William F. Luxton
Encyclopedia
William Fisher Luxton was a Canadian
teacher, newspaper editor and publisher, politician, and office holder.
Born in Bampton, Devon
, England
, his mother was Jane Palmer Luxton (1819–1859), daughter of Thomas Luxton (1873-1840) and Jenny Palmer (1791–1860), of Hutchings Farm, Bampton, Petton, Devonshire. William was baptized on December 26, 1843 at St. John the Baptist Church, Skilgate
, Somerset
, where his mother was visiting with other members of the Luxton family for the Christmas holiday. In the 1851 English census William, age 7, was recorded residing at "Hutchings" with his uncle Thomas Luxton (1825–1849) and his grandmother Jenny.
Luxton migrated to Canada in about 1855, and moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
in 1871. In 1871, he moved to Winnipeg to teach in the first school established under the provisions of the Manitoba Schools Act of 1871. In 1866, he married Sarah Jane Edwards of Lobo Township, Canada West, and had six sons and two daughters. One of his son, Norman Luxton
, was later known as "Mr. Banff" and founded the Craig and Canyon newspaper.
In November 1872, he along with John A. Kenny, a retired farmer from Ontario, Luxton started a pro-Liberal
weekly newspaper, the Manitoba Free Press. The paper grew with the incorporation of the city of Winnipeg in 1874. It became a daily newspapers with over 1,000 subscribers. Employment jumped from five to 60 people and construction began on a two-story building.
Luxton became a leading citizen of Winnipeg and in 1872 he helped establish the Winnipeg General Hospital (later the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre). He ran and lost for mayor in 1874 (the first civic election in Winnipeg) but went to serve as a school trustee, a Member of the Legislative Assembly
for the Rockwood area from 1874–1878, and sat again in the Legislative Assembly for South Winnipeg from 1886-1888. He also served on the council of the Winnipeg Board of Trade.
Luxton was a founder of the Winnipeg Humane Society. He served as chairman of the Winnipeg School Board from 1885-87.
As a politician, Luxton's main goals in 1876 were prohibition
, the establishment of a secular school system and the abolition of French as an official language in Manitoba
. He was strongly opposed to the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) and was critic of the Conservative government of Manitoba.
Luxton made enemies of both Liberals and Conservatives over the years. It led to him being deposed as owner and editor of the Free Press in 1893 when he missed the repayment deadline of a loan he had taken in 1888 from Sir Donald Alexander Smith. Luxton started another newspaper shortly after being replaced at the Free Press. He started the Daily Nor'Wester which he sold in 1896. He finished his journalistic career working for the St. Paul Globe in Minnesota
.
In 1901, Luxton returned to Winnipeg and served as inspector of public buildings for the Government of Manitoba until his death. His funeral procession was one of the longest in Winnipeg's history, with the Typographical Union providing a guard of honour.
In the fall of 1907, in recognition of one of the city's earliest teachers, Luxton School
which backs on to the street that also bears his name in Winnipeg's North End
was named after him.
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...
teacher, newspaper editor and publisher, politician, and office holder.
Born in Bampton, Devon
Bampton, Devon
Bampton is a small town in Devon, England close to the south-eastern corner of Exmoor and on the River Batherm, a tributary of the River Exe. It is about 10 km north of Tiverton.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, his mother was Jane Palmer Luxton (1819–1859), daughter of Thomas Luxton (1873-1840) and Jenny Palmer (1791–1860), of Hutchings Farm, Bampton, Petton, Devonshire. William was baptized on December 26, 1843 at St. John the Baptist Church, Skilgate
Skilgate
Skilgate is a village and civil parish east of Dulverton and west of Wiveliscombe in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. It has a population of 96....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, where his mother was visiting with other members of the Luxton family for the Christmas holiday. In the 1851 English census William, age 7, was recorded residing at "Hutchings" with his uncle Thomas Luxton (1825–1849) and his grandmother Jenny.
Luxton migrated to Canada in about 1855, and moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, 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...
in 1871. In 1871, he moved to Winnipeg to teach in the first school established under the provisions of the Manitoba Schools Act of 1871. In 1866, he married Sarah Jane Edwards of Lobo Township, Canada West, and had six sons and two daughters. One of his son, Norman Luxton
Norman Luxton
Norman K. Luxton was a pioneer in the Canadian Rockies known as "Mr. Banff" . With John Voss, he attempted to sail around the world in a dug-out canoe...
, was later known as "Mr. Banff" and founded the Craig and Canyon newspaper.
In November 1872, he along with John A. Kenny, a retired farmer from Ontario, Luxton started a pro-Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
weekly newspaper, the Manitoba Free Press. The paper grew with the incorporation of the city of Winnipeg in 1874. It became a daily newspapers with over 1,000 subscribers. Employment jumped from five to 60 people and construction began on a two-story building.
Luxton became a leading citizen of Winnipeg and in 1872 he helped establish the Winnipeg General Hospital (later the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre). He ran and lost for mayor in 1874 (the first civic election in Winnipeg) but went to serve as a school trustee, a Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
for the Rockwood area from 1874–1878, and sat again in the Legislative Assembly for South Winnipeg from 1886-1888. He also served on the council of the Winnipeg Board of Trade.
Luxton was a founder of the Winnipeg Humane Society. He served as chairman of the Winnipeg School Board from 1885-87.
As a politician, Luxton's main goals in 1876 were prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, the establishment of a secular school system and the abolition of French as an official language in 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...
. He was strongly opposed to the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) and was critic of the Conservative government of Manitoba.
Luxton made enemies of both Liberals and Conservatives over the years. It led to him being deposed as owner and editor of the Free Press in 1893 when he missed the repayment deadline of a loan he had taken in 1888 from Sir Donald Alexander Smith. Luxton started another newspaper shortly after being replaced at the Free Press. He started the Daily Nor'Wester which he sold in 1896. He finished his journalistic career working for the St. Paul Globe in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
.
In 1901, Luxton returned to Winnipeg and served as inspector of public buildings for the Government of Manitoba until his death. His funeral procession was one of the longest in Winnipeg's history, with the Typographical Union providing a guard of honour.
In the fall of 1907, in recognition of one of the city's earliest teachers, Luxton School
Luxton School
Luxton School is a school in Winnipeg, Canada. It is part of the Winnipeg School Division Number One. The school is located on Polson Avenue; It originally opened on May 19, 1907....
which backs on to the street that also bears his name in Winnipeg's North End
North End, Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Overview :The North End is a large area located to the North and Northwest of Downtown Winnipeg. It is bordered by the Red River on the east, the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline on the south, the City of Winnipeg boundary on the west and Jefferson Avenue, Keewatin Street, Carruthers Avenue,...
was named after him.