Charles May
Encyclopedia
Charles May was a politician in Alberta
, Canada
and a mayor of Edmonton
on June 30, 1858. He left school in 1880 and moved to Manitoba
to homestead. He later spent thirteen years as a carpenter and builder in Winnipeg
before moving to Edmonton in 1902. He had two children by Anna Galbreath, his first wife, before she died suddenly in 1897. He remarried in 1901, to Marguerite Henderson with whom he would have four additional children.
He was elected to Edmonton Town Council as an alderman in 1903
, finishing first of nine candidates. His term was to last two years, but was truncated by a year by Edmonton's incorporation as a city, which meant that the entire city council
was elected afresh in the 1904 election
. He was again elected to a two year term, finishing first of seventeen candidates, but this time resigned one year into his term in order to run for mayor in the 1905 election
. He defeated Arthur Cushing
by a count of 627 votes to 355, and became mayor of Edmonton. He served in this capacity for one term of one year, but did not seek re-election in 1906
and did not re-enter political life thereafter.
May was a prominent contractor in Edmonton's history. The buildings his company built included Edmonton's post office, its first Canadian Northern Railway
station, the Bank of Montreal
, the Bank of Commerce
, the Hudson's Bay Company
store, the provincial penitentiary, and the home of Frank Oliver. It also built the still-standing LeMarchand mansion, whose construction bankrupted May and forced him to move to a cottage on Coney Island on Cooking Lake in Strathcona County, Alberta
until his debts were settled.
Charles May was active with the Masonic Order
, the Presbyterian Church, the Edmonton Exhibition Association, and the Liberal Party of Alberta.
He moved to Vancouver
, British Columbia
in 1922, and, following a long period of illness, he died there on March 1, 1932.
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 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
May was born in Wellington County, OntarioWellington County, Ontario
Wellington County is a county located in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat is Guelph, a city which is politically independent, but Guelph's status as the seat means it houses the county's administrative offices...
on June 30, 1858. He left school in 1880 and moved to Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
to homestead. He later spent thirteen years as a carpenter and builder in 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...
before moving to Edmonton in 1902. He had two children by Anna Galbreath, his first wife, before she died suddenly in 1897. He remarried in 1901, to Marguerite Henderson with whom he would have four additional children.
He was elected to Edmonton Town Council as an alderman in 1903
Edmonton municipal election, 1903
The 1903 municipal election was held December 14, 1903 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 five separate school trustees...
, finishing first of nine candidates. His term was to last two years, but was truncated by a year by Edmonton's incorporation as a city, which meant that the entire 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...
was elected afresh 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 was again elected to a two year term, finishing first of seventeen candidates, but this time resigned one year into his term in order to run for mayor in the 1905 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1905
The 1905 municipal election was held December 11, 1905 for the purpose of electing a mayor and four aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as five public school trustees and five separate school trustees. There were eight aldermen on city council, but four of the positions were...
. He defeated Arthur Cushing
Arthur Cushing
Arthur Thompson Cushing was a politician in Alberta, Canada and a municipal councillor in Edmonton. His brother, William Henry Cushing, was a mayor of Calgary, while another brother, Alfred Cushing, served as alderman in that city.-Biography:Cushing was born in Kenilworth, Ontario February 10, 1869...
by a count of 627 votes to 355, and became mayor of Edmonton. He served in this capacity for one term of one year, but did not seek re-election in 1906
Edmonton municipal election, 1906
The 1906 municipal election was held December 10, 1906 for the purpose of electing a mayor and four aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as five public school trustees and six separate school trustees...
and did not re-enter political life thereafter.
May was a prominent contractor in Edmonton's history. The buildings his company built included Edmonton's post office, its first Canadian Northern Railway
Canadian Northern Railway
The Canadian Northern Railway is a historic Canadian transcontinental railway. At its demise in 1923, when it was merged into the Canadian National Railway , the CNoR owned a main line between Quebec City and Vancouver via Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Edmonton.-Manitoba beginnings:CNoR had its start in...
station, the Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
, the Bank of Commerce
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce is one of Canada's chartered banks, fifth largest by deposits. The bank is headquartered at Commerce Court in Toronto, Ontario. CIBC's Institution Number is 010, and its SWIFT code is CIBCCATT....
, the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
store, the provincial penitentiary, and the home of Frank Oliver. It also built the still-standing LeMarchand mansion, whose construction bankrupted May and forced him to move to a cottage on Coney Island on Cooking Lake in Strathcona County, Alberta
Strathcona County, Alberta
Strathcona County is a specialized municipality in central Alberta, Canada between Edmonton and Elk Island National Park.It is located in Division No. 11 and is also part of the Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area. More than half of the population lives in Sherwood Park, a large community east of...
until his debts were settled.
Charles May was active with the Masonic Order
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 Presbyterian Church, the Edmonton Exhibition Association, and the Liberal Party of Alberta.
He moved to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in 1922, and, following a long period of illness, he died there on March 1, 1932.