Arthur Cushing
Encyclopedia
Arthur Thompson Cushing was a politician in Alberta
, Canada
and a municipal councillor in Edmonton
. His brother, William Henry Cushing
, was a mayor of Calgary
, while another brother, Alfred Cushing, served as alderman in that city.
in 1898. He moved to Edmonton in 1900 to manage his brother's lumber business. In 1902 he became manager of the Edmonton branch of Cushing Bros. Ltd., which he would manage until retiring in 1927. The same year, he married Annie Nelson, with whom he would have five children.
He first ran for office in the 1902 municipal election
, when he finished third of five candidates in the race for alderman and was therefore one of three elected to the Edmonton Town Council for a two year term. At the expiration of his term, at the 1904 election
he chose to run for the public school board rather than seeking re-election as alderman. He was elected, and served for one year before running for mayor in the 1905 election
. He was defeated by Charles May
, and took a hiatus from politics.
He returned for the 1909 election
, when he was again elected to the public school board, finishing first of seven candidates. He did not run for re-election at the conclusion of his two year term, devoting himself to the construction of a new factory in 1911. He was again elected to the board in the 1917 election
, finishing third of seven candidates, but again declined to seek re-election after serving his two year term.
In the 1927 election
, newly retired from his business, Arthur Cushing returned for a third and final stint as a school trustee. He was re-elected in the 1929
and 1931
elections. He did not seek re-election when his last term ended in 1933.
Cushing also served as the president of the Edmonton Board of Trade (now the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce) and the Edmonton Public Hospital. He died in Vancouver on March 26, 1944.
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and a municipal councillor in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
. His brother, William Henry Cushing
William Henry Cushing
William Henry Cushing was a Canadian politician. Born in Ontario, he migrated west as a young adult where he started a successful lumber company and later became Alberta's first Minister of Public Works and the 11th mayor of Calgary...
, was a mayor of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, while another brother, Alfred Cushing, served as alderman in that city.
Biography
Cushing was born in Kenilworth, Ontario February 10, 1869. He was educated at Essec High School, and earned a B.A. from the University of TorontoUniversity of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
in 1898. He moved to Edmonton in 1900 to manage his brother's lumber business. In 1902 he became manager of the Edmonton branch of Cushing Bros. Ltd., which he would manage until retiring in 1927. The same year, he married Annie Nelson, with whom he would have five children.
He first ran for office in the 1902 municipal election
Edmonton municipal election, 1902
The 1902 municipal election was held December 8, 1902 for the purpose of electing a mayor and three aldermen to sit on the Edmonton Town Council, as well as five public school trustees and five separate school trustees...
, when he finished third of five candidates in the race for alderman and was therefore one of three elected to the Edmonton Town Council for a two year term. At the expiration of his term, at the 1904 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1904
The 1904 municipal election was held December 12, 1904 for the purpose of electing a mayor and eight aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as five public school trustees and five separate school trustees. It was Edmonton's first election as a city, and the first in which there were...
he chose to run for the public school board rather than seeking re-election as alderman. He was elected, and served for one year before running for mayor in the 1905 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1905
The 1905 municipal election was held December 11, 1905 for the purpose of electing a mayor and four aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as five public school trustees and five separate school trustees. There were eight aldermen on city council, but four of the positions were...
. He was defeated by Charles May
Charles May
Charles May was a politician in Alberta, Canada and a mayor of Edmonton-Biography:May was born in Wellington County, Ontario on June 30, 1858. He left school in 1880 and moved to Manitoba to homestead. He later spent thirteen years as a carpenter and builder in Winnipeg before moving to Edmonton...
, and took a hiatus from politics.
He returned for the 1909 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1909
The 1909 municipal election was held December 13, 1909 for the purpose of electing a mayor and four aldermen to sit on the Edmonton City Council, as well as three public school trustees and five separate school trustees...
, when he was again elected to the public school board, finishing first of seven candidates. He did not run for re-election at the conclusion of his two year term, devoting himself to the construction of a new factory in 1911. He was again elected to the board in the 1917 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1917
The 1917 municipal election was held December 10, 1917, to elect a mayor and seven aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards...
, finishing third of seven candidates, but again declined to seek re-election after serving his two year term.
In the 1927 election
Edmonton municipal election, 1927
The 1927 municipal election was held December 12, 1927 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on each of the public and separate school boards...
, newly retired from his business, Arthur Cushing returned for a third and final stint as a school trustee. He was re-elected in the 1929
Edmonton municipal election, 1929
The 1929 municipal election was held December 9, 1929 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on the public school board...
and 1931
Edmonton municipal election, 1931
The 1931 municipal election was held November 11, 1931 to elect a mayor and five aldermen to sit on Edmonton City Council and four trustees to sit on the public school board .There were ten aldermen on city council, but five of the positions were already filled: James Collisson, Charles Gibbs,...
elections. He did not seek re-election when his last term ended in 1933.
Cushing also served as the president of the Edmonton Board of Trade (now the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce) and the Edmonton Public Hospital. He died in Vancouver on March 26, 1944.