William John Blair (October 13, 1875 – April 24, 1943) was a Canadian engineer, farmer, teacher, soldier surveyor and federal politician from Alberta.
Early life
William John Blair was born in
Embro, Ontario on October 13, 1875 to John Blair, and his wife Ellen Smyth, both of Irish descent.
Blair took his post secondary education at
Woodstock College and later the
University of Toronto where he completed a
Bachelor of Applied Science in Civil Engineering.
He began surveying in 1904 in Ontario and using his knowledge to Steak mining property which he later sold.
He married his wife Lottie May Nethercott in 1906 and they had one daughter and one son. He moved his family west to
Alberta in 1910 and continued his survey work.
Early political work
Blair first served in public office on the municipal level, for one term he served as Mayor of
New Liskeard, Ontario from 1907 to 1908.
After Blair moved out west he attempted a career at Alberta provincial politics. He ran for a seat in the Alberta Legislature by running as the
Conservative candidate in the
ministerial by-election held on May 27, 1912 in the
Sedgewick district. He was soundly defeated by incumbent Minister of Municipal Affairs
Charles Stewart.
Military service
Blair enlisted in the
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...
in 1916, becoming a recruiter for the
151st Battalion, a role he held until 1917.
Federal politics
Blair would try his hand at federal politics running as the
Unionist candidate in the
1917 Canadian federal election
The 1917 Canadian federal election (sometimes referred to as the khaki election) was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 13th Parliament of Canada. Described by historian Michael Bliss as the "m ...
. He won the election, defeating Laurier Liberal candidate and future Member of Parliament
Daniel Webster Warner
Daniel Webster Warner (October 1, 1857 – May 14, 1933) was a farmer, rancher and Canadian federal politician.
Warner first ran for a seat in the House of Commons of Canada in the 1917 Canadian federal election in the Battle River district. ...
in a hotly contested election.
Blair would serve in the House of Commons for one term before retiring from federal politics.
Late life and death
In 1925 Blair became very ill and moved his family to
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay, the western arm of Lake Simcoe. Although physically in Simcoe County, Barrie is politically i ...
he would spend the next 5 years recovering his health, moving back to Alberta in 1930. In 1937 he contracted
Thrombosis and his family moved back to Ontario once again. He withdrew himself from public life and died April 24, 1943.
References
External links
Alberta Land Surveying History William John Blair biography*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, William
1875 births
1943 deaths
University of Toronto alumni
Unionist Party (Canada) MPs
Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Alberta
Canadian Expeditionary Force officers
People from Temiskaming Shores
Mayors of places in Ontario