Charles Gowan
Encyclopedia
Charles Gowan was an American and Canadian
pioneer and politician. He served as mayor of Antigo, Wisconsin
and as a municipal councillor in Edmonton
, Alberta
.
in 1849 or 1850, and migrated to Wisconsin
early in life. There, he became a justice of the peace
and one of the first school officers in Shawano County He served as mayor of Antigo and married Harriet Howland in 1869 before immigrating to Canada in 1900. He originally settled near Namao
, Alberta, but moved to Edmonton in 1904 where he engaged in logging and ranching.
Gowan ran for alderman on the Edmonton City Council
during the 1910 election
. He was elected to a two year term by finishing fourth of eleven candidates, but his term, along with those of his colleagues, was truncated by the merger of Edmonton and Strathcona
. He was re-elected to another two year term in the amalgamated city's first election
, finishing second of eighteen candidates, but resigned three months into this term. He sought election once more later that year
, but finished seventh out of seventeen candidates and was defeated. In his final bid for elected office, he finished fifteenth of eighteen in the 1914 election
.
Charles Gowan died in Edmonton July 3, 1938
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...
pioneer and politician. He served as mayor of Antigo, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
and as 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...
, 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...
.
Biography
Charles Gowan was born in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1849 or 1850, and migrated to Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
early in life. There, he became a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and one of the first school officers in Shawano County He served as mayor of Antigo and married Harriet Howland in 1869 before immigrating to Canada in 1900. He originally settled near Namao
Namao, Alberta
Namao is a hamlet in central Alberta, Canada within Sturgeon County. It is located at the intersection of Highway 37 and Highway 28, approximately north of Edmonton's city limits...
, Alberta, but moved to Edmonton in 1904 where he engaged in logging and ranching.
Gowan ran for alderman on the Edmonton 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...
during the 1910 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1910
The 1910 municipal election was held December 12, 1910 for the purpose of electing a mayor and five aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as three public school trustees and five separate school trustees...
. He was elected to a two year term by finishing fourth of eleven candidates, but his term, along with those of his colleagues, was truncated by the merger of Edmonton and Strathcona
Strathcona, Alberta
Strathcona was a city in Alberta, Canada, located on the south of the North Saskatchewan River opposite of the City of Edmonton. It amalgamated with Edmonton on February 1, 1912....
. He was re-elected to another two year term in the amalgamated city's first election
Edmonton municipal election, February 1912
On September 27, 1911, the voters of Edmonton approved by plebiscite the amalgamation of Edmonton with Strathcona. This amalgamation was effected February 1, 1912, and, in anticipation of this, no election was held December 11, 1911 as would normally have been required...
, finishing second of eighteen candidates, but resigned three months into this term. He sought election once more later that year
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....
, but finished seventh out of seventeen candidates and was defeated. In his final bid for elected office, he finished fifteenth of eighteen in the 1914 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1914
The 1914 municipal election was held December 14, 1914 to elect a mayor and six aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and three trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards....
.
Charles Gowan died in Edmonton July 3, 1938