Joseph Adair
Encyclopedia
Joseph Woods Adair was a politician in Alberta
, Canada
, a municipal councillor in Edmonton
, and a candidate for election to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
.
, Scotland
in 1877. He apprenticed as a printer in Glasgow and came to Canada in 1899. He worked for newspapers in Toronto
and Winnipeg
before settling in Edmonton in 1906 to work for Frank Oliver's Edmonton Bulletin
. He founded his own linotyping
business in 1911, which he would operate until his retirement in 1946. He also produced a throwaway sheet called Town Topics.
In 1914
, he ran for mayor but was defeated handily by William Thomas Henry
. In 1915
he ran once again for city council
, this time as an alderman, but was again defeated, finishing twelfth of fourteen. He would make one more unsuccessful effort at election (running for alderman in 1919
and finishing last of twelve candidates) before being elected in 1920
, finishing first of sixteen candidates.
While serving as an alderman, Adair ran for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
in the 1921 election
as an independent in the riding of Edmonton
. He was defeated, placing twelfth of twenty-six candidates.
He was re-elected as an alderman at the end of his two year term in 1922
, but did not seek re-election in 1924
. Instead, he ran for the public school board that election, and finished first of seven candidates.
In 1925
Adair made his second bid for election as mayor. He finished fifth of six candidates. Attempts to return to office as an alderman would follow in 1929
, 1936
, and 1941
. All were unsuccessful, as his best showing was in his last election when he finished eleventh of fourteen candidates.
Joseph Adair was known as an outstanding speaker, and was nicknamed "Edmonton's Silver-Tongued Orator". He served on the Library Board and the Exhibition Board for forty years. He and his wife, Dorothy (née Trembley) had two sons and two daughters.
Joseph Woods Adair died November 1, 1960.
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...
, 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...
, and a candidate for election to 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...
.
Biography
Joseph Adair was born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, 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...
in 1877. He apprenticed as a printer in Glasgow and came to Canada in 1899. He worked for newspapers in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and 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 settling in Edmonton in 1906 to work for Frank Oliver's Edmonton Bulletin
Edmonton Bulletin
The Edmonton Bulletin was a newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta published from 1880 until January 20, 1951. It was founded by Frank Oliver, a politician and future minister in the Canadian Government....
. He founded his own linotyping
Linotype machine
The Linotype typesetting machine is a "line casting" machine used in printing. The name of the machine comes from the fact that it produces an entire line of metal type at once, hence a line-o'-type, a significant improvement over manual typesetting....
business in 1911, which he would operate until his retirement in 1946. He also produced a throwaway sheet called Town Topics.
In 1914
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....
, he ran for mayor but was defeated handily by 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...
. In 1915
Edmonton municipal election, 1915
The 1915 municipal election was held December 13, 1915 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards....
he ran once again for 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...
, this time as an alderman, but was again defeated, finishing twelfth of fourteen. He would make one more unsuccessful effort at election (running for alderman in 1919
Edmonton municipal election, 1919
The 1919 municipal election was held December 8, 1919 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on the public school board. T P Malone, Paul Janvrin, T S Magee, and Joseph Henri Picard were acclaimed to two year terms on the separate school board...
and finishing last of twelve candidates) before being elected in 1920
Edmonton municipal election, 1920
The 1920 municipal election was held December 13, 1920 to elect a mayor and six aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and three trustees to sit on the public school board. J Cormack, Joseph Gariépy, and J J Murray were acclaimed to two year terms on the separate school board...
, finishing first of sixteen candidates.
While serving as an alderman, Adair ran for 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...
in the 1921 election
Alberta general election, 1921
The Alberta general election of 1921 was the fifth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on July 18, 1921 to elect members to the 5th Alberta Legislative Assembly....
as an independent in the riding of Edmonton
Edmonton (provincial electoral district)
Edmonton provincial electoral district existed in two incarnations from 1905 - 1909 and again from 1921 - 1955. The district was created when Alberta first became a province....
. He was defeated, placing twelfth of twenty-six candidates.
He was re-elected as an alderman at the end of his two year term in 1922
Edmonton municipal election, 1922
The 1922 municipal election was held December 11, 1922 to elect a mayor and six aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and three trustees to sit on the public school board...
, but did not seek re-election in 1924
Edmonton municipal election, 1924
The 1924 municipal election was held December 8, 1924 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....
. Instead, he ran for the public school board that election, and finished first of seven candidates.
In 1925
Edmonton municipal election, 1925
The 1925 municipal election was held December 14, 1925 to elect a mayor and seven aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards...
Adair made his second bid for election as mayor. He finished fifth of six candidates. Attempts to return to office as an alderman would follow in 1929
Edmonton municipal election, 1929
The 1929 municipal election was held December 9, 1929 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on the public school board...
, 1936
Edmonton municipal election, 1936
The 1936 municipal election was held November 12, 1936 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and three trustees to sit on the public school board . Voters also rejected a proposal to extend the mayor's term to two years...
, and 1941
Edmonton municipal election, 1941
The 1941 municipal election was held November 12, 1941 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on the public school board .There were ten aldermen on city council, but five of the positions were already filled: James...
. All were unsuccessful, as his best showing was in his last election when he finished eleventh of fourteen candidates.
Joseph Adair was known as an outstanding speaker, and was nicknamed "Edmonton's Silver-Tongued Orator". He served on the Library Board and the Exhibition Board for forty years. He and his wife, Dorothy (née Trembley) had two sons and two daughters.
Joseph Woods Adair died November 1, 1960.