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Daniel Fraser (politician)
Encyclopedia
Daniel Robert Fraser was a politician in Alberta
, Canada and a municipal alderman in Edmonton
.
, Scotland
and emigrated to New York
and then Canada as a child. He was educated in Huron County, Ontario
. He apprenticed as a millwright, joiner, and carpenter before moving to Manitoba
in 1874 to work for the Hudson's Bay Company
and later McCauley & Jarvis. In 1880 he returned to the Hudson's Bay Company, for whom he built a saw and flour mill in Edmonton and a flour mill in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
. He finally settled in Edmonton in 1881 and operated his own mill under the name D R Fraser & Company Limited before becoming President of Alberta Milling Co., which operated four flour mills, and later Edmonton Pressed Brick Co. He married Jane McCann in 1891; the couple had four children.
In 1892
, Fraser was elected as an alderman to Edmonton's inaugural Town Council, finishing second of fourteen candidates (the top six were elected). However, he was defeated in his 1893
re-election bid, finishing last of nine candidates. He stayed out of politics until 1896
, when he squeaked back into office by finishing sixth of nine candidates (three votes ahead of future mayor William Thomas Henry
). He did not seek re-election in 1898
, and removed himself from politics once again until 1902
, when he returned to office. finishing first in the aldermanic race.
Fraser sought re-election in 1904
(aldermanic terms had been increased to two years), the year of Edmonton's incorporation as a city rather than a town. The number of aldermen was increased from six to eight. In order to maintain the system of staggered two year aldermanic terms, it was decided that the four candidates receiving the most votes in the 1904 election would be elected to two year terms, while the four receiving the next highest number of votes would be elected to one year terms. Fraser finished seventh of seventeen candidates, and was therefore elected to a one year term. He was defeated in his 1905
bid for re-election, finishing eighth of ten candidates.
At this point, Fraser took a third hiatus from politics, which lasted until 1908
when he ran again and finished sixth of thirteen candidates. Since the electoral system at the time had four aldermen elected to two year terms each year, Fraser's sixth place showing would normally have been insufficient to be elected; however, two of the aldermen elected in 1907
(Robert Lee
and Thomas Bellamy
) had resigned, allowing Fraser and fifth place finisher Andrew Agar
to be elected for one year to serve out their terms.
Fraser did not seek re-election in 1909
and stayed out of politics thereafter. He died in 1920.
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 and a municipal alderman 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...
.
Biography
Daniel Fraser was born in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and emigrated to New York
New 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...
and then Canada as a child. He was educated in Huron County, Ontario
Huron County, Ontario
Huron County is a census division and county of the province of Ontario, Canada. It is located on the southeast shore of its namesake, Lake Huron, in the southwest part of the province...
. He apprenticed as a millwright, joiner, and carpenter before moving 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...
in 1874 to work for 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...
and later McCauley & Jarvis. In 1880 he returned to the Hudson's Bay Company, for whom he built a saw and flour mill in Edmonton and a flour mill in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is situated in the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan...
. He finally settled in Edmonton in 1881 and operated his own mill under the name D R Fraser & Company Limited before becoming President of Alberta Milling Co., which operated four flour mills, and later Edmonton Pressed Brick Co. He married Jane McCann in 1891; the couple had four children.
In 1892
Edmonton municipal election, 1892
The 1892 Edmonton municipal election, held February 10, 1892, was the first after the incorporation of Edmonton as a town, and was held to elect the new town's first town council for a one year term...
, Fraser was elected as an alderman to Edmonton's inaugural Town Council, finishing second of fourteen candidates (the top six were elected). However, he was defeated in his 1893
Edmonton 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:...
re-election bid, finishing last of nine candidates. He stayed out of politics until 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 squeaked back into office by finishing sixth of nine candidates (three votes ahead of future mayor William Thomas Henry
William Thomas Henry
William Thomas Henry was a politician, real estate agent and businessman in Alberta, Canada. He served numerous years on Edmonton City Council as an Alderman from 1900 to 1902 and later as mayor from 1914 to 1917...
). He did not seek re-election in 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...
, and removed himself from politics once again until 1902
Edmonton municipal election, 1902
The 1902 municipal election was held December 8, 1902 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...
, when he returned to office. finishing first in the aldermanic race.
Fraser sought re-election in 1904
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...
(aldermanic terms had been increased to two years), the year of Edmonton's incorporation as a city rather than a town. The number of aldermen was increased from six to eight. In order to maintain the system of staggered two year aldermanic terms, it was decided that the four candidates receiving the most votes in the 1904 election would be elected to two year terms, while the four receiving the next highest number of votes would be elected to one year terms. Fraser finished seventh of seventeen candidates, and was therefore elected to a one year term. He was defeated in his 1905
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...
bid for re-election, finishing eighth of ten candidates.
At this point, Fraser took a third hiatus from politics, which lasted until 1908
Edmonton municipal election, 1908
The 1908 municipal election was held December 14, 1908 for the purpose of electing a mayor and six aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as three public school trustees and five separate school trustees...
when he ran again and finished sixth of thirteen candidates. Since the electoral system at the time had four aldermen elected to two year terms each year, Fraser's sixth place showing would normally have been insufficient to be elected; however, two of the aldermen elected in 1907
Edmonton municipal election, 1907
The 1907 municipal election was held December 9, 1907 for the purpose of electing a mayor and five aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as five public school trustees and six separate school trustees...
(Robert Lee
Robert Lee (Canadian politician)
Robert Lee was a politician in Alberta, Canada and a mayor of Edmonton.-Biography:Lee was born in Lanark County, Ontario on March 10, 1862 and graduated from the Dominion Business College in Kingston. He married Annette Wilson, with whom he would have a daughter and two sons, in 1897...
and Thomas Bellamy
Thomas Bellamy
Thomas Bellamy was a politician in Alberta, Canada and a municipal councillor in Edmonton.-Biography:Bellamy was born in Durham County, Ontario in 1853. He moved to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in 1881 after marrying Lora Davis in 1875...
) had resigned, allowing Fraser and fifth place finisher Andrew Agar
Andrew Agar
Andrew B. Agar was a politician in Alberta, Canada and a municipal councillor in Edmonton.Agar was born in Ontario in 1865. He came to Edmonton and established a hardware business in 1907 with his brother, James, which he ran from then until 1911...
to be elected for one year to serve out their terms.
Fraser did not seek re-election in 1909
Edmonton municipal election, 1909
The 1909 municipal election was held December 13, 1909 for the purpose of electing a mayor and four aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as three public school trustees and five separate school trustees...
and stayed out of politics thereafter. He died in 1920.