David Alexander Gordon (January 18, 1858 – March 9, 1919) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

politician. Born in

Wallaceburg Wallaceburg ( 2016 population 10,098) is an unincorporated community in the municipality of Chatham-Kent in Southern (Southwestern) Ontario, Canada. Originally a small settlement, it was recognized for its significant contribution to the lumbe ...

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, the son of Aaron Gordon (Scottish heritage), and Jane Steinchoff (German heritage), Gordon educated at the public schools in Wallaceburg. His son Arthur Saint Clair Gordon (1894–1953) later served as an Ontario cabinet minister. His daughter Ruby May Gordon (1885–1952) was an opera singer.

Political career

A manufacturer, he was a town councillor and mayor of Wallaceburg from 1898 to 1900. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

for the electoral district of

Bothwell Bothwell is a conservation village in the South Lanarkshire council area of Scotland. It lies on the north bank of the River Clyde, adjacent to Uddingston and Hamilton, east-south-east of Glasgow city centre. Description and history An ancie ...

at the general elections of 1900. He was elected in

1904 Events January * January 7 – The distress signal ''CQD'' is established, only to be replaced 2 years later by ''SOS''. * January 8 – The Blackstone Library is dedicated, marking the beginning of the Chicago Public Library system. * ...

for the electoral district of Kent East. A

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, he was re-elected in

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 46 ...

and

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

Business career

Although D. A. Gordon had a successful regional and national political career he is known locally as the "Father of Modern Wallaceburg". He was most likely given this title for his work in establishing four of Wallaceburg's most successful industries: Wallaceburg Cooperage Company (1887), Sydenham Glass Company (1894), Canada and Dominion Sugar Company (1901), and the Wallaceburg Brass and Iron Limited Company (1905). He played various leadership roles in starting the aforementioned businesses, however, his ability to raise investment funds was invaluable.

Legacy

A southside public school was in his honour, the D. A. Gordon Public School, on 430 King Street, from 1922 before its closure in June 2014. It then became the Edward International Academy.

References

*
The Canadian Parliament; biographical sketches and photo-engravures of the senators and members of the House of Commons of Canada. Being the tenth Parliament, elected November 3, 1904
1858 births 1919 deaths Liberal Party of Canada MPs Mayors of places in Ontario Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario Politicians from Chatham-Kent {{Ontario-mayor-stub