Nehemiah Ford was a Canadian

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

. He was

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of T ...

in 1852.

Biography

Little is known of the life of Nehemiah Ford. His presence in Hamilton is recorded in 1839, when he was a member of the executive of the first

Mechanic A mechanic is an artisan, skilled tradesperson, or technician who uses tools to build, maintain, or repair machinery, especially cars. Duties Most mechanics specialize in a particular field, such as auto body mechanics, air conditioning and r ...

s' Institute of Wentworth County. He served as its recording secretary for several years, and was made an honorary member on February 25, 1848, as a reward for his services. A painter by trade, as well as a

freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

, Ford was also a member of both Barton

Lodge Lodge is originally a term for a relatively small building, often associated with a larger one. Lodge or The Lodge may refer to: Buildings and structures Specific * The Lodge (Australia), the official Canberra residence of the Prime Ministe ...

and the Church of St. Thomas. He married Keziah Beasley in 1835, the daughter of one of Hamilton's earliest settlers, Richard Beasley. They had at least two sons together. The date of Ford's death is not certain, but is believed to be between 1858 and 1862.

Controversy in office

Ford was elected mayor in 1852, and his term of office was unusual. Problems arose when Ford agreed to allow John Gamble Geddes to use the James Street council chambers for a meeting of the Gore and Wellington Church Society. Unfortunately, the time chosen coincided with a scheduled council meeting, and, when Ford agreed to change the time of the municipal meeting, he caused considerable friction. The council criticized his conduct but agreed to vote him the £100 salary for his year's services as mayor. Ford refused to accept the salary with censure and brought the affair to public attention. Although the matter was later smoothed over, Ford refused to run for a second term.

References

* Dictionary of Hamilton Biography (Vol I, 1791–1875); Thomas Melville Bailey; W.L. Griffin Ltd, (1981); Pg 76 Mayors of Hamilton, Ontario {{Ontario-mayor-stub