Nelson Spencer
Encyclopedia
Nelson Spencer was a merchant, provincial level politician from Alberta
, Canada
, and a lieutenant colonel with the Canadian Expeditionary Force
(CEF) in World War I
.
, to William and Amelia Spencer.
Spencer first served in municipal politics as a Tory
party Mayor of Medicine Hat, Alberta
.
Nelson Spencer was an Orangeman, and in 1910 belonged to Carnduff, Saskatchewan
, Loyal Orange Lodge No.1561 where he served as the County Master for that jurisdiction. Later he transferred to 'Medicine Hat' L.O.L. 1549.
Spencer was elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1913 Alberta general election
. He defeated Liberal
cabinet minister Charles R. Mitchell
in an upset victory by 10 votes. Mitchell would be the only cabinet minister defeated in that election. Spencer would be acclaimed in the 1917 Alberta general election
under section 38 of the Elections Act that stipulates an incumbent member involved in active overseas duty with the Canadian Forces
in World War I would be automatically returned to his district without being contested.
Spencer retired from the Legislature after two terms in office.
Spencer belonged to the 21st Alberta Hussars prior to the Great War of 1914–1919. During the war he was given command of the newly created 175th 'Medicine Hat' Battalion and appointed to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. This unit was later broken up as its members were required to reinforce other units at the front. He commanded the 31st 'Alberta' Battalion from October 6, 1918, to December 1, 1918.
Spencer ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons
as the Conservative
candidate in a by-election in the Medicine Hat
federal electoral district held after the death of Arthur Lewis Sifton
. Spencer was badly defeated in a landslide by Robert Gardiner
.
After his electoral defeat, Spencer moved to British Columbia
and ran in the 1928 British Columbia general election
. He was elected in the riding of Vancouver City
and spent one term in office for the British Columbia Conservative Party
. Spencer later ran as an independent for Mayor of Vancouver after losing the Non-partisan Association
nomination in 1937.
Spencer was married to Martha Alberta.
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 lieutenant colonel with the Canadian Expeditionary Force
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force was the designation of the field force created by Canada for service overseas in the First World War. Units of the C.E.F. were divided into field formation in France, where they were organized first into separate divisions and later joined together into a single...
(CEF) in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Biography
Spencer was born in York County, New BrunswickYork County, New Brunswick
York County is located in west-central New Brunswick, Canada. The county contains the provincial capital, Fredericton. Outside the city, farming and forestry are two major industries in the county, which is bisected by the Saint John River...
, to William and Amelia Spencer.
Spencer first served in municipal politics as a Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
party Mayor of Medicine Hat, Alberta
Medicine Hat, Alberta
Medicine Hat, known to locals as "The Hat", is a city of 61,097 people located in the southeastern part of the province of Alberta, Canada. It is enclaved within Cypress County along with the nearby Town of Redcliff, although neither is part of the county....
.
Nelson Spencer was an Orangeman, and in 1910 belonged to Carnduff, Saskatchewan
Carnduff, Saskatchewan
-External links:*...
, Loyal Orange Lodge No.1561 where he served as the County Master for that jurisdiction. Later he transferred to 'Medicine Hat' L.O.L. 1549.
Spencer was elected to the Alberta Legislature in the 1913 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1913
The Alberta general election of 1913 was the third general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. The writ was dropped on 25 March 1913 and election day was held 17 April 1913 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. Elections in two northern districts took place on 30 July...
. He defeated Liberal
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
cabinet minister Charles R. Mitchell
Charles R. Mitchell
Charles Richmond Mitchell was a Canadian lawyer, judge, cabinet minister and former Leader of the Official Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.-Early life:...
in an upset victory by 10 votes. Mitchell would be the only cabinet minister defeated in that election. Spencer would be acclaimed in the 1917 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1917
The Alberta general election of 1917 was the fourth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada, held on 7 June 1917 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
under section 38 of the Elections Act that stipulates an incumbent member involved in active overseas duty with the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
in World War I would be automatically returned to his district without being contested.
Spencer retired from the Legislature after two terms in office.
Spencer belonged to the 21st Alberta Hussars prior to the Great War of 1914–1919. During the war he was given command of the newly created 175th 'Medicine Hat' Battalion and appointed to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. This unit was later broken up as its members were required to reinforce other units at the front. He commanded the 31st 'Alberta' Battalion from October 6, 1918, to December 1, 1918.
Spencer ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as the Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
candidate in a by-election in the Medicine Hat
Medicine Hat (electoral district)
Medicine Hat is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1908. The riding covers the City of Medicine Hat and surrounding areas on the southeast side of Alberta – including Cypress County, Forty Mile County, the Municipal...
federal electoral district held after the death of Arthur Lewis Sifton
Arthur Lewis Sifton
Arthur Lewis Watkins Sifton, PC, KC was a Canadian politician who served as the second Premier of Alberta from 1910 until 1917 and as a minister in the Government of Canada thereafter. Born in Ontario, he grew up there and in Winnipeg, where he became a lawyer...
. Spencer was badly defeated in a landslide by Robert Gardiner
Robert Gardiner (Canadian politician)
Robert Gardiner was a farmer and federal Member of Parliament from Canada.Gardiner first ran for a seat in the Canadian House of Commons for the Progressive Party of Canada in a by-election on June 27, 1921...
.
After his electoral defeat, Spencer moved to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
and ran in the 1928 British Columbia general election
British Columbia general election, 1928
The British Columbia general election of 1928 was the seventeenth general election in the Province of British Columbia, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The election was called on June 7, 1928, and held on July 18, 1928...
. He was elected in the riding of Vancouver City
Vancouver City (electoral district)
Vancouver City was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was a multiple member riding based in the newly-created city of Vancouver....
and spent one term in office for the British Columbia Conservative Party
British Columbia Conservative Party
The British Columbia Conservative Party is a political party in British Columbia, Canada. First elected as the government in 1903, the party went into decline after 1933...
. Spencer later ran as an independent for Mayor of Vancouver after losing the Non-partisan Association
Non-Partisan Association
The Non-Partisan Association is a civic-level electoral organization in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. There are, and have also been in the past, Non-Partisan Association political parties in the nearby municipalities of Burnaby, Richmond and Surrey.The NPA was established in 1937 to...
nomination in 1937.
Spencer was married to Martha Alberta.