William John Blair
Encyclopedia
William John Blair was an engineer, farmer, teacher, soldier surveyor and Canadian federal politician.
on October 13, 1875. Blair took his post secondary education at Woodstock College
and later the University of Toronto
where he completed a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering. He began surveying in 1904 in Ontario and using his knowledge to Steak mining property which he later sold.
He married his wife Lottie May Nethercott in 1906 and they had one daughter and one son. He moved his family west to Alberta
in 1910 and continued his survey work.
After Blair moved out west he attempted a career at Alberta provincial politics. He ran for a seat in the Alberta Legislature by running as the Conservative candidate in the ministerial by-election held on May 27, 1912 in the Sedgewick
district. He was soundly defeated by incumbent Minister of Municipal Affairs Charles Stewart
.
recruiter for the 151st Battalion (Alberta) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
. He worked as a military recruiter until 1917.
candidate in the 1917 Canadian federal election
. He won the election, defeating Laurier Liberal candidate and future Member of Parliament Daniel Webster Warner
in a hotly contested election. Blair would serve in the House of Commons for 1 term before retiring from Federal politics.
he would spend the next 5 years recovering his health, moving back to Alberta in 1930. In 1937 he contracted Thrombosis
and his family moved back to Ontario once again. He withdrew himself from public life and died April 24, 1943
Early life
Blair was born in Embro, OntarioOntario
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....
on October 13, 1875. Blair took his post secondary education at Woodstock College
Woodstock College
Woodstock College was a Jesuit seminary that existed from 1869 to 1974. It was the oldest Jesuit seminary in the United States. The school was located in Woodstock, Maryland, west of Baltimore, from its establishment until 1969, when it moved to New York City, where it operated in cooperation with...
and later 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...
where he completed a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering. He began surveying in 1904 in Ontario and using his knowledge to Steak mining property which he later sold.
He married his wife Lottie May Nethercott in 1906 and they had one daughter and one son. He moved his family west to 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...
in 1910 and continued his survey work.
Early political work
Blair first served in public office on the municipal level, for one term he served as Mayor of New Liskeard, Ontario from 1907 to 1908.After Blair moved out west he attempted a career at Alberta provincial politics. He ran for a seat in the Alberta Legislature by running as the Conservative candidate in the ministerial by-election held on May 27, 1912 in the Sedgewick
Sedgewick (provincial electoral district)
Sedgewick was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada from 1909 until 1963-MLAs:The district elected the following members to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta:-Results:-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
district. He was soundly defeated by incumbent Minister of Municipal Affairs Charles Stewart
Charles Stewart (Canadian politician)
Charles Stewart, PC was a Canadian politician who served as the third Premier of Alberta from 1917 until 1921. Born in Strabane, Ontario, in Wentworth County, Stewart was a farmer who moved west to Alberta after his farm was destroyed by a storm...
.
Military service
Blair joined the war effort in 1916 and became a Canadian ForcesCanadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
recruiter for the 151st Battalion (Alberta) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
. He worked as a military recruiter until 1917.
Federal politics
Blair would try his hand at federal politics running as the UnionistUnionist Party (Canada)
The Unionist Party was formed in 1917 by Members of Parliament in Canada who supported the "Union government" formed by Sir Robert Borden during the First World War....
candidate in the 1917 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1917
The 1917 Canadian federal election was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 13th Parliament of Canada. Described by historian Michael Bliss as the "most bitter election in Canadian history", it was fought mainly over the issue of conscription...
. He won the election, defeating Laurier Liberal candidate and future Member of Parliament Daniel Webster Warner
Daniel Webster Warner
Daniel Webster Warner was a farmer, rancher and Canadian federal politician.Warner first ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons in the 1917 Canadian federal election in the Battle River district. He ran in that election as a Laurier Liberal candidate and was defeated in a close race by...
in a hotly contested election. Blair would serve in the House of Commons for 1 term before retiring from Federal politics.
Late life and death
In 1925 Blair became very ill and moved his family to Barrie, OntarioBarrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...
he would spend the next 5 years recovering his health, moving back to Alberta in 1930. In 1937 he contracted Thrombosis
Thrombosis
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. When a blood vessel is injured, the body uses platelets and fibrin to form a blood clot to prevent blood loss...
and his family moved back to Ontario once again. He withdrew himself from public life and died April 24, 1943
External links
- Alberta Land Surveying History William John Blair biography
- http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Files/Parliamentarian.aspx?Item=6d299419-6bef-4ae5-98cc-6af0881abf01&Language=E&MenuID=Lists.Members.aspx&MenuQuery=http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.parl.gc.ca%2FParlinfo%2FLists%2FMembers.aspx%3FParliament%3D%26Riding%3D%26Name%3DBlair%26Party%3D%26Province%3D%26Gender%3D%26New%3DFalse%26Current%3DFalse%26Picture%3DFalse&Section=ALLWilliam John Blair Federal Political Experience]