Colin Strang
Encyclopedia
Colin Ferrie Strang was a politician in Alberta
, Canada and an alderman on Edmonton Town Council.
to Struthers Strang, originally from Scotland and Janet Ferrie. He was educated in Hamilton
. After a period working for hardware dealers W. McGivern & Co., in 1871 he moved to Winnipeg
, where he worked as a bookkeeper (eventually as the head of his own accounting office) until moving to Edmonton
in 1883. He became Edmonton's leading city accountant, and also worked as bank manager for Lafferty & Moore in 1890 and as business manager for the Moore and MacDowell sawmill in 1893. He was part owner of Ross Bros., a hardware firm.
In 1892
he ran for alderman on Edmonton's first town council. He finished first of fourteen candidates (the top six were elected). He was re-elected in 1893
, 1894
, and 1895
, but was defeated (finishing last of eight candidates) in 1896
. Strang entered a partnership with James A. Stoval, with a firm name of Stoval & Strang, which he operated until his death.
In 1898
he ran for the public school board and was elected. He served as the board's secretary-treasurer, and was re-elected in 1899
. During the same election, he returned to town council as an alderman. Aldermanic terms had been lengthened to two years, but his seat was declared vacant October 9, 1900. He did not seek public office again in his lifetime.
Colin Strang also served as secretary of both the board of trade and the Edmonton Rifle Association.
Strang died on December 10, 1900 after over a year of ill health. His final and fatal illness struck him on Friday, December 7, when he was bedridden and eventually lapsed into a coma
. The news of the sudden death of his brother, Robert of Winnipeg came by telegraph just as Strang was dying. Another one of Strang's brothers, Andrew has previously visited him in the previous fall, taking Colin, suffering from his illness at the time, back to visit Winnipeg
, which resulted in Colin's health being "very much improved" upon his return to Edmonton. He was said to be "one of the best posted hardware men of the west". His wife, Emily Price, and one son survived him.
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 and an alderman on Edmonton Town Council.
Biography
Colin Ferrie Strang was born in 1850 in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to Struthers Strang, originally from Scotland and Janet Ferrie. He was educated in Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
. After a period working for hardware dealers W. McGivern & Co., in 1871 he moved to Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, where he worked as a bookkeeper (eventually as the head of his own accounting office) until moving to 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...
in 1883. He became Edmonton's leading city accountant, and also worked as bank manager for Lafferty & Moore in 1890 and as business manager for the Moore and MacDowell sawmill in 1893. He was part owner of Ross Bros., a hardware firm.
In 1892
Edmonton municipal election, 1892
The 1892 Edmonton municipal election, held February 10, 1892, was the first after the incorporation of Edmonton as a town, and was held to elect the new town's first town council for a one year term...
he ran for alderman on Edmonton's first town council. He finished first of fourteen candidates (the top six were elected). He was re-elected in 1893
Edmonton municipal election, 1893
The 1893 municipal election was held January 3, 1893 to elect the town council and three trustees for each of the public and separate school divisions.-Mayor:-Aldermen:-References:...
, 1894
Edmonton municipal election, 1894
The 1894 Edmonton municipal election was held January 2, 1894 to elect the town council, consisting of a mayor and six aldermen, each elected for a one year term).-Mayor:-Aldermen:-References:*...
, and 1895
Edmonton municipal election, 1895
The 1895 municipal election was held January 14, 1895 to elect the town council and four trustees for each of the public and separate school divisions...
, but was defeated (finishing last of eight candidates) in 1896
Edmonton municipal election, January 1896
The first of two 1896 municipal elections was held January 13, 1896 to elect the town council , five trustees for the public school division and four trustees for the separate school division....
. Strang entered a partnership with James A. Stoval, with a firm name of Stoval & Strang, which he operated until his death.
In 1898
Edmonton municipal election, 1898
The 1898 municipal election was held December 12, 1898. In previous elections, an entire town council had been elected at once for a one year term; 1898 marked the beginning of staggered aldermanic terms, such that half of the six aldermen would be elected each year to two year terms...
he ran for the public school board and was elected. He served as the board's secretary-treasurer, and was re-elected in 1899
Edmonton municipal election, 1899
The 1899 municipal election was held December 11, 1899. It was the first municipal election in which only a portion of the aldermen were to be elected; in 1898, three of the six aldermen elected were elected to two year terms in preparation for a system in which only half of the aldermen would be...
. During the same election, he returned to town council as an alderman. Aldermanic terms had been lengthened to two years, but his seat was declared vacant October 9, 1900. He did not seek public office again in his lifetime.
Colin Strang also served as secretary of both the board of trade and the Edmonton Rifle Association.
Strang died on December 10, 1900 after over a year of ill health. His final and fatal illness struck him on Friday, December 7, when he was bedridden and eventually lapsed into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. The news of the sudden death of his brother, Robert of Winnipeg came by telegraph just as Strang was dying. Another one of Strang's brothers, Andrew has previously visited him in the previous fall, taking Colin, suffering from his illness at the time, back to visit Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, which resulted in Colin's health being "very much improved" upon his return to Edmonton. He was said to be "one of the best posted hardware men of the west". His wife, Emily Price, and one son survived him.