Kenneth W. MacKenzie
Encyclopedia
Kenneth W. MacKenzie was a politician in Alberta
, Canada
and a two-time mayor of Edmonton
.
on February 3, 1862. He left school during his early teens, but completed his schooling after losing the use of his left hand in an accident in 1883. He graduated from the University of Toronto
with a Bachelor of Arts
in 1893.
That same year, he moved to Lethbridge, Alberta where he spent two years as a school principal for two years before moving to Edmonton in 1895. In Edmonton, he became principal of College Avenue High School, in which capacity he served until 1898 when he resigned to pursue a career as a bookseller and stationer.
In the 1898 election
, MacKenzie was elected to Edmonton Town Council as an alderman. His term was for two years, but in 1899
he resigned from his position as alderman to run for mayor. He was acclaimed, and also faced no opposition to his 1900
re-election bid. At the conclusion of his term, he stayed out of municipal politics until the 1904 election
, in which he was acclaimed to the office of mayor for a third time. This made him the first mayor of the city of Edmonton, which was incorporated in 1904 (Edmonton had hitherto been a town).
After this, his last term as mayor, expired, MacKenzie became land agent for the Government of Canada
, in which capacity he served until 1913. His only return to electoral politics occurred in 1912
, when he was elected to the public school board (finishing first of seven candidates). He served until the expiration of his two year term, but did not seek re-election.
In 1913, MacKenzie returned to teaching as a math teacher at Victoria High School until his death. He also served on the Hospital Board, was president of the Edmonton Board of Trade in 1903, and was president of the Associated Boards of Trade of Western Canada in 1908.
Kenneth MacKenzie died of a cerebral hemorrhage on October 9, 1929. He was survived by his wife, one son, and two daughters.
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 two-time mayor of 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...
.
Biography
MacKenzie was born on a farm near Lucknow, OntarioLucknow, Ontario
Lucknow is a community located in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada. It is incorporated in the Township of Huron-Kinloss.-History:...
on February 3, 1862. He left school during his early teens, but completed his schooling after losing the use of his left hand in an accident in 1883. He graduated from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1893.
That same year, he moved to Lethbridge, Alberta where he spent two years as a school principal for two years before moving to Edmonton in 1895. In Edmonton, he became principal of College Avenue High School, in which capacity he served until 1898 when he resigned to pursue a career as a bookseller and stationer.
In the 1898 election
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...
, MacKenzie was elected to Edmonton Town Council as an alderman. His term was for two years, but in 1899
Edmonton municipal election, 1899
The 1899 municipal election was held December 11, 1899. It was the first municipal election in which only a portion of the aldermen were to be elected; in 1898, three of the six aldermen elected were elected to two year terms in preparation for a system in which only half of the aldermen would be...
he resigned from his position as alderman to run for mayor. He was acclaimed, and also faced no opposition to his 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....
re-election bid. At the conclusion of his term, he stayed out of municipal politics until 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...
, in which he was acclaimed to the office of mayor for a third time. This made him the first mayor of the city of Edmonton, which was incorporated in 1904 (Edmonton had hitherto been a town).
After this, his last term as mayor, expired, MacKenzie became land agent for the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
, in which capacity he served until 1913. His only return to electoral politics occurred in 1912
Edmonton municipal election, December 1912
The second of two 1912 municipal elections was held December 9, 1912 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and three trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards....
, when he was elected to the public school board (finishing first of seven candidates). He served until the expiration of his two year term, but did not seek re-election.
In 1913, MacKenzie returned to teaching as a math teacher at Victoria High School until his death. He also served on the Hospital Board, was president of the Edmonton Board of Trade in 1903, and was president of the Associated Boards of Trade of Western Canada in 1908.
Kenneth MacKenzie died of a cerebral hemorrhage on October 9, 1929. He was survived by his wife, one son, and two daughters.