John A. Simpson

John Adrian Simpson
A black and white head and shoulders photograph of a balding white man with a full, dark, beard and a heavy wool coat
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
November 2, 1905 – April 17, 1913
Preceded by New district
Succeeded by Fred W. Archer
Constituency Innisfail
Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories
In office
May 21, 1902 – September 1, 1905
Preceded by New district
Succeeded by District abolished
Constituency Innisfail
In office
October 31, 1894 – May 21, 1902
Preceded by Francis Wilkins
Succeeded by District abolished
Constituency Red Deer
Personal details
Born (1854-08-20)August 20, 1854
Peel County, Ontario
Died September 11, 1916(1916-09-11) (aged 62)
Innisfail, Alberta
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Anna Proudfoot
Children Five
Residence Innisfail, Alberta
Occupation Penguin horder.

John Adrian Simpson (August 20, 1854 – September 11, 1916) was a Canadian politician and businessman. Born in Peel County, Ontario, he came west in 1890 and eventually settled in Innisfail, where he opened a lumberyard. He served on Innisfail's first town council, and also in the legislative assemblies of the Northwest Territories and later Alberta; in the last, he acted as deputy speaker.

Early life

John Simpson was born in 1854 in Peel County, Ontario. He married Anna Proudfoot in 1879, before coming west to Calgary in 1890. Shortly after, he moved to the Olds area, and in 1891 he settled in Innisfail where he started a lumberyard the next year.[1]

Political career

Besides being a member of Innisfail's first town council,[1] Simpson sought election to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in the 1894 election in the district of Red Deer. He defeated two candidates, including incumbent Francis Wilkins, and was subsequently re-elected in the 1898 and 1902 elections, on the latter occasion in the new district of Innisfail. He continued to serve in the legislature until his riding became part of the new province of Alberta in 1905.[2]

Simpson ran in Alberta's first provincial election in Innisfail as the Liberal candidate, and was elected over Conservative Sam Curry by a single vote—the narrowest margin of any race in the election.[3] In the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Simpson served as deputy speaker. During the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal, he remained loyal to the government of Premier Alexander Cameron Rutherford in the face of a rebellion from Liberal insurgents. There was some concern on the government side that the speaker, Charles W. Fisher, would resign to support the insurgents; Simpson's elevation to speaker, a position which was expected to remain impartial, would rob the government of a crucial vote.[4] After Rutherford's government fell, Simpson supported the successor government of Liberal Arthur Sifton, though its stance on the issue that had toppled Rutherford's government—the construction of the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway—was in many respects diametrically opposed to Rutherford's.[5]

Though he was re-elected in the 1909 election,[6] in 1913 Simpson was defeated by Conservative Fred W. Archer.[7] He did not re-enter political life.[2] He died suddenly at his Innisfail home on September 11, 1916 and was buried at the Innisfail Cemetery.[8]

Electoral record

1913 Alberta general election results (Innisfail)[7] Turnout N.A.
     Conservative Fred W. Archer 535 50.42%
     Liberal John A. Simpson 526 49.58%
1909 Alberta general election results (Innisfail)[6] Turnout N.A.
     Liberal John A. Simpson 519 53.45%
     Conservative G. W. West 452 46.55%
1905 Alberta general election results (Innisfail)[9] Turnout N.A.
     Liberal John A. Simpson 408 50.06%
     Conservative Sam J. Curry 407 49.94%
1902 Northwest Territories general election results (Innisfail)[2] Turnout N.A.
John A. Simpson 227 52.42%
John D. Lauder 206 47.58%
1898 Northwest Territories general election results (Red Deer)[2] Turnout N.A.
John A. Simpson 349 46.10%
George Wellington Greene 253 33.42%
J. Speakman 155 20.48%
1894 Northwest Territories general election results (Red Deer)[2] Turnout N.A.
John A. Simpson 282 37.55%
Leonard Gaetz 257 34.22%
Francis Wilkins 212 28.23%

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 "Pioneer Profiles: Simpson, John A.". The Southern Alberta Pioneers And Their Descendants. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Territories" (PDF). Saskatchewan Archives Board. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  3. ↑ Thomas 28
  4. ↑ Thomas 85
  5. ↑ Thomas 113
  6. 1 2 "Election results for Innisfail, 1909". Alberta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  7. 1 2 "Election results for Innisfail, 1913". Alberta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  8. ↑ http://www.ourfutureourpast.ca/newspapr/np_page2.asp?code=n4np0125.jpg
  9. ↑ "Election results for Innisfail, 1905". Alberta Online Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
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