Samuel James Donaldson
Samuel James Donaldson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan | |
| In office April 2, 1907 – 1908 | |
| Preceded by | Peter Tyerman |
| Succeeded by | riding redistributed |
| Constituency | Prince Albert (County) |
| In office 1908–1915 | |
| Preceded by | first member |
| Succeeded by | Edgar Sidney Clinch |
| Constituency | Shellbrook |
| Member of the House of Commons of Canada | |
| In office 1915–1917 | |
| Preceded by | James McKay |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Knox |
| Constituency | Prince Albert |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 12, 1856 Appleton, Canada West |
| Died | March 14, 1926 (aged 70) |
| Political party | Provincial Rights, Conservative |
| Residence(s) | Prince Albert, Saskatchewan |
Samuel James Donaldson (March 12, 1856 – March 14, 1926) was a farmer, rancher, police officer and political figure in Saskatchewan, Canada. He represented Prince Albert County and then Shellbrook in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan from 1907 to 1915 as a Provincial Rights-Conservative MLA and Prince Albert in the House of Commons of Canada from 1915 to 1917 as a Conservative MP.[1]
He was born in Appleton, Canada West, the son of Samuel Donaldson. After completing his education, he worked as a clerk in a furniture store in Ottawa. In 1876, joined the North-West Mounted Police and travelled west to Pelly, Saskatchewan. Donaldson was a member of the force from 1876 to 1882, serving in Battleford, Prince Albert and Qu'Appelle. He served as a captain in the Prince Albert Volunteers during the North-West Rebellion. After he retired from the Mounted Police, he entered the livery business. In 1882, he married Jessie Paterson.
Donaldson served on the council for Prince Albert from 1889 to 1908 and was mayor from 1892 to 1894. He ran in the 1905 Saskatchewan general election as a Provincial Rights Party candidate in Prince Albert, and was initially declared to have lost the seat to Peter Tyerman of the Liberals,[2] although Donaldson was ultimately awarded the seat in April 1907 after legal wrangling over purported election irregularities.[3]
He held the Legislative Assembly seat until 1915, when he was elected to the House of Commons in a 1915 by-election held after James McKay was named to the bench. During World War I, Donaldson was lieutenant-colonel for the 188th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force.[4]
Electoral record
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal | Peter Tyerman* | 411 | 56.53% | – | |
| Provincial Rights | Samuel James Donaldson | 316 | 43.47% | – | |
| Total | 727 | 100.00% | |||
Note: *In 1907, by order of the Legislative Assembly, 151 votes for Tyerman were "set aside" and Donaldson was declared elected.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provincial Rights | Samuel James Donaldson | 447 | 62.17% | +18.70 | |
| Liberal | Andrew Knox | 272 | 37.83% | -18.70 | |
| Total | 719 | 100.00% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Samuel James Donaldson | 478 | 58.22% | -3.95 | |
| Liberal | Alexander McOwan | 343 | 41.78% | +3.95 | |
| Total | 821 | 100.00% | |||
| By-election on 1 February 1915
On Mr. McKay being appointed Judge, 16 December 1914 | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes
| |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Samuel James Donaldson | acclaimed | |||
References
- ^ Samuel James Donaldson – Parliament of Canada biography
- ^ "Prince Albert County Clinches Liberal Victory". Regina Leader-Post, December 20, 1905.
- ^ "Committee Declares S. J. Donaldson Member For Prince Albert District". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, April 2, 1907.
- ^ Hawkes, John (1924). The story of Saskatchewan and its people. Volume 3. pp. 1546–8. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2009.