The 1893 municipal election was held January 3, 1893 to elect the town council and three trustees for each of the public and separate school divisions.-Mayor:-Aldermen:-References:...
by running for alderman on the Edmonton Town Council. He was elected, finishing second of nine candidates in a race in which the top six were elected. He did not seek re-election in 1894
Edmonton municipal election, 1894
The 1894 Edmonton municipal election was held January 2, 1894 to elect the town council, consisting of a mayor and six aldermen, each elected for a one year term).-Mayor:-Aldermen:-References:*...
, but returned to council in 1896
Edmonton municipal election, December 1896
The second of two 1896 municipal elections was held December 14, 1896. This was the first election to take place on the second Monday of December instead of the second Monday in January...
, when he placed first of nine candidates for alderman. He was re-elected in 1897
Edmonton municipal election, 1897
The 1897 municipal election was held December 13, 1897. This was the last election to elect a full town council for a one year term, as the 1898 election was conducted under a staggered system...
(again placing first of nine candidates) and 1898
Edmonton municipal election, 1898
The 1898 municipal election was held December 12, 1898. In previous elections, an entire town council had been elected at once for a one year term; 1898 marked the beginning of staggered aldermanic terms, such that half of the six aldermen would be elected each year to two year terms...
, when he was one of three candidates elected to a two year term as part of Edmonton's plans to stagger aldermanic terms.
He did not seek re-election when this term expired in 1900
Edmonton municipal election, 1900
The 1900 municipal election was held December 10, 1900 for the purpose of electing a mayor and three aldermen to sit on the Edmonton Town Council, as well as five public school trustees and four separate school trustees....
, but returned to municipal politics as part of Edmonton's first city council
Edmonton City Council
The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors. Until 2010, Edmonton was divided in six wards with two councillors representing citizens in each ward...
by running in the 1904 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1904
The 1904 municipal election was held December 12, 1904 for the purpose of electing a mayor and eight aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as five public school trustees and five separate school trustees. It was Edmonton's first election as a city, and the first in which there were...
. He finished third of seventeen candidates in this election and was elected to a two year term, but resigned in 1905. He did not return to political life thereafter.
In addition to his municipal activities, McLeod sat on the public school board from 1901 until 1905.
The McLeod Building
In 1912, McLeod announced the construction of the nine storey McLeod building, planned to be the tallest in the city. Modeled after SpokaneSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
's Polson Building, it was completed in 1915 at a cost of six hundred thousand dollars. It required twelve hundred tons of steel, primarily because McLeod insisted on building it with footings large enough for a fifty storey building. It was the first building in Edmonton to be wired with conduits, and remains standing in to this day.
Family life and other interests
In 1894, McLeod married Anne Logar Lauder; the couple had nine children before she died in 1927.McLeod was active with the Freemasons
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...
, the Edmonton Board of Trade, the Presbyterian Church, and the Liberal Party of Alberta.
In 1930 McLeod retired to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he remarried (to Mary Belle McKinnon). He died July 27, 1940.