William Kovach
Encyclopedia
William August Kovach was a miner, construction worker, trapper, taxi driver, rancher, trucker, salesman and a provincial politician from Alberta
, Canada
. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
from 1948 until his death in 1966 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.
, Alberta, which became part of the Crowsnest Pass municipality. After completing grade school in Passburg he went to work on various construction crews working on grading for railways and highways in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan
.
Kovach changed jobs in 1926, he started working for a coal mine in Bellevue
, Alberta
. He left the mines to become a prospector. Kovach supplemented his income by driving a taxi, and trapping animals for fur. Kovach began working at the Hillcrest-Mowhawk Mines in Hillcrest, Alberta. He became a part time recording secretary for the United Mine Workers
. Kovach continued working as a prospector, ending up with West Canadian Collieries. He left the mining business in 1947 to found a trucking company, raise live stock on his ranch and sell insurance.
. He stood as the Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Pincher Creek-Crowsnest
. The race was hotly contested, with Kovach winning on the third vote count to hold the seat for his party.
Kovach ran for a second term in office in the 1952 Alberta general election
. He would fight a two way race against Liberal candidate Thomas Costigan and win easily with a landslide majority to hold his seat.
Kovach ran for a third term in the 1955 Alberta general election
. He would face two other candidates including H. Ferguson a jointly nominated candidate from the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. Kovach would lose some of his popular vote, but still held his seat easily.
The 1959 Alberta general election
would see Kovach run for his fourth term in office. He defeated two other candidates with a landslide majority to return to office.
Kovach ran for re-election to his fifth term in the 1963 Alberta general election
. He lost a significant portion of his vote share from the last election, but held on to the district with a clear majority against the three other candidates.
Kovach died on August 4, 1966 from a heart seizure while on a fishing trip at Lost Creek.
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 1948 until his death in 1966 sitting with the Social Credit caucus in government.
Early life
William August Kovach was born on January 30, 1909 in the town of PassburgCrowsnest Pass, Alberta
The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass is a specialized municipality located in the Crowsnest Pass of the Rocky Mountains in southwest Alberta, Canada. The municipality formed as a result of the amalgamation of five municipalities – the Village of Bellevue, the Town of Blairmore, Town of Coleman, the...
, Alberta, which became part of the Crowsnest Pass municipality. After completing grade school in Passburg he went to work on various construction crews working on grading for railways and highways in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
.
Kovach changed jobs in 1926, he started working for a coal mine in Bellevue
Bellevue, Alberta
Bellevue is an urban community in the Rocky Mountains within the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass in southwest Alberta, Canada. It was formerly incorporated as a village prior to 1979 when it amalgamated with four other municipalities to form Crowsnest Pass....
, 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...
. He left the mines to become a prospector. Kovach supplemented his income by driving a taxi, and trapping animals for fur. Kovach began working at the Hillcrest-Mowhawk Mines in Hillcrest, Alberta. He became a part time recording secretary for the United Mine Workers
United Mine Workers
The United Mine Workers of America is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners and coal technicians. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing workers and public employees in the United States and Canada...
. Kovach continued working as a prospector, ending up with West Canadian Collieries. He left the mining business in 1947 to found a trucking company, raise live stock on his ranch and sell insurance.
Political career
Kovach ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1948 Alberta general electionAlberta general election, 1948
The Alberta general election of 1948 was the eleventh general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 17, 1948 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He stood as the Social Credit candidate in the electoral district of Pincher Creek-Crowsnest
Pincher Creek-Crowsnest
Pincher Creek-Crowsnest was a provincial electoral district in Alberta, Canada. It was mandated to return a single member to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1940 to 1993.-1957 liquor plebiscite:...
. The race was hotly contested, with Kovach winning on the third vote count to hold the seat for his party.
Kovach ran for a second term in office in the 1952 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1952
The Alberta general election of 1952 was the twelfth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 5, 1952 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
. He would fight a two way race against Liberal candidate Thomas Costigan and win easily with a landslide majority to hold his seat.
Kovach ran for a third term in the 1955 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1955
The Alberta general election of 1955 was the thirteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 29, 1955 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
. He would face two other candidates including H. Ferguson a jointly nominated candidate from the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives. Kovach would lose some of his popular vote, but still held his seat easily.
The 1959 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1959
The Alberta general election of 1959 was the fourteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 18, 1959 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Ernest C...
would see Kovach run for his fourth term in office. He defeated two other candidates with a landslide majority to return to office.
Kovach ran for re-election to his fifth term in the 1963 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1963
The Alberta general election of 1963 was the fifteenth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on June 17, 1963 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.The Social Credit Party, led by Ernest C...
. He lost a significant portion of his vote share from the last election, but held on to the district with a clear majority against the three other candidates.
Kovach died on August 4, 1966 from a heart seizure while on a fishing trip at Lost Creek.