James Bismark Holden
Encyclopedia
James Bismark Holden was a business man and a municipal and provincial politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1906 to 1913 sitting with the Liberal caucus in government. He also served as Mayor of Vegreville
, Alberta
from 1917 to 1945.
The 1909 boundary redistribution redistributed the Vermilion electoral district. Holden ran for re-election in the new Vegreville electoral district in the election held that year
.
Holden did not run for a third term in office and left the legislature at dissolution in 1913.
After his provincial political career, James had a substantial municipal career serving many terms as Mayor of Vegreville
, Alberta
from 1917 to 1945.
Holden also attempted a career in federal politics. He ran for a seat to the Canadian House of Commons
for the first time in the 1917 federal election
. He ran as a government supporting candidate in the electoral district of Victoria
but was defeated finishing second in the three way race losing to William White
and finishing ahead of former Governor of Kansas
John Leedy
.
Holden ran for federal office a second time in the 1921
again in the electoral district of Victoria. He lost the three way race as the Conservative candidate in a landslide finishing a distant third place to United Farmers candidate William Lucas
.
Holden would attempt federal over a number of years later for his third and last time in the 1935 Canadian federal election
. This time he finished last place out of five candidates in the Vegreville
district losing to William Hayhurst
.
, Alberta
founded in 1905 is named in his honor.
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...
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
from 1906 to 1913 sitting with the Liberal caucus in government. He also served as Mayor of Vegreville
Vegreville, Alberta
-Notable Vegrevillans :*Brent Severyn, former NHL defenseman*Cam Cole, Canadian sports writer*Laurence Decore, lawyer, former mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, and former leader of the Alberta Liberal Party*Roderick Fraser, former president of the University of Alberta...
, 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...
from 1917 to 1945.
Alberta legislature
Holden ran for election to the Alberta Legislature in a by-election held on July 16, 1906 as a Liberal candidate in the electoral district of Vermilion. He won the seat by acclamation to hold the district for his party.The 1909 boundary redistribution redistributed the Vermilion electoral district. Holden ran for re-election in the new Vegreville electoral district in the election held that year
Alberta general election, 1909
The Alberta general election was 1909 was the second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 22 March 1909 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
.
Holden did not run for a third term in office and left the legislature at dissolution in 1913.
Other activities
Holden briefly moved to Vancouver to get into the shipping business, but moved back to Alberta when it went bust. Holden married his wife Gertrude Jane Worth.After his provincial political career, James had a substantial municipal career serving many terms as Mayor of Vegreville
Vegreville, Alberta
-Notable Vegrevillans :*Brent Severyn, former NHL defenseman*Cam Cole, Canadian sports writer*Laurence Decore, lawyer, former mayor of Edmonton, Alberta, and former leader of the Alberta Liberal Party*Roderick Fraser, former president of the University of Alberta...
, 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...
from 1917 to 1945.
Holden also attempted a career in federal politics. He ran for a seat to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
for the first time in the 1917 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 ran as a government supporting candidate in the electoral district of Victoria
Victoria (Alberta electoral district)
Victoria was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1909 to 1925. This riding was created in 1907, two years after Alberta was created as a province, from parts of Edmonton and Strathcona ridings.It was abolished in 1924 when it...
but was defeated finishing second in the three way race losing to William White
William Henry White
Sir William Henry White was a prolific British warship designer and Chief Constructor at the Admiralty....
and finishing ahead of former Governor of Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
John Leedy
John W. Leedy
John Whitnah Leedy was the 14th Governor of Kansas.-Political career:Leedy ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1917 Alberta general election as a candidate for the non-partisan league...
.
Holden ran for federal office a second time in the 1921
Canadian federal election, 1921
The Canadian federal election of 1921 was held on December 6, 1921 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 14th Parliament of Canada. The Union government that had governed Canada through the First World War was defeated, and replaced by a Liberal government under the young leader...
again in the electoral district of Victoria. He lost the three way race as the Conservative candidate in a landslide finishing a distant third place to United Farmers candidate William Lucas
William Thomas Lucas
William Thomas Lougheed Lucas was a farmer and a Canadian federal politician.Lucas was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1921 Canadian federal election as a United Farmers of Alberta candidate...
.
Holden would attempt federal over a number of years later for his third and last time in the 1935 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1935
The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of William Lyon Mackenzie King won a majority government, defeating Prime Minister R.B. Bennett's Conservative Party.The central...
. This time he finished last place out of five candidates in the Vegreville
Vegreville (electoral district)
Vegreville was a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1997.This riding was created in 1924 from parts of Strathcona and Victoria ridings....
district losing to William Hayhurst
William Hayhurst
William Hayhurst was a farmer, principal, teacher, businessman and a Canadian federal politician. He was born in Lyvennet Mill, Morland, England and died in Toronto, Ontario....
.
Late life and honors
The town of HoldenHolden, Alberta
Holden is a village in central Alberta, Canada. It is located south of Vegreville. The village is named after former Alberta MLA James Holden.-Demographics:...
, 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...
founded in 1905 is named in his honor.