HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-30, Page 76� From 1860 to
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The mayors ef Goderici
Goderich Old Horne Week -
was held August 7-10, 1921,
and the committee said in a
circular letter to former
that—it_hoped "to—
strike the t-esponsive.chord in
your heart that will move you
to accept and definitely
decide to come home and join
in our celebration." Mayor
E.R. Wigle was president.
Members of tilt executive:
W.T. Murney, W.H. Rober-
tson, W. Reg. Sharman,
Major H.C. Dunlop, G.W.
Black, E. McLaughlin, Rev.
J.F. Reycraft, Reeve T.M.
Davis. George Stewart, Mrs.
W. Abel and Mrs. M. Swan-
son. • Honorary presidents
were William Campbell,
senator Proudfoot, Alex.
Saunders, Sheriff Reynolds,
ludge E.N. Lewis. Neil
McKenzie, Judge B.L. Doyle
and Major Joseph Beck.
Evon R. Wigle, a druggist
on the Square. had been a
candidate for the mayoralty
in 1917, but was defeated by
U.C. Munnings. In 1918 he
won over Munnings and
headed Goderich council
through 1922. In 1923 he won
Centre Huron seat in the
Legislature and joined
Howard. Ferguson's vic-
torious Conservatives.
A survey of the 35 Goderich
*mayors from 1850, the Year of
incorporation, to 1927, the
centenary year, discloses
that 15, or 42 percent, became
candidates for the
Legislature or Parliament.
and that seven were elected.
Probably most entered
municipal service without
ambitions for political
honors, but party executives
saw them as good candidates
and persuaded them to accept •
nomination. There were
exceptions. Malcolm Graeme
CaMeron won the mayoralty
in 1902, the Legislature seat
the same year, and held it
against the Conservative
sweep of 1905. He was mayor
again in 1910-11, and became
a county judge in 1924.
There were two father -and -
son pairs in. the mayoralty.
M.G. Cameron's father, Hon.
M. G. Canieron
M C. Ca meron, had been
mayor in 1860-64. entering
council at the age Of 28.•the
year he was called to the Bar.
He was elected to the first.
Dominion Parliament in 1867,
.ind many times thereafter.
Ira Lewis was the town's
third mayor, in 1852, and his
son, Edward Norman Lewis,
was mayor in 1903-04 as a
josop-off. for .the House of
Commons.
A total of 35 mayors in 77
years works out as an
average term of two years,
now the normal minimum.
Horace Horton, who was
mayor for three years and
later for six. holds the record.
John Butler, second with
seven years, was a
magistrate .for some years.
Some oldsters may
remember his book store on
Hamilton street, where rulers
Were free with purchases of
schoolbooks.
TOW NSIIIP,_OV.: Vic 11W -
This district was governed
originally bya board of
magistrates, meeting in
London. ApOopriately, one of
these. was 'William Fisher
Gooding, Goderich's first
citizen and merchant. First
municipal officials, before
the county was established,
were commissioners, ap-
pointed in 1839. For Goderich
township. these were Geoge
Elliott, W.F. Gooding and
••
Robert Shaw. Elliott came
from Ireland about 1832 and
took up the land which now is
part of tbe Bell Fruit Farms.
Gooding— is—zubject
biographical material
elsewhere. Shaw" is.not at this
time identified.
In Colborne, Henry Hyn-
dman (west) and Michael
Fisher (east) were chosen at
a public meeting frOm six
nominated the, others names
regrettable missing. Hyn-
dman was an early sheriff;
Michael Fisher, from York
county. was one of the
earliers settlers in Huron and
ad' of the I anregev es
wners.
Goderich: .1 :
'
._.
win,a
tatfr4
..„rgina_inesi—prt of
aGod
bitili,
township until 1959..
boundaries must have 'h
esdstatefdas' litkti'
,tpwhoeapltul "loartithe
defined,
rest of the tei"
entity even before i
corporation, and when th
were divisions of the
Goderich co
ships2494.
Godericha s ghad b
ao u ps ee dp a
recognizedwriatit
was Turn page4t:,,,
corporated as a
• HAPPY
150th BIRTHDA
1: •
juglegi
mot'
ZEHRS MARKET WOULD
LIKE TO TAKE THIS OP.
PPORTUNITY TO CON-
GRATULATE THETOWN OF
GODERICH ON THE OCCA-
SION OF ITS 150th BIRTH-
DAY.
WE ARE PROUD TO BE A
PART OF THIS GROWING
COMMUNITY AND LOOK
FORWARD TAMANY YEARS
SERVING THE PEOPLE OF
GODERICH WITH THE -BEST
OF FINE QUALITY FOODS.